Building Basic Tennis Skills

Overview

A 45-minute, highly inclusive PE session designed for Year 7 semiformals, non-verbal ASD students. This lesson focuses on developing fundamental tennis skills through sensory-friendly, engaging activities starting with a parachute warm-up to promote cooperation and communication. Aligned with the National Curriculum for England, this plan emphasises physical development, social interaction, and basic racket skills in a supportive environment.

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Curriculum Links

National Curriculum for Physical Education (Key Stage 3 - Years 7-9)

• Pupils should be taught to:
  • "develop competence to excel in a broad range of physical activities"
  • "apply and develop a range of skills, use tactics, strategies and compositional ideas to overcome opponents in direct competition through team and individual games"
  • "take part in outdoor and adventurous activity challenges both individually and within a team"
• Focus for Year 7:
  • Developing fundamental movement skills
  • Basic racket and ball skills including striking and coordination
  • Collaborating with peers through structured activities

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate basic hand-eye coordination by catching and striking a tennis ball using their hands and rackets.
2. Engage in simple cooperative activities using the parachute and balls to foster communication and turn-taking.
3. Perform a basic tennis rally with support — striking, tracking the ball, and returning it gently to a partner or target.
4. Show understanding of simple rules for turn-taking and safe equipment handling.

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Resources

• Large colourful parachute (for group warm-up)
• Soft foam balls (tennis-sized, gentle bounce)
• Child-sized tennis rackets (lightweight, easy grip)
• Cones or floor markers for boundaries/targets
• Visual cue cards (with images showing key steps: hold racket, ready position, strike)
• Comfortable indoor/external hall/gym space

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Lesson Structure

1. Welcome & Introduction (5 minutes)

• Briefly greet each student by name (non-verbal acknowledgments OK).
• Show the visual cue cards and use simple sign language or gestures to introduce the activities planned for the session.
• Encourage calm and positive body language to put students at ease.

2. Parachute Warm-Up (10 minutes)

• Purpose: Develop upper body coordination, sensory engagement, and teamwork.
• Students hold the parachute handles in a circle (9 students + 2 staff/helpers if available).
• Activities include:
  • Gently lifting and lowering the parachute together.
  • Placing soft balls on the parachute and working to keep them rolling gently without falling off.
  • Creating waves and small bumps to encourage sensory exploration.
• Staff to use clear signals (visual/tactile prompts) for when to start/stop movements.
• Emphasise turn-taking as only some students have the chance to gently roll balls with parental or adult assistance.

3. Introduction to Tennis Skills (10 minutes)

• Use individual stations for small group or one-to-one working.
• Skill 1: Holding the racket correctly — staff guide hands to grip softly around the handle.
• Skill 2: Hitting the stationary soft ball gently off a cone or target to get familiar with racket contact.
• Skill 3: Tracking the ball visually as it is rolled slowly towards them.
• Staff use physical prompts and show visual cards with each step.
• Praise all attempts to encourage confidence.

4. Guided Rally / Return Practice (15 minutes)

• Pair students (or triads with staff assistance).
• One student gently rolls or tosses the soft tennis ball to the partner.
• The receiving partner attempts to strike or catch the ball with the racket or hand.
• Use lowered nets or marked areas to define success zones rather than formal scoring.
• Adapt speed and distance based on individual ability.
• Rotate roles frequently to maintain engagement.
• Encourage peer support and non-verbal communication cues like clapping or thumbs-up.

5. Cool Down & Reflection (5 minutes)

• Gather in a circle with parachute folded.
• Use calm, slow movements with the parachute to settle breathing.
• Use visual cards to recap what skills were learned ("Holding racket," "Hitting ball," "Working as a team").
• Offer choice boards or allow students to indicate likes/dislikes through gesture, picture, or assistive communication devices.
• Praise all participation warmly.

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Assessment & Differentiation

• Assessment:

  • Observational checklists for each student’s engagement and emerging skills (e.g., ability to grip racket, track ball, participate in group tasks).
  • Use staff observations to note communication attempts (eye contact, gesture, turn-taking).
  • Provide immediate positive feedback to reinforce learning.

• Differentiation:

  • For students with limited motor control, focus on tactile interaction with parachute and ball rolling.
  • For more advanced, encourage controlled racket striking and independent ball return.
  • Use multi-sensory prompts (touch, visuals, verbal, and modelling) tailored to each student.
  • Allow flexible pacing and frequent breaks.

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Additional Notes for Teachers

• Sensory regulation is key: maintain calm voice and environment, minimising unexpected noise or distractions.
• Use consistent routines and visual timetables to support understanding.
• Employ assistive communication aids where appropriate.
• Celebrate every small success to build confidence and motivation for future sessions.

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This session actively integrates fundamental physical skills with social and communication development, adhering strictly to the National Curriculum while responding thoughtfully to the diverse needs of ASD students in PE.