Marco Bettoni · Fiabe Motorie® Archive · Article published in 2020 in La Rivista di Educazione Fisica, Scienze Motorie e Sport.
Inclusive teaching begins with a simple principle: every child should be able to participate in the learning process according to his or her characteristics and potential. In physical education this means looking beyond technical performance and focusing on autonomy, relationships and personal growth.
A key element is perceived self-efficacy: the child’s belief in his or her ability to face a task. A small successful experience can strengthen motivation and the desire to try again, while activities that are too difficult or strongly judgemental can push children away from movement.
Difficulty therefore needs to be adjusted. A task should be challenging enough to stimulate learning while still allowing the child to perceive real progress.
School and sport are environments in which children constantly experience relationships with peers and adults. Cooperation, negotiation, respect for rules, conflict management and asking for help can all be practised through movement and play.
An inclusive teacher observes the group and the individual child, chooses realistic goals, adapts teaching strategies and evaluates what happens during the activity. Peers can also become a resource through tutoring and cooperative learning.
The original article presented games such as the Spider Game and Robin Hood, showing how the same narrative structure can be adapted through motor, cognitive and relational variations.
Inclusion does not mean asking everyone to perform in the same way. It means designing an environment in which each child has a genuine way to participate, experience competence and grow.
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