Teaching Tennis:
Players with Developmental/Intellectual Conditions or Disabilities

What are Developmental/Intellectual Conditions or Disabilities?
This category of disability includes individuals with learning disabilities, epilepsy, autism, cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome, and cognitive impairments. Typical characteristics may include a slower rate of learning, difficulty with reasoning, poor memory, a short attention span, hyperactivity, social immaturity, perceptual deficits, and problems with agility and movement.
When teaching tennis to players who fall into this category:
- Establish a routine and stick to it.
- Demonstrate activities (e.g. Shadow Drills); keep verbal instructions simple and consistent.
- Provide constant repetition and routines (review, review, review).
- Keep lines short (don't have people standing around doing nothing).
- Feed students three to five balls during each turn.
- Be generous with praise.
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