WE ROAR Issue 02 - Flipbook - Page 7
As
a
child,
these
negative
experiences can be incredibly offputting, yet they are so easily
avoidable.
It
simply
requires
understanding and accommodation
from those around them. I9m not
advocating for separating Dyspraxic
children in sports – far from it. I9m
supporting pre-team sports or
booster lessons so that when they9re
ready, they can integrate into and
experience the social benefits of
being part of the mainstream team.
In this scenario, they aren9t socially
excluded or ridiculed, and they aren9t
put off of sport for life.
Again,
contrary
to
common
understanding, Dyslexia is not just a
8reading and writing issue9 – it
extends to language processing in all
respects. It might take a dyslexic
individual a little longer to process
the words they are hearing. If a child
is being instructed by their coach and
doesn9t respond fast enough or in
the expected way, they might receive
criticism. When they9re already
battling for understanding and
support
in
the
classroom,
misunderstanding in the sports arena
might prove a difficulty too far.
Where Autism is concerned, it9s
often seen as a barrier to sport and
physical activity in and of itself, yet
similarly to Dyspraxia, the barrier is
most often not the condition but is
instead the environment, and if
inclusion was achieved, the social
benefits of participation could be
immeasurable.
7
