Adapting a Session for Mixed Abilities
You are delivering a 60-minute multi-sport program for 24 participants aged 10-13 at a community centre. The group includes two children with asthma, one child with a mild intellectual disability, one child recovering from an ankle sprain cleared for light activity, and several very skilled players. The venue is a single indoor court shared with a storage area, and you have one assistant. The session plan you inherited is a full-court game of touch football for the whole hour. The weather is fine, and the outdoor area is available but uneven.
1. Critique the inherited session plan against the needs of this group and identify the risks it creates.
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The inherited plan is a poor fit for this group and creates several risks:
- Inactivity and exclusion: A full-hour game gives limited turns and little skill development; less confident or less skilled participants may disengage.
- Asthma risk: Continuous high-intensity running in a full-court game may trigger symptoms, especially without planned breaks or inhalers nearby.
- Injury risk: The child recovering from an ankle sprain faces cutting and pivoting demands on a hard court, risking re-injury.
- Accessibility: The child with a mild intellectual disability may struggle with complex rules and fast transitions without clear, simple instructions and visual supports.
- Supervision: One assistant across a full court with 24 participants makes it hard to monitor individuals, especially near the storage area.
- Skill mismatch: Highly skilled players dominate, reducing participation for others.
The plan lacks warm-up, cool-down, modified rules, rotation, and differentiation. It also does not account for the uneven outdoor surface if used as overflow space.
2. Redesign the 60-minute session to be safe and inclusive, explaining your planning decisions and how you would use your assistant.
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Redesigned session (60 minutes):
- Warm-up (10 min): Dynamic movement in a grid, with walking options and clear demonstrations.
- Skill stations (20 min): Three stations - passing, footwork, and small-sided games - rotating every 6-7 minutes. Use simple instructions, visual cue cards, and a buddy system.
- Modified game (20 min): Small-sided teams of 4 on half-court, with rules such as no contact, walking allowed, and rotating positions so everyone plays.
- Cool-down and review (10 min): Stretching and a short reflection.
Planning decisions:
- Asthma: Keep reliever inhalers accessible, plan frequent breaks, and monitor breathing; reduce continuous running.
- Ankle recovery: Offer a modified role such as passing or scorekeeping, and avoid pivoting and jumping; check in with the child.
- Intellectual disability: Use short instructions, demonstrations, and consistent routines; allow extra time.
- Skilled players: Give them leadership roles, such as leading a station or demonstrating, to keep them challenged.
- Venue: Keep the storage area closed off and use cones to define boundaries; avoid the uneven outdoor area for running activities.
Assistant's role: Supervise one station while I lead another, monitor the child with asthma, and help with transitions. We would position ourselves on opposite sides to keep all participants in sight.