Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance

Due to the increased drowning risk for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), their inclusion in specialized aquatic skills programs is essential. This article provides teaching tips and reminders for teaching aquatic activities to children with ASD.

Physical education (PE) fosters physical fitness, life skills, and healthy behaviors. While traditionally emphasizing vigorous activities, integrating fundamental movement skills like walking is increasingly recognized as vital, especially for young learners. Walking, a foundational motor skill, supports overall health, weight management, and fitness while being accessible to diverse populations. Its adaptability allows practice in various settings and contexts, promoting lifelong activity. This article explores the theoretical foundations and pedagogical strategies for teaching walking in PE, emphasizing its role in developing movement skills and combating sedentary lifestyles, equipping educators to integrate walking effectively into comprehensive PE programs.

This article seeks to explore the value that autonomy can bring to students’ experiences in PE. In doing so, it focuses on two case studies of real-life PE scenarios, showing how it is possible to foster autonomy in a number of ways, thereby enhancing choice through student voice. Student voice can be a potent stimulus for students’ involvement in decision making, impacting their positive engagement in the learning process (Charteris & Smardon, 2019). The first case study involves one of the author’s current school contexts, Upton Court Grammar School (UCGS), in the United Kingdom. The second case study focuses on a second contributing author’s context on the other side of the world in Australia, at the International Grammar School Sydney (IGSS). It is recognized that elementary and middle school–age students have different types of PE in these two countries, and elsewhere in countries such as the United States. Baseline experiences prior to high school inevitably influence the content of the autonomy-based PE program, but it is hoped that U.S. teachers reading this article will still be able to make connections between these two case studies and their own teaching experiences.