Rebecca Foster MBE

Rebecca Foster MBE in sports attire smiling at camera

Principal Lecturer in Adapted Physical Education

School of Sport and Exercise Science

Academics

成人B站 Details

email: r.foster@worc.ac.uk
tel: 01905 542183

Rebecca Foster MBE is a Principal Lecturer and Senior Fellow of the HEA.  She has worked as a Physical Education teacher, Head of Department, Deputy Head of Pastoral Care, and a Partnership Development Manager in Yorkshire. She currently teaches on the PE and Coaching undergraduate degree and is Course Leader for MSc Disability Inclusion in Sport and Physical Activity.

Her own research interests are on disability, specifically Deaf sport.  This interest arose from competing as an international heptathlete and upon retiring learnt British Sign Language and then volunteered as a coach and team manager or UK Deaf Athletics for over 12 years. This afforded her to travel abroad for three consecutive Deaflympic competitions.  Her active interest in the disabled community allowed her to co-edit a book titled ‘’ published by Routledge. Rebecca has delivered inclusion workshops and presentations in China, Japan and Lithuania.

As a further accolade, Rebecca has been awarded an MBE in recognition for her services to inclusive sport and supporting young people to achieve their potential.  Her work at both university and community level have supported this application.

Qualifications

  • Masters in Physical Education, Leeds Beckett University (2012)
  • Post Graduate Certificate in Higher Education (Teaching and Learning), Leeds Beckett University (2012)
  • BEd (Hons) Physical Education and Personal and Social Health Education, Leeds Beckett University (1994)
  • 成人B站 Leading Teaching Award 2016
  • Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA)
  • Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
  • British Sign Language (Level 1 and 2)

Teaching & Research

Teaching Interests

Rebecca has taught across all year groups, but her current modules centre around adapted PE/sport and disability.  She uses her experience as a PE teacher to support the undergraduate programme for future PE teachers. She links with current professionals in the field to make sure students are given the best opportunity to succeed.

Research Interests

  • Inclusive Pedagogy for pupils who are Hard of Hearing
  • Research Methods that benefit Hard of Hearing participants
  • The use of inclusive technology for all learners
  • ESRC AHRC UK-Japan SSH Connections Grant, 'Building Japanese research capacity around disability studies and sport to positively impact the lives of people with disabilities 2020 and beyond’

Professional Bodies

 (AfPE)

Senior Fellow of the  (SFHEA)

University and Colleges Union (UCU

Publications

Richardson, E. V., Black, H., Wilson, C. T., and Foster, R. (in press) "What's best for you?": Using cripistemologies as a grounding for participatory research with communities that are non-verbal. in J. Coates, A. Maher and J. Haegele (eds.), Routledge Handbook of Qualitative Methods for Researching Disability in Physical Education. Routledge

Foster, R. and Barber, L. (2021) Physical Education for Young People with Disabilities. Oxon: Routledge.

Foster, R. and Richardson, E. (2021) Steps Towards a more Inclusive Physical Education. Every Child Journal, 8.3.

Richardson, E., Foster, R. and Martin, L. (2021) ‘Inclusive Language in Adapted Physical Education: Linking Disability Discourse from Theory to Practice’, in G. Balint, B. Antala, C. Carty, J. Mabieme, I. Amar, A. Kaplanova (eds) Physical Education and Sport for Children and Youth with Special Needs: Researches - Best Practices – Situation. Slovakia, Slovak Scientific Society for Physical Education and Sport and FIEP, pp.447-455.

Foster, R., Fitzgerald, H. and Stride, A. (2018) The Socialization and Participation of Deaflympians in Sport.  Sport in Society, 9, 1-16.

The Worcester Way, An Inclusive Approach to Physical Education and Sport (2017), The 成人B站, Worcester.

The Busy Lecturer’s Guide to Inclusive Practice Booklet (2016).

Foster, R. (2016) Hearing the Deaf Perspective of Physical Education. Physical Education Matters, 11 (1), 34-37.

Foster, R. (2013) Is there an Olympic Legacy for Deaf Athletes? Physical Education Matters. 8 (2), 16-18.

Flintoff, A., Foster, R. and Wystawnoha, S. (2011) Promoting and sustaining high quality physical education and school sport through school sport partnerships. European Physical Education Review, 17 (1), 341-351.

Barlow S. and Foster, R. (2011) School swimming and teacher training - a new approach to quality provision. Primary Physical Education Matters, 6 (2), 18-1.

External Responsibilities

  • Member of Worcester Football Association Inclusive Advisory Group
  • Board Member of Power2Inspire (inclusive charity)
  • Board Member of UK Deaf Sport
  • External Examiner for Liverpool John Moores University MSc PE 
  • Support worker for a young person with additional needs