Addressing physical inactivity among developmentally disabled students through visual schedules and social stories.
A simple picture schedule is enough to get PE teachers to boost physical activity for students with developmental delays.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team worked with PE teachers in public schools. All teachers had students with developmental delays in their classes.
Teachers got a short training on two tools: picture schedules and short social stories. The study checked if teachers used the tools and what they thought of them.
What they found
After training, three out of four PE teachers started using picture schedules. Every teacher who tried them said they helped students stay active.
Only one teacher tried social stories, but that teacher said they worked great. No one kept using social stories, likely because they took more prep time.
How this fits with other research
Grahame et al. (2015) looked at 31 studies and ruled visual schedules an evidence-based practice for autism. The current PE study adds one more brick to that wall.
Pilgrim et al. (2000) showed that picture schedules plus gentle prompts can teach on-task behavior in elementary students with autism. Merilee et al. moved the same idea into gym class.
Sances et al. (2019) later proved the same tool works for adults learning job skills. The thread is clear: visual schedules travel well across ages and settings.
Why it matters
You can hand a PE teacher a laminated picture schedule and expect quick buy-in. No fancy tech. No long training. Just clear pictures of warm-up, game, cool-down. If you support students with developmental delays in inclusive PE, this is a tool you can roll out next week.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
INTRODUCTION: This project tested visual schedules and social stories in a physical education setting in order to increase the physical activity of developmentally disabled students. METHOD: This cohort study design involved 17 physical education teachers in a training course with an initial survey and 7-month post-survey. The initial survey assessed participant experience with developmentally disabled students, visual schedules and social stories. The post-survey assessed usage of, effectiveness of, and satisfaction with visual schedules and social stories in a physical education setting. RESULTS: On the initial survey, 100% of the participants reported that they work with developmentally disabled students and 24% reported little to no training in working with this population. On the post-survey, 75% of the participants reported using visual schedules in their teaching and 64% found them to be "effective" or "very effective". Six percent used social stories in their teaching, reporting them as 100% "very effective". CONCLUSION: There is an indication that visual schedules and social stories are effective learning tools in the physical education setting, increasing opportunities for developmentally disabled students to be physically active. However, additional resources and training are needed in order for physical education teachers to implement these tools widely in their classes.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2007 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2006.03.004