CHALLENGES OF TEACHING IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION PRACTICAL CLASS: THE CASE OF DISABLED STUDENTS OF TENA WOREDA SECONDARY AND PREPARATORY SCHOOLS, ARSI ZONE, OROMIA REGIONAL STATE.

Abstract

he main purpose of this study was to assess the major challenges of students with physical disabilities in physical education (PE) regular practical classes in some selected schools in Arsi zone Tena wereda of Oromia regional state. It is also aimed to assign possible recommendations that help to handle the challenges of these students in the PE practical classes. Descriptive research design was used in this study. Purposive sampling method and availability sampling techniques were applied to select respondents. Data were collected from the participant through interview, questioners and observation checklist. The collected Data were organized and analyzed from in-depth interviews, practical field observations were analyzed qualitatively and data collected by questioners were discussed and analyzed quantitatively by data table. Results of the study showed that, the exclusion of students with physical disabilities from PE practical classes, support made by teachers to crate effective inclusive PE was found very low, low level of awareness of stakeholders like school principals, educational officials, ‘normal’ peer groups, parents and others about the participation of the physically disabled students in PE practical classes so that their support and encouragement to the issue raised was found discouraging. Teachers training, curriculum materials and the required facilities and equipment were also found inadequate. Finally, based on the findings and conclusion of the study, it was recommended that, awareness creation strategy should be designed to the school principal, teachers, families and other stakeholders so that they could support and encourage inclusiveness of PE in the regular schools. Curriculum materials for PE should be improved in order to address the special needs of students with physical disabilities. PE teachers should be provided relevant training and they need to be innovative, flexible, creative, willing and capable of initiating participatory inclusive PE.