Formação de professores para intervenção dos alunos com Transtorno do Espectro Autista (TEA) nas aulas de educação física escolar

Abstract

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is currently being studied by various fields due to its prevalence in the school environment. Individuals with ASD experience difficulties in communication and social interaction, exhibit restricted interests and repetitive behaviors, and display symptoms that impact their functional abilities in school, work, and other areas of life. Our objective was to investigate whether Physical Education teachers feel prepared to intervene with students with ASD. The study involved 19 teachers (age = 36±12 years; female: n = 10, 53%; male: n = 9, 47%) from Physical Education departments in schools across different cities in the country. We employed a questionnaire consisting of 28 multiple-choice, dichotomous, and open-ended questions. The survey was distributed to the teachers through social media and email and remained available for a period of 20 days. Our main finding was that a lack of knowledge in their academic training had an impact on teachers' ability to cater to students with ASD. Specifically, the participants indicated that they did not take any mandatory courses or engage in teaching internships to become familiar with the reality of working with individuals with ASD. In conclusion, Physical Education teachers do not consider themselves adequately equipped to facilitate the inclusion of students with ASD, primarily due to a lack of theoretical and practical knowledge.