S5: Physical Education Sports

1.1 The structure of the guide
This section presents the overall structure of this guide, the unit and lessonstructure
to help teachers to understand different sections of this teacher’s Guide.

Overall structure
The whole guide has three main parts as follows:

General Introduction:
This part provides general guidance on:
• How to develop the generic competences,
• How to integrate cross cutting issues,
• How to cater for students with special educational needs, active methods
and techniques of teaching Physical Education and Sports and guidance on
assessment.

Sample lesson plan:
This part provides a sample lesson plan developed and designed to help the teachers
to develop their own lesson plans.

Unit development:
This is the core part of the guide. Each unit is developed by following the structure
below.

Structure of a unit
Each unit is made of the following sections:
• Unit title: From the syllabus.
• Key unit competence: From the syllabus.
• Prerequisites (knowledge, skills, attitudes and values): This section
indicates knowledge, skills and attitudes required for the success of the unit.
The competence-based approach calls for connections between units/topics
within a subject and interconnections between different subjects. The teacher
will find an indication of those prerequisites and guidance on how to establish
connections.
• Cross-cutting issues to be addressed: This section suggests cross cutting
issues that can be integrated depending on the unit content. It provides
guidance on how to come up with the integration of the issue. Note that the issue
indicated is a suggestion; teachers are free to take another crosscutting issue taking
into consideration the learning environment.

• List of lessons/sub-heading: This section presents in a table suggestion
on the list of lessons, lesson objectives copied or adapted from the syllabus and
duration for each lesson. Each lesson /subheading is then developed.
• Summary of the unit: This section summarises what students have been
learned in the whole unit.
• End of each unit: At the end of each unit, the teacher’s guide provides the
following sections:

Additional Information
This section gives further information that may help him/her to plan and conduct
Physical Education and Sports lesson.

End unit assessment
This part provides guidance on how to conduct the end unit assessment in a practical
way. It suggests activities/games as well as guidance on criteria to be considered such
as:
– Cognitive skills: (E.g.: level of concentration, memory, capacity of anticipation,
problem solving, know rules of the game, know techniques and tactics to use
different sports activities etc.).
– Technical competences: (E.g.: to throw the ball, to catch it, to dribble it, to pass
it to others etc.).
– Strong emotional points: Such as self-confidence and feeling, secure.
– Social competences: Such as cooperation and solidarity.
– Attitudes and values: E.g.: optimism, confidence, respect and impartiality.

Additional activities
This section provides additional games/exercises for the teacher to have a widerange
of activities/games related to the unit.
– Consolidation activities: Additional activities to students withspecial educational
needs.
– Remedial Activities: Additional activities for students who need more time
and exercises to achieve a certain level of performance.
– Extended activities: Additional activities for talented students.

The guide ends with references.

Structure of each lesson

Each lesson/sub-heading is made of the following sections:
– Lesson title: It shows the title of the lesson.

– Introduction: This section gives a clear instruction to the teacher on how to start
                                  the lesson.
– Teaching resources: This section suggests the teaching aids or other
resources needed in line with the activities to achieve the learning objectives.
Teachers are encouraged to replace the suggested teaching aids by the available
ones in their respective schools and based on learning environment.
– Steps of the lesson: This section provides activities/games/exercises and
guidance step by step: Opening discussions, warm up, lesson body, cool down
and closing discussions (R-C-A: Reflect Connect and Apply).

1.2 Methodological guidance
1.2.1 Developing competences
Since 2015, Rwanda shifted from a knowledge based to a competency based curriculum
for pre-primary, primary and general secondary education. This called for changing the
way of learning by shifting from teacher-centers to the student- centered approach.
Teachers are not only responsible for knowledge transfer but also for fostering students’
learning achievement, and creating safe and supportive learning environment. It implies
also that a student has to demonstrate what he/she is able to do using the knowledge,
skills, values and attitude acquired in a new or different or given situation.

The competence-based curriculum employs an approach of teaching and learning based
on discrete skills. It focuses on what students can do rather than what students know.
Students develop basic competences through specific subject unit competences with
specific learning objectives broken down into knowledge, skills and attitudes. These
competences are developed through learning activities disseminated in student-centred
rather than the traditional didactic approach. The students are evaluated against set
standards to achieve before moving on.

In addition to specific subject competences, students also develop generic competences
that are transferable throughout a range of learning areas and situations in life.

Below are examples of how generic competences can be developed in Physical
Education and Sports:

1.2.2 Addressing cross-cutting issues

Among the changes in the competence, based curriculum is the integration of cross
cutting issues as an integral part of the teaching learning process as they relate to and
must be considered within all subjects to be appropriately addressed. The eight cross cutting
issues identified in the national curriculum framework are:
• Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE),
• Environment and sustainability,
• Financial Education,
• Gender,
• Genocide studies,
• Inclusive Education.
• Peace and Values Education,
• Standardization Culture

Some cross cutting issues may seem specific to particular learning areas or subjects
but the teacher need to address all of them whenever an opportunity arises. In addition,
students should always be given an opportunity during the learning process to address
these cross cutting issues both within and out of the classroom to progressively develop
related attitudes and values.

Below are examples on how crosscutting issues can be addressed in PES.

1.2.3 Attention to special educational needs
Currently we are convinced that games and sports are very beneficial to peoplewith
physical, mental, emotional and psychological disabilities.

What attitude to adopt to promote the integration of students with disabilities
during recreational and sports activities?

To promote the integration of students with disabilities during recreational and sports
activities, the following tips may help teachers/educators in the training of these
students:
• Adopt an approach of sports and game which is based on skills, you focus on what
   students are capable of doing. In this respect, you can introduce small changes in
   games and activities for students with disabilities.
• Be relaxed and natural when you are with people with disabilities. Do not treat
  them as if they need your pity or your charity. Do not think theynecessarily need
  help. Let them do and say things themselves.
• Avoid keeping students with disabilities out of the game: in a regular class, let
  them participate in other’s games. However, avoid being too demanding about
  the level of their performance.

What can we modify to promote the integration of students with disabilities
during recreational and sports activities?

Within the framework of integration of students in games, according to the nature and the
gravity of impairment, students can participate in games designed for all students. In
other cases, the teacher or educator should think about changes he/she could make to
meet the special needs of teachers he/she has in the group. He/she should also think
about adaptation ofthe game, the playground, equipment and duration of the game.

Below are some examples of adaptation to initiate:
i) Adapt roles and rules
• Make the game easier or harder by changing some rules.
• Let students play different roles and in different positions.
• Allow students to play in different ways, for example, sitting instead ofstanding.
• Simplify expectations of the game.
• Simplify instructions.
ii) Adapt the playground
• Change the size of the playground. Enlarge or reduce the playground.
• Change the distance: for example, put a target closer.
• Change the height of a target.
• Allow more or less space between students.
• Let students move from different spaces.
iii) Adapt the materials
• Reduce the size or weight of materials.
• Choose balls of various textures, bright colours or balls, which make noise.
iv) Adapt the duration of the activity
• Reduce or extend the time allotted to the activity.

Aspects to consider when you want to modify an activity
Ask yourself the following questions:
• Does the modification affect negatively the activity? This should not be the case.
• Does the modification correspond to the ability and duration of students’
   attention?
• Will the students with disability be able to play with others?
• Is the activity proportional to ages of participants?
• Does the activity respond to the needs of all participants?

Strategies to help students with physical disabilities ormobility difficulties
• Adapt activities so that students, who use wheelchairs, use other mobility aids,
  have difficulty in moving can participate.
• Ask for adaptation of furniture. E.g., the height of a table may need to be
  changed to make it easier for a student to reach it or fit their legs orwheelchair.
  Encourage peer support between students. Get advice from parents or a health
  professional about assistive devices.

Strategies to help students with hearing disabilities orcommunication
difficulties
• Always get the student’s attention before you begin to speak.
• Encourage the students to look at your face.
• Use gestures, body language and facial expressions.
• Use pictures and objects as much as possible.
• Ask the parents/caregivers to show you the signs they use at home for
   communication (use the same signs yourself and encourage other students to
   also use them).
• Keep background noise to a minimum.

Strategies to help students with visual disabilities
• Help students to use their other senses (hearing, touch, smell and taste) to play
and carry out activities that will promote their learning and development.
• Use simple, clear and consistent language.
• Use tactile objects to help in explaining a concept.
• For students with some sight, ask them what they can see. Get information from
parents/caregivers on how the students manage their remaining sight at home.
• Make sure that the students have a group of friends who are helpful and who allow
the student to be as independent as possible.
• Plan activities so that students work in pairs or groups whenever possible.

1.2.4 Guidance on assessment
Assessment in PES must be a continuing process that arises out of interaction during
teaching and learning process. It includes lesson evaluation during R-C-A after each
session and end of unit assessment.

This formative assessment should play a big role in teaching and learning process. The
teacher should encourage individual, peer and group evaluation of the activity done.
In this step, the teacher sets exercise to assess abilities, skills, knowledge and attitudes of
individual students basing on unit or lesson objectives. During assessment activity, students
perform exercises individually or work in teams. The teacher avoids intervening directly.
In fact, results from this assessment inform the teacher on next steps for the whole class
and individuals. In some cases, the teacher can end up with giving remedial and extra
activities.

1.2.5 Students’ learning styles and strategies to conduct
            teaching and learning process
There are different teaching styles and techniques that should be catered for. The selection
of teaching method should be done with the greatest care and some of the factors to be
considered that are:
• The uniqueness of Physical Education and Sports.
• The type of lessons to be learned.
• The particular learning objectives to be achieved.
• The allocated time to achieve the objective.
• Available instructional Sports materials, equipment and Sports infrastructure.
• Individual students’ needs.
• Abilities of students’ and learning styles.

There are different learning styles to use while teaching Physical Education and Sports
depending on students’ abilities. The teacher should use a wide range of techniques and
tools to cater for different specificity of students’.

1.2.6 Teaching methods and techniques that promote the
           active learning

A. Suitable Methods / techniques to teach PES

Physical Education and Sports is taught:
• In the classrooms (e.g. using a projector and videos to teach steps of
performing a technique, a system of game play and using a chalk board to teach
rules of the game).
• In the playgrounds/courts for teaching different games (e.g.: football playground
for teaching football game, volleyball court for teaching volleyball game, handball
playground for teaching handball game, basketball court for teaching basketball
game, netball court for teaching netball game).
• On the athletic track, fields, roads and hills for teaching athletics activities(racing,
jumps and throws).
• In Gymnasiums for teaching gymnastics and indoor sports.
In the process of teaching and learning Physical Education and Sports, the following
methods should be used:

• Demonstration method
A teacher makes him/herself a demonstration or asks an able student to do a
demonstration. The teacher is advised not to do a demonstration if he/she is not sure
to do it better than every individual student can do it.

• Verbal Explanation
A teacher describes/explains activities he/she wants students to perform.

• Practice session
Students are given time to practice exercises intended to develop the desired skills.

• Supervision
During a PES lesson, the teacher plays a role of supervising where he/she must move
around in field and make corrections for individual students during exercises.

• Correction
While making corrections starting by group correction to individual correction.Corrections
for inaccuracy in performing given techniques are done immediately.

• Evaluation
Let students do their own evaluation for each other, then help them by giving some advice
using encouraging words. Evaluation is a continued activity throughout the physical
exercises.

• Discussion
Discussions are used before and after teaching and learning activities in open talks
to motivate and develop attitude and values in students.

• Application
Use of learned Physical Education and Sports skills in different situations to solve a
given problem.

Physical Education and Sports in small schools or schools with limited
facilities

Where schools have specific problems related to a lack of indoor and outdoor space,
consideration might be given to:

• The use of the classrooms, corridors and available school grounds for
   orienteering exercises.
• The provision of markings on the playground for athletic activities and small- sided
   games.
• The use of local facilities, e.g. Local grounds, community centres, parish
   halls, youth clubs, colleges, higher learning institutions etc.
• Co-operation with other primary or secondary schools in sharing facilities.
• Allocating more time to Physical Education and Sports in good weather.
• Visiting an outdoor education centre providing facilities for many worthwhileactivities.
• Use possible available space, which should be used to facilitate teaching and
   learning of Physical Education and Sports.

• Use local materials by making for example: goal posts for Football, Netball and
Handball, posts for supporting net in Volleyball.
• Try to create their own playgrounds by using space available.

B. Steps of a PES lesson
While teaching a Physical Education and Sports lesson by using play basedapproach,
a teacher follows these steps:
Step 1: Opening discussions.
Step 2: Warm-up activities.
Step 3: Lesson body.
Step 4: Cool down.
Step 5: Closing discussions focusing on Reflect, Connect and Apply (R-C-A).

Step 1: Opening discussions
The Opening discussions prepare students for the learning experience. Discussions
encourage them to think about the learning objective of the play. Opening discussions
include quick questions to stimulate students’ curiosity and engagement.

Strategies for good discussions:
• Set appropriate arrangement for good discussions: e.g. semi-circle, circle,
U-shape.
• Set ground rules, which create a safe atmosphere for students.
• Prepare students for discussions.
• Ensure interactive and inclusive discussions.
• Acknowledge each student’s contribution.
• Ensure classroom management and control.

Step 2: Warm-up activities
A warm-up is performed before a game/play/practice of technique. It helps the body
activation, prepares itself for a physical exercise, and reduces the risk of injury. The
warm-up should be a combination of rhythmic exercises, which begin to raise the heart
rate and raise muscle temperature, and static stretching through a full range of motion. The
use balls while warm up activities help students to master previous skills, which should
help them to perform new skills.

Step 3: Lesson body
A game/play/exercise is selected according to the topic to be taught/age of students/
ability of students/available materials and skills you want to develop.

Step 4: Cool down
A cool down activity is an easy exercise that allows the body to gradually transition to a
resting or near-resting state. It is done after the main activity or lesson body.

Step 5: R-C-A discussions
Assessment in PES lesson is done when students are performing exercises/
activities/games. At this level, through the R-C-A discussions the teacher allows students
to do their self-evaluation and provide the feedback from learned lesson.

Reflect-Connect-Apply is a teaching and learning strategy that leads students through
a 3-steps discussion about their experience:
• Reflect: Ask questions, which help student to reflect on the game/ play/skill
learned. The teacher asks questions about their experience and feelings during the
game/exercise/activity.

The teacher asks questions like:
– What was interesting?
– What was easy?
– What was challenging?
– What strategies have you used to win?
– How did you feel in case of success or failure?
• Connect: Ask questions, which help students to connect what they have
learned to life experiences and lesson content.

The teacher asks questions like:
– How this game/exercise/activity is connected to what you already know, believe
   or feel?
– Does it reinforce or expand your view?
– The teacher also asks questions, which connect the game/exercise/activity to
    lesson content.
• Apply: Ask questions, which help student to apply acquired experience to another
   situation.

The teacher asks questions like:
– How could you use what you have learned from this experience?
– How could you use your new learning to benefit yourself, others, your
    community?

RCA is based on the work of educationalists such as Freire, Brown, Piaget, Brantford
and others who support the concept of an educational process that is active,

relevant, reflective, collaborative and applied, and has its roots in experiential learning
theory (Kolb, 1984). Play-based learning techniqueis closely linked to the Experiential
Learning Cycle. It starts with a game or play-based activity and ends with a closing
Reflect, Connect and Apply (RCA)discussion linked to the subject matter.