Cooperative group, risk-taking and inclusion of pupils with learning disabilities in physical education

Amaël André (1) , Benoit Louvet (2) , Pascale Deneuve (2)

1 CIVIIC - Centre interdisciplinaire de recherches sur les valeurs, les idées, les identités et les compétences en Éducation et en formation
2 CETAPS - Centre d’études des transformations des activités physiques et sportives

The aim of this research was to study the impact of risk-taking in gymnastics on the change of cooperative behaviours and acceptance of pupils with learning disabilities within the framework of cooperative learning. One hundred and sixty-eight French 1st year middle school pupils participated in this study. Thirty-six pupils with learning disabilities were mainstreamed in six ordinary classes during seven two-hour gymnastic lessons. Three classes practiced under low risk conditions and three classes performed under high perceived risk conditions. The helping behaviours of the SEGPA pupils were observed and the acceptance of pupils was measured thanks to a sociometric questionnaire during the first and last lessons. The results showed that risk-taking affected the helping behaviours and the acceptance of pupils with learning disabilities. These results lead to think about the factors that could have an impact on the influence of cooperative learning structures when mainstreaming pupils with learning disabilities in physical education.

Keywords: Special needs education; Helping behaviours; Peer acceptance; Physical education; Cooperative learning; Risk-taking; Interaction; Special needs education

Domains: Humanities and Social Sciences; Education

Amaël André, Benoit Louvet, Pascale Deneuve. Cooperative group, risk-taking and inclusion of pupils with learning disabilities in physical education. British Educational Research Journal, 2013, 39 (4), pp.677-693. ⟨10.1080/01411926.2012.674102⟩. ⟨hal-02139657⟩