Making It Stick: Teaching Students with Autism to Generalize Physical Education Skills

Abstract

Research indicates that although students with disabilities, including those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), can be successful in acquiring motor and sport-related skills during physical education, they tend to struggle with generalizing those skills to other settings. Difficulties with generalization of physical education skills may contribute to low levels of physical activity and sport participation by individuals with ASD outside of physical education. Since generalization is unlikely to occur automatically, physical education teachers must plan and teach for generalized outcomes. Several strategies exist that can be used by educators to promote the generalization of skills to other settings or with other people. Physical education teachers can promote the use of motor skills and participation in physical activities in environments outside of school by embedding these strategies into their curriculum for the benefit of all students. The purpose of this article is to provide physical educators with practical generalization programming interventions for students with ASD.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Steven K. Holland

Steven K. Holland ([email protected]) and Katherine Holland are doctoral students, and Justin A. Haegele is an assistant professor, in the Department of Human Movement Sciences at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA. Sheila R. Alber-Morgan is a professor in the Department of Educational Studies at The Ohio State University in Columbus, OH.