What Do Adapted Physical Education Specialists Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Adapted Physical Education Specialists provide individualized physical education instruction or services to children, youth, or adults with exceptional physical needs due to gross motor developmental delays or other impairments. They also provide adapted physical education services to students with intellectual disabilities, autism, traumatic brain injury, orthopedic impairments, or other disabling condition.

Other tasks include:

• Adapt instructional techniques to the age and skill levels of students.
• Instruct students, using adapted physical education techniques, to improve physical fitness, gross motor skills, perceptual motor skills, or sports and game achievement.
• Maintain thorough student records to document attendance, participation, or progress, ensuring confidentiality of all records.
• Assist in screening or placement of students in adapted physical education programs.
• Provide students positive feedback to encourage them and help them develop an appreciation for physical education.
• Assess students’ physical progress or needs.

We asked Adapted Physical Education Specialists how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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73% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 73% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Adapted Physical Education Specialists prepare lesson plans in accordance with individualized education plans (IEPs) and the functional abilities or needs of students. They maintain thorough student records to document attendance, participation, or progress, ensuring confidentiality of all records.

A typical day for an Adapted Physical Education Specialist will also include:

• Provide adapted physical education services to students with intellectual disabilities, autism, traumatic brain injury, orthopedic impairments, or other disabling condition.
• Adapt instructional techniques to the age and skill levels of students.
• Instruct students, using adapted physical education techniques, to improve physical fitness, gross motor skills, perceptual motor skills, or sports and game achievement.
• Provide students positive feedback to encourage them and help them develop an appreciation for physical education.
• Establish and maintain standards of behavior to create safe, orderly, and effective environments for learning.

We asked some Adapted Physical Education Specialists a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	19% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	47% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	65% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	13% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	3% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	31% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Adapted Physical Education Specialists also advise education professionals of students’ physical abilities or disabilities and the accommodations required to enhance their school performance. They may also assist in screening or placement of students in adapted physical education programs.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Adapted Physical Education Specialists Write or modify individualized education plans (IEPs) for students with intellectual or physical disabilities. They might also Communicate behavioral observations and student progress reports to students, parents, teachers, or administrators.

In addition, they Write reports to summarize student performance, social growth, or physical development.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Prepare lesson plans in accordance with individualized education plans (IEPs) and the functional abilities or needs of students.

To some Adapted Physical Education Specialists, it is also their responsibility to Evaluate the motor needs of individual students to determine their need for adapted physical education services.

Working life

Standard 40 hour work week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as an Adapted Physical Education Specialist, you can expect to work 40 hour work week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like working with, communicating with, and teaching people. They like helping or providing service to others..

They also like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/fitness-trainers-and-instructors.htm

http://www.nsca.com/

http://www.nasm.org/

http://www.credentialingexcellence.org/ncca