FEATURE

Schools can harness the skills and dedication of top athletes to inspire learning thanks to a collaboration between the NASUWT and ParalympicsGB.

The Union and ParalympicsGB have joined forces to produce Ability v Ability, a cross-curricular educational resource that uses the medium of sport to support pupil learning and dispel many of the myths around disability. Ability v Ability, which is endorsed by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), includes lesson plans, fact files about the Paralympic movement, interviews with top British Paralympians, quizzes and support and guidance for teachers.

Case study:

Graeme Woodward, Head of PSHE at Ryburn Valley High School in Calderdale, has used Ability v Ability to develop a scheme of work for his Year 8 students. He describes how the resources have helped him engage pupils: “I run a local athletics network and organise the participation of disabled athletes in our events, so when I saw an advert for Ability v Ability in Teaching Today I thought it would be a good way to get our Year 8 students interested. “I used the resources to show students the range of disabled sports, focusing very much on how athletes overcome their physical barriers to succeed. I emphasised the fact that disability doesn’t mean that you can’t participate and excel. “The pupils were amazed when they watched footage

of the athletes and it really helped to break down some of their preconceptions about disability and achievement. “The students chose different sports to focus on and produced reports examining these disciplines. As we are a media arts college we encouraged the pupils to use multimedia technologies and IT to produce interviews, plays and videos to display their learning. “Our media technicians also worked with ParalympicsGB to produce an updated educational DVD for schools to use as part of the Ability v Ability package. This is now available via the Ability v Ability website. “We are currently doing an evaluation but I hope to build on the success of the work done so far by incorporating elements of Ability v Ability into the PE curriculum. “I would encourage other schools to find out more about Ability v Ability. Our pupils have got so much out of it and it can have real benefits right across the curriculum, not just on the sports field.” Martin Mansell, Ability v Ability project manager, said:

“We need to remember to look at people’s abilities and not their disability. This is one of the key aims of the Ability v Ability resource.”

For more information, visit the website at www.abilityvability.co.uk or contact Martin Mansell at martin.mansell@nasuwt.net.