The Impact of Teacher Beliefs on the Provision of Leisure and Physical Activity Education Curriculum Decisions

Abstract

This study investigated (a) variables that predict amount of time students with severe disabilities spend in leisure and physical activity education and (b) teacher beliefs about provision of these services. Participants included 35 secondary special education teachers and 170 students with severe disabilities. Findings suggest that special education teachers provided recommended duration, but valued other curriculum domains over leisure and physical activity education. Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) indicated individual teacher differences are a significant predictor of students' participation in leisure and physical activity. Further, HLM analysis indicated that teachers' beliefs about their role in providing leisure education explained a significant portion of the variance among teachers. Recommendations for policy development and teacher education are provided.