Percepção de familiares e professores sobre os impactos da pandemia de Covid19 nas aulas de Educação Física e em atividades físicas e esportivas de crianças e adolescentes com deficiência

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the perception of family members and teachers about the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in physical education classes (P.E.) and physical and sports activities (PSAs) of children and teenagers with disabilities. It also sought to identify how the impacts of COVID-19 interfered in the behavior and interpersonal relationship of these children and teenagers, in addition to possible changes in physical and motor skills during this period. Family members and P.E. teachers of children and teenagers with disabilities were part of the sample. The family group consisted of seven (07) people - six (06) mothers and one (01) father - of children and teenagers with disabilities, who were enrolled in regular schools or special educational institutions until the year 2019, participating primarily in programs or extension projects in PSAs, while the group of Teachers of P.E. was formed by six (06) women and one (01) man who taught classes in projects and programs for these children and teenagers until the year 2019. An online interview with a pre-established script, open-ended questions, and divided into blocks, was conducted as an instrument for data collection with family groups and teachers. The results of the study were divided into six (06) categories, based on the question blocks of the interview script. Through the results obtained, it was possible to perceive some relationships between the answers of family members and teachers, finding similarities, even if they are from different realities. Among the answers, it should be noted that the impacts pointed out by both family members and teachers go through different areas, affecting the physical, motor, social and emotional of children and adolescents with disabilities. In regards of P.E. classes and PSAs performed during the pandemic period, they were negatively impacted, as students began to stay at home longer, without the help of trained instructors and that made them more sedentary. In addition to the sedentary lifestyle highlighted by both groups, the lack of autonomy and the increased difficulties in the physical and motor skills of these children and teenagers are strongly present in the responses, due to the lack of stimuli and opportunities in this period. Additionally, the emotional aspect has been directly affected, leaving children and adolescents, who do not have great interactions with the external environment, sadder, more nervous, and irritated. Therefore, it was possible to perceive the numerous restrictions that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to students with disabilities in relation to the practice of PSAs and the P.E. in this period. Also, the importance of such activities in these kids’ lives, especially for physical, social, and emotional issues. For teachers, the need to reinvent themselves, in the face of difficulties, imposed by social isolation is also highlighted.