News from Czech Republic

January 2001

Teacher´s workshop (Sept. 7-9, Olomouc) : seeking the ways in PE lessons integration (short vide-document)

Meeting of participants in Czech THENAPA (Sept. 7-9, Olomouc,parallel meeting with teachers from Teacher´s Training Colleges/Pedagogical Faculties): comparison of study programmes or disciplins in touch with APA, stap by step tasks for CZ network.

CEEPUS (Central European project, students and teachers workshop, Sept. 25-27, Ceské Budejovice): 7 countries, 11 universities: Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Bulgaria. Discussion, besides others, the topics in touch with integrastion in study programmes offered by participating universities.

SO Unified football tournament (Oct. 20-22). 8 unified football teams, seminar for Special olympics coaches (theme: Unified team sports – the chance of integration for sportsmen with mentql disability, management and training unified sports).

October 2000:

Czech Republic started with the project participation since the beginning due to closer collaboration with EARAPA and EMDAPA. Charles University in Prague (Stasa Bartunkova ) and Palacky University (Hana Valkova) send the students to the EMDAPA study program since 1998. Headquarters of the both universities were open to support this project.

Under agreement between the two universities Palacky University was accepted as Czech Republic representation. The reasons were:

• Long term collaboration with EARAPA

• Full time Master program in APA (European dimensions)

• APA graduate doctoral students, graduates in EMDAPA can assist in the project (Julie Curdova)

A very significant reason was the fact that Palacky University was awarded with a grant of the Czech Grant Agency of the Academy of Science and the Ministry of Education ( for three years). The topic of the project is: THE BEST PLACE FOR EVERYBODY-there is our school. Integration in PE lessons, in school clubs and leisuretime activities of students with disabilities.

The Czech grant project became one of the most important resource for direct financial co-operation with THENAPA.

Creation of the Czech Republic Network

The creation of the national network began during the autumn 1999 (and it has not been finished yet). The first participants were recruited from the Czech EARAPA members (18 persons) and the Czech Kinantropology Association. Through this contacts 8 Pedagogical Faculties all over Czech Republic were informed and invited in collaboration (future PE teachers and teachers of primary schools are educated there).

Parallel with this process basic information was given to the Miinstry of Education, Youth and Sports. The two departments were linked to the national network: PE and sports department (Dostal V, Halastova R) and the departement of special education (Tepla M).

Sport organisations and civil organisations were addressed as well. Co-operation with the association of disabled sports, Paralympic Committee, Sokol organisation, Special Olympics Unified Sports, Together Foundation, ect can be considered as very promising.

Last but not least CEEPUS project helped to shar the idea with other institutions in Czech Republic as well as in Central Europe (CEEPUS- Central European Exchange Project of University Students.

Administration

The administrative centre is situated at Olomouc- Faculty of Physical Culture- departement of Adapted Physical Activity. Headquarters were opened to use all unversity technology (room support, means of communication, library) as well as part-time work of adminstrative staff.

Three full time doctoral students assist mainly in creation the content of integrative PE programmes in various PE/Sports environments.

Other teachers are involved in THENAPA through creating the content of programmes, advising partens and teachers processes of PE integration and organisation of national seminars and workshops. All of them are participants of the project ‘ The best place for everybody’.

This year even more activities were cumulated aroun Palacky University contact bentre, Charles Unversity become the local co-ordinator for the Central Bohemian region, other partners formulated their specific tasks for the next two years (crucial national workshop in September 2000).

Until this time very quick communication with all the partners was realised by e-mail, phone and fax. All reimbursement, invoices went through the Olomouc contact centre

The content of the 1999/2000 main activities and results

1. Starting the national network, information for MEYS and pormise support, formulation of tasks foru the future contribution of all Czech participants.
2. Swimming program: seminar for field teachers in integratiove swimming, realization of all round year regular courses (main activity by Charles University), disabled persons became more brave to participate in recretional swimming for public swimming courses.
3. Winter sport program

A mono ski programme was developped (winter camps with teaching mono ski, participating peers, parners, family members). Four winter camps in regular secondary school PE programme were relised with disabled students. Not only mono ski , butlals winter tourism and sledge skiing was done during four school camps.

Two integrative winter camps with the blind ( beginners) ,and two with hearing disabled were organised.

Sledge hockey and sledge skating was developped. After the first attempts with APA students and a special group of disabled sprots men from the city of Zlin the seminar for field teachers was relised. Since February skating lessons were included in 2 integrative classes.

4. There is an increasing interest for unified sports in Special Olympics (more intensive partnerships within the unified clubs and there is also a changing attitude towards sportmen with a intellectual impairement).
5. Education of disabled students in APA, including teaching APA at regular schools was officially accepted by the Academic law. Training and education in APA is continuously going on.
6. Two international CEEPUS workshops (October 1999, May 2000) with creating curricula of PE/sport integration in CE countries.
7. Traditional exciting events were organised for all

October: Brno: Seriously or not seriously. Children’s day with a lt of movement activities and plays, integration

pril: Prague:Charles University rector’s day: sports and movement activities day for all with both sports competitions and recreational movement, typical integration of all university students.

June - Olomouc-Perov: Mosty (Bridges).

Plays, games, movement activities and sports, tourist excursion for all during a weekend.

Great tradition in outdoor activities - summer camps (will be reported in next report after summer holidays.)

8. 6 main seminar for field teachers/educations

*Seniors, APA and society

October 1999, Prague (Central Bohemia)

* P.E.and pupil with problematic behavior: is integration the way?

November 1999

* Integration in PE lessons - secondary schools

January 2000, region Jeseník (North Moravia),

* Asthmatic children in regular class and PE lessons

March 2000, Brno (South Moravia region),

*Integration in PE lessons - primary schools

April 2000, Opava (Silesia-Moravia borders),

*Unified Special Olympics sports as a mean of socialization

April 2000, Olomouc (Central Moravian region)

9. Theoretical results - it means:

diploma thesis, doctoral thesis are worked out, conclusion can be done after the deadline of study year (first week in September). About (finished) 8 diploma thesis and 2 doctoral thesis are expected.

10. The best event under umbrella Sokol-organization is prepared on June 27-30. (Sokol International Meeting). The event is included in Project: Prague - the City of Culture 2000.

The conference (the session: Seniors, disability and benefits of APA integration is included), the sports exhibition (wheelchair dance, art-gymnastics of spastics, sport gymnastics of Special Olympians) includes integration in practise.

Evaluation and conclusion can be done after the event (first week in September).

CONCLUSION, CHALLENGES FOR FUTURE

In Czech Republic there is official law dealing with integration in citizenship, educational and job chances. Unfortunately - PE, APA is on the edge of interests in the field reality.

Starting, experimental year was very busy, hectic, but very useful. Useful from aspects:

* official chance to create national network (private personal, institutional activities and initiatives were crumbled) WITH PURPOSE: transmission of information, creating programmes, unified effort against (or WITH) municipalities, authorities

* national network is ready to accept new tasks:

- since statistical evaluation of situation typically in PE/APA integration,

- through quantitative as well as qualitative analysis of situation in Czech educational system: at all levels, all types of education,

- to create model of education, models and methodological principles for PE lessons, as well as out-of-school activities.

Hana VÁLKOVÁ
Czech Republic