Social Inclusion of Physically and Mentally Disabled People in Physical Education Classes

The Ideas of Teachers in the Area

Abstract

Physical Education is a curricular component that greatly contributes to the formation of students. Through its contents, it causes individuals to have attitudes and be motivated to healthy practices by stimulating body perception, leading them to acquire a positive view of the movement's body culture. Physical Education classes provide elements for students to acquire healthier lifestyle habits, in addition to presenting possibilities for activities so that children and young people can choose, autonomously, those that they like best and best suit their physical possibilities. The objective of this work is to understand how teachers from public and private schools in the municipality of Ponta Porã, Mato Grosso do Sul, experience the social inclusion of physically and mentally disabled people in Physical Education classes. The research approach was qualitative, descriptive in nature. In all, three male teachers participated in the research. As a data collection instrument, a questionnaire containing five essay questions was applied. The results showed that the teachers received a minimum training to work with students with physical and mental disabilities, but that still allow them to adopt didactic methodologies with a view to their inclusion, as well as to promote improvement in the socialization of these individuals.