PE & Health

Diverse cultures have varying perceptions of health and wellness, desirable body shape and features, and physical work versus leisure exercise. These cultural differences need to be accounted for in instruction. For example, although much of the medical tradition of Western societies is based on rigorous empirical research, there is much in medicine that remains "art," with a large percentage of healing occurring as a result of placebo effects or other cultural expectations. Therefore, care must be taken not to displace native forms of healing that may be equally efficacious as medical approaches or that may work well in conjunction with medical approaches, depending upon the cultural context. The sites below provide some information for educators to consider.

Effective ESL Classroom Practices

Body Image and Culture

• This website provides educators with example lesson plans that integrate culture and health. Educators can use the examples of lesson plans in this page to modify and generate their own multicultural heath lessons.

Adapted Physical Education

• This site provides information about adapting physical education activities and lessons to include students with disabilities.