A methodological approach grounded in children's rights for designing a physical activity programme with primary school autistic students

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Gkegka, Stella (2026) A methodological approach grounded in children's rights for designing a physical activity programme with primary school autistic students. Sport, Education and Society. pp. 1-15. ISSN 1357-3322 (https://doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2026.2665244)

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Abstract

Reflecting the recognition of children’s right to have their views heard and acted upon in matters affecting them (UNCRC, 1989), Physical Education (PE) research has increasingly acknowledged the importance of listening to and valuing students’ voices. While autistic students’ voices have started gaining greater visibility in PE research, most of the existing studies rely primarily on verbal methods, excluding autistic children who use different forms of communication. Moreover, no research has yet involved autistic students in decisions shaping opportunities of being physically active within school. Drawing on a study with autistic students (n = 33) across three specialist provisions within three mainstream primary schools in Scotland, this paper describes and critically reflects on the methodological approach employed for including ‘voices’ that are traditionally unheard in PE research. Specifically, it describes how the Mosaic Approach and Lundy's model of children’s participation were brought together into a flexible multimodal methodological framework, involving observations, walking interviews, LEGO®, and sticky notes, to enable autistic children to share their PE experiences and play an active role in shaping their learning by designing a Physical Activity (PA) programme reflecting their interests, strengths, and needs. In doing so, the paper offers a reflective account that illuminates how methodological decisions and their implementation shape not only which voices and experiences are heard, but also whether we are ready to listen to what children wish to communicate.

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