Culturally Responsive and Relevant Pedagogy (CRRP) is an approach that takes time. It is a commitment to put the participant first when striving to support high-quality learning in a way that is best suited to participants’ individual strengths and needs. With the understanding and belief that all participants can learn and be successful, the root of CRRP is the belief that every participant has a story richly steeped in culture, and their stories are valued and validated within the Health and Physical Education (H&PE) curriculum and beyond. Approaching the H&PE curriculum from a CRRP lens impacts the way educators think about race, culture, identity, and equity and how it contributes to inclusive program planning in H&PE.
There are many ways to approach the H&PE program with a CRRP lens. Taking this flexibility into account, these strategies can help teachers ensure that participants feel safe and included within the teaching and learning environment when incorporating PlaySport activities into the H&PE program:
Take the time to know the participants and the identities they hold. Act on this knowledge about cultural differences to provide meaningful and relevant learning experiences. For example:
- Talk to participants individually about their preferences for how they want to be identified and model appropriate language (e.g., use of pronouns when greeting participants or addressing them as a group during the activity).
- Embed examples of diversity into teaching to make movement meaningful and relevant by taking the time to learn about participants’ cultural backgrounds, incorporate it into the games, and make connections to games from their cultures and learn the history of their games.
- Learn about participants’ backgrounds, preferences, and religious practices and rituals (e.g., some cultures have religious practices such as fasting and avoiding public physical contact/touch). Use the options in the “How to Play” and “Variations” sections as inspiration to provide a variety of ways for participants to engage in the activities or invite participants to create alternative variations of their own.
- Incorporate methods of teaching that allow opportunities for participants to learn in ways familiar to them, such as involving participants throughout their learning process by allowing them to decide how they want to engage with others in the game (e.g., engaging in individual or pairs play versus large group play, deciding on their role in the game, selecting the variations they want to include).
- Talk to participants to learn about what accommodations they need to be successful and reach their full potential. Learn what participants with various disabilities need to meet curriculum expectations and individual learning goals. Use the options in the “How to Play” and “Variations” sections to meet diverse individual needs and abilities.
- Provide opportunities for participants to make choices and to be actively involved in the criteria for learning. Use the “Equipment” list within activities to identify various options for equipment and then provide participants with access to and a choice of equipment. Use the options in the “How to Play” and “Variations” sections to provide participants with alternate ways to perform a skill, choice of role to play in an activity, or decisions on the rules of play when participating in a game. Encourage participants to think about their success with different types of equipment, assuming various roles, and adapting rules. Offer opportunities to try different equipment, switch roles, or change the rules.
- Differentiate instruction to provide all participants with relevant and engaging learning experiences, so that everyone can experience success. Learn about participants’ individual strengths and needs. Use the “Key Movement Skills, Concepts, and Strategies” section within the activities to program plan from an asset-based approach when teaching skills, concepts, and strategies. Use the “Pause for Learning” section so participants can reflect on their learning during the game and experiment with alternative options for equipment, rules, or strategies during gameplay.
- Use the “Pause for Learning” section to help participants learn about the diverse ways in which their bodies move, reflect on their physical literacy development/journey, and foster further opportunities to experience the joy of movement.
For further learning about embedding strategies with a CRRP lens for quality program planning in H&PE, consult Ophea’s “Culturally Responsive and Relevant Pedagogy in Health and Physical Education” resource.