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How to teach dance confidently in Adapted PE

This is an excerpt from Adapted Physical Education and Sport 8th Edition by Joseph P. Winnick,David L. Porretta,Lauren J. Lieberman.

By Laura A. Prieto and Heather Katz

GAINING CONFIDENCE WITH TEACHING DANCE

Adapted physical educators enter the profession with unique backgrounds and physical activity experiences. Many became educators out of a desire to share a passion for sports or fitness activities but may not have specific experience or interest in dance. Research suggests there is a connection between teacher expertise and how a subject is taught (Choi et al., 2020; Ní Ríordáin et al., 2019; Toom, 2017). Additionally, studies have shown personal physical education experiences affect content delivery (Schnitzius et al. 2021; Everley and Flemons, 2020). Some teachers who have never experienced dancing within or outside of the physical education setting may therefore be uncertain about teaching this unfamiliar activity. Because dance within the physical education setting varies in content, frequency, and pedagogical methodology, there also remains ambiguity on how dance should be taught in physical education. This could provide further context as to why some adapted physical educators lack confidence in implementing dance lessons in their classrooms: A lack of exposure, positive experiences, and training related to the subject all could sway confidence levels (MacLean, 2007; Morgan and Bourke, 2008; Renner and Pratt, 2017). To ensure students receive comprehensive dance instruction, this section provides you with practical strategies to improve confidence and make dance enjoyable for both you and your students.

Identify Your Previous Experiences and Biases

Create a list or a journal entry about your dance background, whether that’s limited or vast. Consider the following questions:

• What styles of dance have you tried?
• Were these experiences enjoyable? Stressful? Forced? Voluntary?
• How do your social circles perceive dance? Are your views in line with theirs?
• How do you perceive yourself when trying to dance? Do you feel graceful, clumsy, confident, weak?
• Do you have a preconceived notion of who should be dancing or how dance should be done? How might any of these affect your teaching?

This writing exercise can include answers to any of these questions, or you can decide what’s important regarding your view of participating in and teaching dance.

Network With Others

Refer to the Collaboration section to identify individuals who might provide a boost to your teaching confidence. Additionally, reach out to other adapted physical educators—either those who have taught dance before and can give you suggestions or those who are also new to including dance in their curriculum and can provide support during the learning process. Organizations such as NDEO give teachers access to research, professional development, standards, and assessments that can enhance instruction. In addition to dance organizations, your state SHAPE America affiliate might have dance and adapted physical education divisions that have already created resources for dance instruction in adapted physical education.

Try a Dance Class

Put yourself in the shoes of your students while developing new skills to share with them. Dance studios, gyms, and community centers often offer dance classes for adults. Trying a dance class can be a powerful way to form new, positive associations for teachers who have had negative prior experiences with dance. These classes can also be a great place to network and find guest instructors.

If you’re new to dancing, taking a virtual lesson may be an appealing option to allow for privacy and reduce intimidation when learning new skills. For those living in areas with limited adult dance class offerings, virtual classes can eliminate that gap in access to instruction. You can take a ­prerecorded class through a video-sharing platform or a live class in which an instructor can provide ­personalized feedback and guidance. Refer to the Community Integration section for more specific opportunities.

Align Dance With Your Comfort Activities

Are you a former basketball player? Dribbling a basketball to the beat of a song is a unique and fun way to teach the concept of rhythm. Prefer to teach strength and conditioning? Numerous similarities exist between fitness skills and dance moves. For example, a squat and a plié are nearly the same motion with different foot placements. Select your favorite sport or activity to teach and identify similarities to increase your comfort level. Refer to table 24.5 for examples of connections between physical activity and dance.

Identify the Relationship Between Dance and Disability Specific to Your Students

The relationship between dance and disability is complex; understanding what your students with disabilities might experience and what they need in order to dance can increase comfort and confidence in teaching an unfamiliar subject. Consider the following:

• What examples of dance has the ­student been exposed to? Have they seen a person with a disability perform dance skills before?
• What modifications or variations need to be made for the student to participate?
  • What are some alternative moves that closely resemble original moves (e.g., ­turning using a wheelchair)?
  • Can the music and moves accommodate half-tempo movement (e.g., taking four counts to complete a move instead of two)?
  • What environmental factors like music volume or defined space for movement might be necessary to consider?
  • Is the space created safe for expression?
  • What are other students doing?
  • What instructional strategies promote inclusion?
  • How can all students be encouraged to accept and embrace how all bodies move?

STRATEGIES FOR INCLUSION

Dance is uniquely suited to promote inclusion in physical education, because movement can be easily modified to suit individual and group needs. When teachers challenge their ideas of what dance is “supposed” to look like, standards of success can be broadened for the most enjoyable experience for students. When a teacher’s instruction is guided by the idea that dance does not need to be graceful, aesthetically pleasing, or perfect, students can embrace how their bodies move.

In addition to the freedom inherent to dance, class structure can also be adjusted for inclusive purposes. Most dances can be performed individually, with a partner, or in small groups, large groups, or a combination of formations, unlike games and activities with stricter requirements around how and where to move. With a wide array of options in movement and structure, students with and without disabilities can be accommodated with minimal stress on teachers or support staff. For example, transitioning from an individual dance to a small-group dance is a simple way to encourage interaction among peers yet doesn’t require a substantial change in lesson planning or instruction. Refer to the Modifications and Variations section of this chapter for more examples.

Because dance has a strong social component and an emphasis on body acceptance and expression, introducing dance early in the school year can set a foundation of respect imperative to creating an inclusive environment. When dance occurs at the beginning of the semester with a new group of students, you can build trust that will carry on with other activities. To do this, class procedures and expectations should be established before instruction. To achieve buy-in from students, consider involving them in creating guidelines. This gives them a sense of ownership in the class and provides you as the educator with valuable information on what students prioritize and how they feel about dance before instruction. When students learn to appreciate the way their own body and other bodies move, your class becomes a haven that has the potential to dismantle harmful stereotypes about disability. You have the power to create that atmosphere and set a precedent that can translate outside adapted physical education, building a more inclusive school overall. You can be a leader for inclusion in your school, and dance is a valuable tool at your disposal.

More Excerpts From Adapted Physical Education and Sport 8th Edition

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