A look at inclusivity by MYP 5
How can we defeat barriers present in sports and society?
Recently, MYP 5 completed their unit Inclusivity in Sports. Over the course of this unit, the students broadened their understanding of the barriers faced by individuals with disabilities and the importance of creating inclusive environments. Students looked at and learned about the various barriers that hinder inclusivity in sports and society. Students; through our lessons, research, and in-class discussions; learned about physical, attitudinal, and social barriers that exist in today’s world and how they attribute to the creation of challenges that restrict participation and limit opportunities for growth.
The assessment for this unit challenged students to create their own inclusive sports simulation. In teams, students were tasked with designing their own simulation with the aim to create an immersive experience to help their fellow students to understand better the challenges faced by those with disabilities and to demonstrate the adaptations that can be made to help conquer these challenges.
In the photo above, we can see one of the simulations designed by our students. In this simulation, students completed a short obstacle course while maintaining a dribble. After the dribbling portion, students had to attempt three jump shots from different positions around the court. The barrier chosen for this simulation? Visual impairment. The tasks outlined above had to be completed blind. How did the students adapt to this barrier? The team responsible for the simulation chose to adapt by utilizing sound, they used sticks to tap the floor to signal the direction for movement and obstacles and taped the basketball rim to help guide the others when attempting a shot.
Other simulations included; a game of tag for people with visual impairments when runners and the tagger were partnered with guides or had the job to lead the players vocally as they played blindfolded, or a demonstration of an aerial gymnastics performance in which the performer was also unable to see their environment or own movement and had to rely on the vocal aid of an assistant.
Overall, I was very happy with the effort and consideration MYP 5 put into this unit. They demonstrated not only an understanding but a willingness to learn more about these barriers and how we can prevent or remove them.
