SENSE-ational schools: physical literacy enriched opportunities for students with neurodiversity

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ABSTRACT Purpose Given the various social, physical, and environmental factors at play during a physical education (PE) class, some components of the PE experience can be overstimulating for individuals with neurodiversity. There have been repeated calls to action for the creation of inclusive experiences for all children in schools, however, very few have examined inclusive movement experiences across various movement contexts in schools (e.g. PE, recess, hallways, before/after school, etc.). This study reports on the SENSE-ational schools program as a model of an inclusive pedagogical approach for students with neurodiversity across school movement contexts. Data collection/analysis An exploratory case study design was used to examine inclusive practices within 4 elementary schools (grades K-5). Observations were grouped into four thematic categories: (1) School staff communication and engagement; (2) ‘Soft landings’; (3) Pre-teaching and reflective practice; (4) Lesson plans and equipment as a tool to support pedagogy. Findings Consistent with a physical literacy enriched pedagogy approach, the SENSE-ational schools program provided an opportunity for individualized movement journeys regardless of student level of ability or interest. The multiple success pathways for each individual student, afforded by different equipment deployed and strategies implemented, allowed for all students to feel successful in shared movement experiences. The SENSE-ational schools program is illustrated as a ‘best practice’ exemplar of inclusion for students with neurodiversity.