Inclusivity in Health and Physical Education

Inclusive by Design: Supporting Multilingual Learners in K–12 Physical Education

This webinar will deepen your understanding of inclusive practices in physical education and demonstrate how to support multilingual learners through intentional instructional design.

Participants will explore practical strategies to: reduce linguistic barriers without lowering rigor; integrate social-emotional learning (SEL) and mindfulness to support student engagement; and create learning environments that promote access, belonging, and confidence.

Drawing on classroom-based experience and research-informed practices, this webinar highlights how movement-based instruction can support language acquisition in K-12 physical education settings.

By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

• Apply inclusive instructional strategies that support multilingual learners in physical education;
• Integrate SEL and mindfulness practices to foster student belonging and increase engagement;
• Design learning tasks that intentionally incorporate language acquisition for multilingual learners;
• Adapt assessment and feedback practices to promote equitable access and demonstrate student learning.

Meet The Presenter

Christine Gilliard-Arthur, M.Ed., NBCT, is a K-12 health, physical education, and ELD educator with 26 years of experience in Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS), Maryland. She has spent 15 years teaching elementary physical education and 11 years as a founding teacher at International High School–Langley Park, where she works exclusively with multilingual students, including immigrant, refugee, and asylee populations. Christine holds a master’s degree in social-emotional learning, mindfulness, and yoga. She is a 2012 MAHPERD (SHAPE Maryland) Elementary PE Teacher of the Year and a 2019 PGCPS Teacher of the Year Finalist.

Fundamentals of Adapted Physical Education

This webinar will introduce the fundamentals of adapted physical education (APE) and will explore how to use best practices to ensure that all students, regardless of ability, have access to meaningful physical education experiences. Participants will leave with practical tools to support diverse student needs and foster an equitable PE program.

Whether you’re an APE specialist or a general PE teacher, this webinar will help you build a deeper understanding of how to advocate for your program and support the students that need you the most.

By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

• Explain the purpose and importance of adapted physical education within K-12 schools and articulate why it is a necessary component of a student's educational experience;
• Describe the continuum of placement settings for adapted physical education and the factors that influence appropriate service delivery;
• Identify the key provisions of IDEA, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the ADA as they relate to physical education services for students with disabilities;
• Apply practical strategies for making adaptations and modifications to physical education instruction to meet the needs of all learners.

Meet The Presenter

Justin Lund is the 2024 SHAPE America Central District Adapted Physical Education Teacher of the Year as well as the 2022 MNSHAPE Developmental Adapted Physical Education (DAPE) Teacher of the Year. He has been teaching in Bloomington Public Schools (MN) since 2014 at the preK, elementary, and middle school levels. He is also a co-lead for his adapted PE team and is on the Minnesota Developmental Adapted Physical Education Leadership Committee. Justin teaches elementary Unified Physical Education and has helped his school become a Unified Champion School with Special Olympics Minnesota.

Inclusive Practices in Health Education

This webinar will deepen your understanding of inclusive practices in health education and show how to apply those practices while using the new SHAPE America National Health Education Standards. We’ll dive deep into practical teaching strategies and key resources for creating an inclusive classroom environment, including the newly released Inclusive Practices in Health Education guidance document. We’ll also share ideas on how to integrate culturally responsive practices in a skills-based health education curriculum.

By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

• Explain key aspects of the Inclusive Practices in Health Education guidance document;
• Use the resources provided to explore best practices in creating an inclusive classroom environment;
• Apply practical teaching strategies to integrate culturally responsive practices in the health education classroom and curriculum.

Meet The Presenter

Emily Zien (she/her) is a licensed Health and PE teacher, dedicated to comprehensive, skill-based Health Education. Originally from Oregon, Emily has taught at international schools in Qatar, Singapore, and Italy. Her biggest hope for her students is that they gain the knowledge and skills to grow up into healthy and happy adults. Emily has a Masters in Education, with a focus in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment. A former Division I water polo student-athlete, Emily is a lifelong mover and loves to spend her time cultivating joy.