PE and autism spectrum disorder at P level 8

P level 8 requires an increased level of self-awareness and a willingness to follow instructions, both of which could bring challenges. There may be personal space issues; a child invading others’ personal space or requiring space around them. The changes that happen to the body when active may be difficult to understand.

You can:

• Support the pupil’s need to thoroughly assess any new task by planning ahead and breaking it into simple stages.
• Use very clear and consistent vocabulary, explaining new terms and using visual cues.
• When explaining changes to the body during activity, focus on one aspect, such as getting hotter - help the child to appreciate the logical reason so they can understand it better.
• Use games to help solve personal space issues:
  • To help a child respect others’ personal space, lay hoops on the floor and get the children to run about, getting as close as they can to the hoops but never actually touching.
  • If a child doesn’t want to be near others when they work, give them an area marked out by cones or beanbags and gradually reduce the size. Other children may work right up to this area but must not enter it.

Now you might like to look at

• PE and ASD at P level 7
• PE and ASD in the National Curriculum