Inclusive Tennis Teacher Resource Inclusive Tennis Teacher Resource CONTENTS INTRODUCTION Tennis is fun, great for fitness, ADAPTATIONS 4-7 developing hand-eye co-ordination, This section provides general ideas on how tennis activities can be adapted for spatial awareness and motor skills. It young disabled people, including general, specific and equipment adaptations. can be played by all ages and abilities - boys and girls can play together, so ADAPTATIONS - COMMUNICATION 8-11 it’s ideal for mixed classes. A range of Makaton signs and symbols, to support the delivery of tennis activity. You don’t need tennis courts to play – it can be played in school halls, playgrounds or sports halls. HOW TO USE THE ACTIVITY CARDS 12-13 Through Mini Tennis, the modified version of A range of activity cards are provided here, which provide ideas for the game, and the wide range of innovative Warm Up, Main Theme and Competitive activities. Each card includes equipment available, this resource provides specific examples on how to make the activities easier and harder. guidance to empower special school teachers and those teaching disabled young people in mainstream education, to deliver tennis OTHER SCHOOLS TENNIS RESOURCES 14-19 effectively. Whilst this resource has been developed to empower special school teachers It also provides signposting information on and those teaching disabled young people in mainstream education to deliver how young disabled people can continue and tennis effectively, a wide range of other resource is available, which could also be progress in the sport, outside of school in the appropriate to use, dependent on the level of ability you are working with. local community. A DVD is included in this pack, containing PLAYER PATHWAYS 20-25 a 5-minute promotional film, providing an overview of the resource and examples of Information on how young disabled people can progress in tennis, including information on how it can be used. competitive opportunities and how to link with places to play tennis in your local community. CELEBRATING SUCCESS! 26 Certificates and stickers to positively reward and recognise achievement with the young people participating in tennis activity at your school. 2 3 Inclusive Tennis Teacher Resource ADAPTATIONS MORE INFO Many young disabled people General Adaptations: Adapting Equipment: have the ability to participate In addition to this When delivering tennis to young disabled A wide range of innovative equipment is fully in tennis, with little or no general and equipment people in schools, you could: available to make the delivery of Mini Tennis adaptation advice, each adaptations. fun, exciting and achievable for all. of the 36 activity cards Change the size of the court/playing area in this resource contains However, for some people with more In general, you could: specific guidance on how limited functional and physical abilities, to make the activities there are many ways in which tennis Change the size or type of targets being Use softer and/or larger balls to make hitting, easier and harder. activities can be adapted to ensure used in some activities and games catching and throwing activities easier that all young people enjoy their experience and can achieve. Change the scoring method – Mini Tennis uses simple tie-break scoring (i.e. first to 10 points, Use alternatives to balls – bean bags, In general, we recommend using Mini rather than traditional tennis scoring) balloons, fluff balls (see next page) Tennis - a fun, modified version of the game, for delivering tennis to young Ensure each activity is able to be Use brightly coloured balls or those with disabled people in schools. Mini Tennis completed from a seated position bells inside, to assist young people with WIDE uses shorter rackets, smaller courts, a visual impairment RANGE OF slower/softer balls and simple scoring. Ensure each activity is practiced from a INNOVATIVE static position, before introducing movement Use alternatives to rackets – hitting hands This section outlines a range of general, and smiley face hitting pads (see next page) EQUIPMENT specific and equipment adaptations Give pupils more time to react, by allowing more AVAILABLE you can make when delivering tennis to than one bounce before the ball is caught/hit Use rackets with shorter handles, but young people with a range of abilities. large hitting areas to enable young Shorten the distance the ball has people to quickly achieve success to be hit/thrown/rolled Use tape or straps to assist young people with limited grip to hold the racket Use additional grips to make it easier for young people to hold and control the racket “ The Inclusive Tennis Teacher Resource, and free equipment pack, has helped us involve all our SEN pupils in inclusive activities alongside and against their mainstream Use a tee to enable the ball to be served or hit peers. The sheer enjoyment they had from using the pack was a delight to see.” from a stationary position in some activities Primary School Head Teacher, Wales 4 5 Inclusive Tennis Teacher Resource ADAPTATIONS Equipment Examples: Mini Tennis Rackets Hitting Hands Mini Tennis Nets British tennis makes a significant annual Mini Tennis rackets have Hitting hands are an Mini Tennis nets are quick investment into distributing free Mini Tennis shorter handles and large alternative instead of using and easy to assemble equipment to schools. faces, making it easier for rackets. They simply slip and a great way of young people to make onto the back of a young playing the ‘game’ of The following items are included in the contact with the ball person’s hand to increase tennis. Barrier tape is Schools Tennis Inclusive Equipment Pack, successfully. the hitting area available. also a cost effective and available free of charge to a limited number quick way of creating of special schools each year – individual items additional nets. are also available to purchase. To find out more please visit: www.schoolstennis.org Mini Tennis Balls Juggle Squares Balloon Balls Sponge Mini Tennis balls are Juggle squares can be and Smiley Face ideal for use indoors, with used by young people with Hitting Pads low compression felt Mini limited functional ability These are ideal for Tennis balls better for use and their tactile, colourful practicing throwing and outdoors. They travel slower nature makes them an hitting activities. A balloon through the air, making it ideal tool to assist with is inserted inside the easier for young people to catching activities. machine washable track and receive the ball material ball and they successfully. are caught on the velcro smiley face hitting pad. Throw Down Lines Fluff Balls “ It is not exaggerating to say that in all my years as a special school P.E. teacher this is the best thought out These can be used quickly Fluff balls can also be and effectively for a range used by young people and differentiated equipment to make mainstream of different activities and with limited functional sport accessible to children with special needs.” are ideal for marking out/ ability and their tactile zoning playing areas. nature makes them an Primary School Head Teacher, Lancashire ideal tool to assist with catching activities. 6 7 Inclusive Tennis Teacher Resource ADAPTATIONS - COMMUNICATION These are some simple Makaton symbols and signs to help you with basic communication in tennis sessions: It is important to not only adapt Makaton is a visual way When using Makaton: the game to suit the range of to develop communication abilities of your participants skills which helps stimulate Only use the sign or but to also adapt the way you sounds and words. This symbol for the important communicate to ensure your visual way of communicating word in the sentence HELLO GOOD NEXT/YOUR TURN messaging comes across and in turn helps to encourage everyone is included within the language development, Remember to speak and activities. Makaton is one form i.e. putting words together. sign at the same time of communication method. Makaton helps understanding, giving the child or adult an Use clear, short sentences Makaton uses signs, symbols extra visual clue to help and speech to help people to understanding. communicate. Being able to Remember to make communicate eases frustration Makaton signs help convey eye contact and use facial and gives children and adults meaning, because the signs expression, body language confidence, a feeling of give an extra clue when and gesture well-being, plus social skills speaking, for example including turn-taking, emotional “Hello” and “Drink”. The signs Use real objects and development, language skills used in Makaton are from mime to give reference and independence. British Sign Language (BSL) and meaning, for example which is the language of the when talking about a tennis Makaton can help children and deaf community in Britain. racket, point to the racket, adults who have difficulty with: when talking about serving Makaton symbols help the ball, mime doing it Communicating learning. A Makaton symbol what they want, is a simple black and white Use the sign and symbol think or how they feel drawing which shows the for ‘Good’ to give praise meaning of a word. Making themselves Symbols are lasting and Have fun! understood permanent. Symbols give a child or adult more time Paying attention to take in information. Listening to and understanding speech Remembering and sequencing 8 9 Inclusive Tennis Teacher Resource MORE INFORMATION ADAPTATIONS - COMMUNICATION If you would like to learn to use Makaton, contact The Makaton Charity at: www.makaton.org email: [email protected] or telephone: 01276 606 760 TO LOOK TO LISTEN AGAIN TO DRINK YES NO 10 Makaton symbols and signs used with permission from The Makaton Charity 2011. 11 Inclusive Tennis Teacher Resource HOW TO USE THE ACTIVITY CARDS MORE INFO These activity cards Each card has some, are suitable for children or all of the following information: Additional copies of of all ages and abilities the activity cards can be downloaded from: 1.