Teachinq tip for developing an appreciation of disability sport

Assignments such as this one can be powerful aids in developing an appreciation for disability sport. As evidenced in many of the students' comments, they can serve to facilitate personal growth. A good follow-up to the interviews would be to invite an athlete to your class with a disability who also has an orthopedic pathology you are discussing. Students can become more comfortable with, and less fearful about, athletes who are "different, " and more appreciative of the work ethic, training, and obstacles many of these athletes discussed. Thus, moving next into an orthopedic examination of the invited athlete comes natural. The Internet is a great tool to locate local teams or organizations for your students' involvement. If your academic department offers a course in adapted physical activity, discuss this assignment with the instructor. He or she may be able to identify valuable community resources.