Katrina Szumlas

2019

Lesson that Fits

Overview of Case Study

Peter Park is a Korean student that has severe Muscular Dystrophy (MD). Muscular
dystrophy is the name for a group of genetic disorders in which strength and muscle bulk
gradually decline (Fallon & Cataldo, 2018). A few years after his diagnosis, Peter began to lose
his ability to walk. Recognizing that Peter has a functional disability (MD), his parents decided to
enrol him in a special school for children with physical disabilities and other health
impairments. Peter speaks only Korean at home and arrived at school in Pre-K with no exposure
to the English language. However, Peter is now in Grade 6, and is excelling academically in his
classes, especially English Language Arts and Math. Peter is known for being a very curious
learner. For example, he will ask about words he does not know, and then incorporate them
into his speech. Along with his academics, Peter excels socially, he enjoys helping his
classmates, and is known for his droll sense of humor. At school Peter has access to
technologies such as, a computer which facilitates his writing and a power wheelchair, which he
enjoys because it gives him independence. In addition, the school has set Peter up with physical
and occupational therapists, along with a community support program where he receives
individual counselling. Overall, school is a positive place for Peter, and presents opportunities
for social and academic learning.
At school, Peter is provided with some modalities enabling him to overcome challenges
and lead a fulfilling life; However, there are still areas where Peter could benefit from additional
supports. An area that stood out was in regard to his family, specifically his father’s beliefs and
the lack of accessibility at home. The family is constantly praying for a miracle, and Peter’s
father refuses to acknowledge that Peter’s disability makes certain tasks difficult to him. For
example, Peter’s father believes that he should be writing with a pencil even though he does
not have the strength to write legibly. When the teacher expressed the importance of providing
Peter with a computer to facilitate writing his father stated that Peter just needs to “try harder”
(p. 67). In addition, the family house is not accommodating of Peter’s wheelchair and so, Peter’s
father has to lift and carry him up the stairs. In addition, Peter does not have an electric
wheelchair at home and must be pushed by someone to get around. Both of which impede on
his independence at home. Another concern is that Peter often does not have breakfast before
coming to school, partly because he goes to church before school, but also because his father
believes that he is gaining weight and does not want that to continue. At home, Peter is given
strenuous exercise to help him “get stronger,” which we know actually contributes to the speed
of muscle loss for individuals with muscular dystrophy (Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy,
2010).
As teachers we cannot directly change Peter’s living situation, however by modeling
inclusion in our practice, we can demonstrate the benefits that proper accommodation can
have for Peter. This is crucial as Peter gets older and as his Muscular Dystrophy progresses. The
teachers are worried that Peter will not always have the same level of school support that he
has had thus far and so having the family understand how they can help will be very beneficial
for Peter going forward.
 Katrina Szumlas
2019
Adjustments to the Lesson

I decided to examine a standard Physical Education lesson plan for the soccer unit. After
conducting research and applying what I have learned in class I was able to identify strategies
to differentiate the lesson in order to allow Peter to seamlessly participate in the Phys Ed. class.
For the sake of this paper, the lesson will be scheduled for second period in the
morning. Well before transitioning into the gym, the teacher will quietly and individually ask
Peter if he has eaten breakfast. If Peter has not eaten or has not had enough to eat, he will
have the opportunity to go with a trusted peer to get food from the school breakfast program.
The breakfast program will ideally offer healthy options which stem from research such as, the
Canadian Food Guide (2019). After ensuring Peter has had the opportunity to eat breakfast, the
class will transition to the gym. During the transition through the hallways, up the ramp and to
the gym, Peter will be the designated line leader. Upon entering the gym, the students will
meet at the center circle, seeing as the students are still in Elementary there will be no need to
change their clothing. After welcoming the students to class, the students will begin by playing
an adapted version of Freeze Tag. In this version of tag, Peter will be the “unfreezer.” This
individuals role is to “unfreeze” participants which have been tagged by going under one of
their outstretched arms. After playing the warm up game, students will be encouraged to get a
drink of water. Peter will have a peer mentor each day, for this specific lesson it will be his
friend Manuel, and they will go together to get a drink of water. The next activity will be two
small scale soccer games. Set up will involve dividing the gym in half width wise by placing
benches down the middle, ensuring that there is enough space on each end so that Peter is not
handicapped by the environment. For the main activity, a soccer guard that is properly sized
and made of PVC pipe will be strapped to the front of Peter’s power wheelchair. Four teams will
be generated using the Team Shake App (randomized). At any time during the game, Peter will
have the opportunity to be the score keeper, referee or announcer if he needs a break. Peter
can also rely on his peer mentor during the class to help him during the game. After the game,
the class with cool down with a stretching session which will be led by the teacher. Peter’s
physical therapist will be invited and encouraged to attend the class, specifically for the
stretching portion. After the cool down, Peter will be the caboose of the line on the way back to
the classroom. I would like to note that after Peter has gained experience playing soccer with
his power wheelchair guard, I will send a letter home inviting his parents to watch him play.

Rationale

Peter is well known for his achievements in English Language Arts and Math; However,
the case study does not acknowledge any Physical Education or activity in Peter’s life. As
educators, we question whether Physical Education is excluded from the excerpt because it can
be challenging to make adaptations to physical activity to enable students with disabilities to
participate. This is why I decided to challenge myself to explore and apply various
differentiations to accommodate for Peter’s disability through a Physical Education soccer
lesson. The various adaptations I’ve made will enable Peter to engage in soccer alongside his
peers, as well as potentially instill a sense of understanding in his father that although Peter
 Katrina Szumlas
2019
cannot do everything that the able-bodied children his age can, he can still participate in sports
if given the resources to do so.
To begin, I want to bring attention to the importance of ensuring that Peter has eaten a
healthy breakfast to start the day. Breakfast provides a large number of the day’s total nutrient
intake and has essential nutrients to provide Peter with energy. Peter’s father may be more
open to the idea of Peter receiving a healthy breakfast if he is told about the groundings in
research that suggest healthy choices have positive effects on the body and reduce the risk of
disease (Canadian Food Guide, 2019). In addition, eating breakfast can improve school
performance and behaviour. Next, I suggest making Peter the designated line leader. Since
Peter uses a wheelchair he will likely be slower than his classmates, one way to ensure he’s not
being left behind is to make him the line leader, allowing him to set the pace and choose the
most accessible route (i.e., utilizing the ramp to access the gym). When the students get to the
gym, the teacher will introduce the warm up game which will be an inclusive version of Freeze
Tag. By giving Peter the role of the “unfreezer” he is able to succeed, as opposed to simply
being allowed to take part in a limited way, recognizing that it is important to make the child a
real, integral part of the class. After the warm-up game, the students will be given an
opportunity to get a drink from the water fountain. For the duration of the class, I have paired
Peter up with a peer mentor. I discussed making Manuel, Peter’s close friend, the peer mentor
for the physical education class. I felt Manuel would be a good fit to assist Peter because I know
he would voluntarily want to help, they work well together, and they have a mutually trusting
relationship. Seeing as Peter does not reveal his thoughts or feelings often, he may be more
open to if he is working with someone he trusts, especially when attempting something new. It
sounds like the class atmosphere is inclusive and Peter is well liked, so the likelihood of multiple
volunteers for the future is high. It is important to recognize that Peter may not always want a
peer mentor, and the teacher should be open to also giving him independence. The body of the
lesson has been moved indoors to accommodate for Peter’s power wheelchair, as well as
provide a more controlled environment. After doing some research, I have identified a soccer
guard which would fit onto the front of Peter’s power wheelchair. This alteration of equipment
will allow Peter to meaningfully participate in sport, by being able to capture and direct the ball
with purpose. In regard to the large soccer game, I have decided to have two small games
instead, as this will promote higher levels of participation (more touches on the ball) and by
decreasing the size of the playing area there is less distance that needs to be travelled by Peter.
The teams will be created using the Team Shake App, which eliminates the possibility of being
the last one picked in gym class. I also stated that “at any time during the game, Peter will have
the opportunity to be the score keeper, referee or announcer if he needs a break.” These are all
non-physical roles that still enable Peter to partake in the activity. It is important that Peter
does not over exert himself to the point of exhaustion. After the soccer game, students will
participate in a stretching session, which can be tailored to meet Peter’s needs without the
other students’ awareness. It is extremely important that individuals with muscular dystrophy
stretch their leg muscles regularly, focusing on the foot and ankle (Achilles tendon), the knees
(hamstrings), and hips (IT bands). I felt it would be beneficial to invite his physical therapist to
the class to provide support, as well as assist him with the stretching portion of the class so get
can get more muscular release. At the end of class, Peter can be the caboose as it challenges
him to stay attached to the line (keep pace). It is important that other students are given a turn
 Katrina Szumlas
2019
being the line leader or caboose, making all students feel equally valued. After Peter has gained
experience playing soccer with his power wheelchair guard, I will invite his parents in to class to
watch. The reasoning behind this is that maybe if his parents see that he can be successful with
a disability, that they may be more open to providing him with the tools he needs to live his life
to the fullest. It may also instill a sense of confidence within Peter, while evoking positive
emotions from his parents when they see what he is truly capable of.
 Katrina Szumlas
2019
References
Fallon, L. F., Jr., MD, DrPH, & Cataldo, L. J., RN, EdD. (2018). Muscular Dystrophy. In J. L. Longe
(Ed.), The Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health (4th ed., Vol. 4, pp. 2376-
2383). Farmington Hills, MI: Gale. Retrieved from
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX3662600753/HWRC?u=leth89164&sid=HWRC&x
id=ef85418c

Government of Canada. (2019). Canada’s Food Guide. Retrieved from

https://foodguide.canada.ca/en/

Hutchinson, Nancy. (2017) Inclusion of Exceptional Learners in Canada Schools: A Practical

Handbook for Teachers, (5th Ed.) Pearson Canada.

Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy. (2010). Education Matters: Adaptive Physical Education: A
PE teacher’s guide to Duchenne muscular dystrophy (Version 2, pp. 11-43). Retrieved
from
https://www.parentprojectmd.org/wcontent/uploads/2018/04/EdMatters_AdaptivePE.
pdf

Team Shake App. Retrieved from

https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/teamshake/id390812953?mt=8