PHYSICAL CULTURE AND SPORT AS A FACTOR OF SOCIALIZATION FOR THE PEOPLE WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENT ACROSS THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA

Abstract

All the respondents confirmed that physical culture and sport contribute to the health promotion, develop motor skills, increase performance efficiency and enable hard-of-hearing people to feel fully integrated into society. They also valued the role of sport as a factor of socialization, underlying expansion of the communication scope, involvement in the environment of people not having hearing impairments, the opportunity to build sport career and attainment of coach or physical education teacher qualifications. Among the factors hindering the development of sport for PWHI, the respondents noted the socio-economic situation across the Republic, the insufficient level of perception and understanding of PWHI, the need for retraining coaches for the deaf athletes and the passivity of structures associated with the PWHI. Physical culture and sport are a great way for PWHI to socialize. In the development of physical culture and sport for PWHI there are numerous obstacles of socio-economic and organizational nature including issues linked to their education. Thus, for the sector development, it is required to create an appropriate environment with educational and sport facilities.