Shaping Meaningful Movement in Community-Based Contexts: Practitioner Approaches to Facilitating Physical Literacy...

Area of Science:

• * Community-based physical activity programs
• * Inclusive physical literacy development
• * Disability studies

Background:

• * Understanding inclusive practices in community physical activity is crucial for promoting physical literacy.
• * Existing research often overlooks the nuanced facilitation strategies employed by practitioners.
• * Ecological dynamics and interpretive constructivism offer frameworks for studying inclusive environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To explore how practitioners facilitate inclusive physical literacy development for individuals with disabilities.
• * To identify how practitioners create conditions for meaningful movement experiences.
• * To understand the dimensions of practice in community-based physical activity programs.

Main Methods:

• * Qualitative study employing interpretive description and ecological dynamics.
• * Semi-structured interviews with 26 practitioners across three community-based cases.
• * Within-case and cross-case analyses to identify recurring practice dimensions.

Main Results:

• * Four dimensions of inclusive practice identified: Power in Partnership, Empowerment by Design, Tailored for Success, and Holistic Harmony.
• * Meaningful movement experiences are characterized by personal relevance, enjoyment, safety, autonomy, and responsiveness to individual needs.
• * Inclusive facilitation involves practitioners negotiating constraints through collaboration, adaptation, and ethical decision-making.

Conclusions:

• * Inclusive physical literacy facilitation is a relational, context-sensitive, and environmentally negotiated process.
• * Meaningful movement is shaped by social, affective, and institutional factors.
• * Findings inform practitioner preparation, program design, and evaluation in community settings.