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| Feature | No.65 October 2013 |

A story of physical literacy in primary initial teacher training and education

Liz Taplin

Abstract

This article considers the importance of physical literacy in preparing primary trainee teachers to teach physical education, by focusing on the situation in England. An overview of the current situation is provided, which suggests that there are a number of factors which need to be addressed to ensure trainees are better prepared to teach physical education. Thereafter, a short methodology presenting a case for the narrative approach used in the second part of this article is followed by the story, which focuses on two fictional trainee teachers and shows how an understanding of physical literacy plays a crucial role in helping all trainees to become better teachers of physical education.

The Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted, 2009; Ofsted 2013) reported that the teaching of physical education in two thirds of primary schools inspected across England was either good or outstanding. However, Ofsted’s positivity did not extend to initial teacher training and education (ITTE), as in the same reports, inspectors recommended that more time should be allocated for physical education because subject knowledge amongst primary school teachers needed improving.

A number of sources (eg Talbot, 2007) indicate that some higher education institutions provide less that six hours of teaching for physical education. Others provide more, but do not necessarily achieve what is needed, that is: confident, knowledgeable and motivated teachers of physical education.

However, Talbot (2008) indicates the issue is not merely dependent on time allocation, stating: ‘while coverage of cognitive development has never apparently been questioned within initial teacher preparation, physical development has too often been marginal or invisible’ suggesting that a change of philosophy is required. However, Carney & Winkler (2008) warn the profession that until physical education is a core subject in the primary curriculum, it will continue to be marginalised during initial teacher training.

Hannay (2008) also feels it is not necessarily lack of time during ITTE that causes problems, as she found that her trainees did not have as much opportunity to observe or teach physical education as the statistics suggest. Nor did they find the positive learning opportunities they deserve on placement. Unable to learn from their qualified colleagues in school, perhaps because their role models lack subject knowledge or the motivation to teach, or increasingly because they are required to attend planning meetings whilst their class is taken by a sports coach, it is essential that trainees find a nurturing approach when back in university. It is also essential that they are provided with a sound philosophy as to why physical education is important.

Despite unprecedented financial input in recent years1 the situation does not seem to have improved. Time allocation during ITTE remains low and trainees are either influenced by their own negative experiences of physical education; or at the other end of the spectrum, by their preoccupation with sport. Either way their approach to teaching physical education is dubious before they even move into the school setting.

In July 2013, the Government announced funding specifically for primary physical education (DfE, 2013). £150 million is being made available to primary schools over the next two years, to improve the provision of physical education. The money can be used by schools in a number of ways (for example, hiring specialist physical education teachers or coaches; or paying for professional development for teachers). However, no money has been allocated to initial teacher training prompting fears that when the funding ends in two years, no real progress will have been made.

Talbot (2008) suggests that ‘we need to be working towards competence and confidence in our primary workforce.’ The proposal in the second part of this article is that an understanding of physical literacy will help achieve this. But first, an explanation of what is to come…

Goodson et al. (2010, p1) suggest that stories give our lives ‘structure, coherence and meaning’ and that the outcome of the process is narrative learning, or learning through story. And whilst Sikes (2002) warns that the use of a fictional approach can be open to accusations and that it is not a legitimate form evidence, she then offers encouragement by stating that ‘It is natural for us to make sense of our lives, the lives of others and the context in which we live through telling and hearing/reading stories’ (pxii).

Clough (2002) is a proponent of the use of narrative in general and story in particular, in educational research. He suggests that fiction enables facts to be drawn from a range of situations in order to provide ‘a deeper view of life in familiar contexts’ and that it can ‘make the familiar strange, and the strange familiar’ (p8). With this in mind, the following story draws on a number of real events and characters, with the sole purpose of advocating the use of physical literacy as the basis for preparing primary school trainees to teach physical education.

Sandy and Ellie

Sandy and Ellie are newly qualified primary school teachers, soon to take up their first teaching posts. Both attend ITTE at the same university, judged by Ofsted to be an outstanding provider. Both received the top grades of either ‘good’ or ‘very good’ on all of their teaching placements, suggesting these young teachers have promising careers ahead of them. Sandy will be working with a Year 1 class (five to six year olds) and Ellie will be working with a Year 4 class (eight to nine year olds). They will be required to teach all subjects in the primary curriculum, including physical education. Despite what research (eg Hopper, 2005) indicates, both feel confident and excited about the prospect of teaching physical education, because their appreciation of physical literacy has given them a reason to teach physical education; a sense of purpose and a focus on children as individuals.

Given the perceptions with which they arrived at the start of their course this might be surprising and a look at their respective stories highlights the remarkable journey each experienced. Sandy and Ellie both completed a Bachelor of Education degree (BEd), a three year course covering subject knowledge, pedagogy, education studies, professional studies and five school placements which included gaining experience with a range of ages and in a range of settings. During their training there was an emphasis on the core subjects (English, mathematics and science), but they also had input in all of the foundation subjects. Sandy, a science specialist, received twenty hours of physical education during her course; whereas Ellie, a physical education specialist, received 170 hours of physical education plus numerous opportunities to engage in out-of-lecture-time enhancement activities directly related to physical education and children’s physical activity.

Sandy came to university with a very negative attitude towards physical education and she was determined not to participate if at all possible. Her experience of physical education when she was at school was distressing and had the ultimate effect of discouraging her participation in any sort of physical activity. Raised by her mother, a single parent, Sandy moved home, and therefore school, several times during her first ten years of life. She missed out on the vital play experiences of the early years and never discovered the love of movement enjoyed by most infants (Bailey, 1999; Maude, 2001). The lack of opportunity, instruction and encouragement, all played a part in Sandy failing to reach developmental milestones (Gallahue & Ozmun, 2006). When she entered secondary school at the age of eleven, she was overweight and poorly equipped to participate in physical education lessons. She had no idea how to catch or throw in netball, nor where to stand or what to do. The teacher shouted at her and told her she was too fat to run. She was devastated and felt humiliated. From that moment on, she avoided physical education at all cost. That is until she was confronted with the subject during teacher training, when she suddenly realised that she would not be able to avoid it anymore. As she sat waiting for the first lecture to begin, she felt physically sick and she could not begin to contemplate ever being able to teach the subject in school. What if the lecturer asked her about the rules of rugby, or to do a forward roll? Everyone else looked so at ease, whilst Sandy was wriggling uncomfortably in her chair. She folded her arms and began thinking about strategies to avoid the lectures and to avoid teaching the subject when in school.

Sitting a few rows in front of Sandy was Ellie, who was given a ball as a plaything before she could even crawl. Her sports-mad parents ensured she could catch, throw, kick, swim, climb not long after she had learned to walk. Her sports-mad older brother used her for tackling practise for hours on end. By the time Ellie started primary school at the age of four and a half, she was already competent and confident in terms of being physically active – it was part of who she was. Physical education lessons; break times; and after school clubs were all opportunities to participate and she seized them with glee. Moving onto secondary school, she was selected for school teams and sport became the main reason for going to school. Representing the school led to district and county selection. As soon as she stepped over the white line onto the pitch or court, she became fiercely competitive. For Ellie, sport was all about winning. As captain of the school hockey team, she was responsible for leading training sessions; she imposed strict rules about attending practice and she would not tolerate shirkers. She demanded loyalty and commitment to the team. Sport gave her life structure; she felt good, she knew how to win and lose; she learned to be a leader. As well as expertise in hockey and netball, Ellie was a competent swimmer, played tennis and had her trophies displayed in her bedroom. As a senior pupil, she had been responsible for helping to run the junior teams and she was confident her Sport Leader qualifications would hold her in good stead when it came to teach physical education. When it had come to choosing a specialism as part of her generic training to be a primary school teacher, physical education had been the obvious choice. As she sat waiting for the first lecture she was supremely confident that this was one subject she would find easy and she felt there wasn’t much anyone could tell her about sport.

Sandy and Ellie both presented an immense challenge for the university lecturer, as neither trainee had a sound understanding of what physical education is, nor why it is taught. In their respective ways, Sandy and Ellie thought it was about coaching sport and providing an opportunity for elite performers to shine. Ellie knew how that felt and could articulate the importance of children playing sport and being competitive; but it hadn’t occurred to her that some children might have difficulty engaging in physical activity; that they might not have the level of skill needed in order to be competitive and consequently that they might not feel confident. Sandy thought physical education was sport and an opportunity for those not academically gifted to show off their physical skill. She simply dreaded the idea of moving in front of a class of children and was worried about how she might have to try to run as fast as the athletic elite in her class.

There was a silent intake of breath from both trainees when the lecturer said the S word wasn’t to be mentioned in the first lecture. ‘Sport emerges from physical education, but it isn’t going to be our focus,’ she declared. Ellie looked puzzled; Sandy began to breathe a little easier. ‘Does anyone know anything about physical literacy?’ There was a general shaking of heads, so the lecturer explained that the aim of physical education is to help all children to develop their physical literacy and that physical literacy is about having the motivation, confidence, motivation, knowledge and understanding to be physically active throughout life (Whitehead, 2010). ‘The role of the class teacher in physical education, is to help nurture every child’s physical literacy and to guide them on their individual journeys.’

By the end of the first lecture, Sandy, Ellie and the other trainees, felt a mix of emotions, but mainly relief and excitement in equal measure. The practical workshop had encouraged the trainees to move for fun; to start feeling comfortable with their own bodies; to begin developing relationships with others in the group (Sherborne, 2001). A new-found shared understanding that every individual was on their own unique physical literacy journey had united the group; the concept even had Sandy and Ellie nodding in agreement. Sandy, for the first time in her life, had enjoyed being physically active; Ellie, for the first time in her life, realised that she didn’t have to be in a win lose situation to enjoy physical activity.

By the end of the module, both students understood that physical education was as much for those with movement difficulties, as those with high ability. They now realised that it would be their job to ensure every child was given an opportunity to make progress on their unique physical literacy journeys. They both appreciated that progress fostered confidence, which motivated the children to be active, which created opportunities for physical competence to develop.

At the end of her course, Sandy, while looking forward to teaching physical education, was still concerned about her uncertain subject knowledge and lack of experience, but she was determined that she was going to break the negative cycle. Just because she’d had a bad experience of physical education in school, she wasn’t going to impose the same on the children she taught. She understood that her Year 1 class needed to develop a love of being active and needed to gain a range of movement skills. She felt confident she would be able to guide her children on their physical literacy journeys and she vowed to show an interest in what they did at home and to encourage them to join the after-school clubs run by her colleagues. She also felt confident about being able to observe her children moving and to begin making judgements as how best she could help them, although she knew this was going to need practise. And to her utter amazement, she had started to be physically active! Most days she walked to wherever she was going and at weekends she had begun exploring the local parks.

At the end of her course Ellie was excited about a lot of things. She was excited about teaching her class physical education, but now realised that some children would need extra help and that she would need to find a way to support them. She knew she was going to need to get to know every child in order to help each individual to make progress and she appreciated that it was going to be necessary to give the children a range of movement experiences. She understood that games, or sport, on its own wouldn’t be enough. Ellie was also excited about being able to run after-school clubs and to help coach some teams - she knew her expertise would be useful in this respect, but she resolved that she would run some clubs which were open to all-comers. She was also determined to become the physical education subject leader at some point, so that she could begin influencing school policy in a positive way.

Conclusion

These stories are somewhat idealistic, but nevertheless make some key points. For every ‘Sandy’ there are probably tens of others who are determined not to get involved or who feel ill-equipped to teach physical education. Perhaps this is because of negative personal experience and/or too little time devoted to the subject during ITTE. There is a growing call (Carney & Winkler, 2008; Carney & Howells, 2008) for physical education specialists to work in primary schools. Teachers like ‘Ellie’ (once she had developed an understanding of physical literacy) could have an important role to play – they understand young children and they understand the aim of physical education. However, had ‘Ellie’ been unleashed in school prior to developing her understanding of physical literacy, there would have been a high possibility that she would have alienated a great many children.

Talbot (2009) urges that there is a ‘need to lay the foundations for lifelong participation’ and that this is the crucial role of primary physical education. Physical literacy is the framework on which to build these expectations.

As the concept of physical literacy becomes more widely understood and valued, it is increasingly acknowledged as the aim of physical education (afPE, 2008; Ofsted, 2012). This article suggests that an understanding of physical literacy can help primary trainee teachers to become better teachers of physical education. Not only does it impact on the progress children make in terms of developing their physical literacy, but it also impacts on the trainees’ own physical literacy journey.

Whitehead (2010) is clear that all adults involved in children’s lives need to have an understanding of physical literacy. During ITTE, the primary trainee needs to become aware that physical literacy cannot be taught, but that it has to be nurtured. They need to understand that every child is unique, that children will have different strengths and weaknesses, a range of previous experiences and a variety of learning styles. The trainee needs to understand that some children will need motivating to participate; all will thrive on being praised and encouraged; and all will thrive on appropriate challenges and feedback. The trainee needs to appreciate that every individual is travelling their unique physical literacy journey and that the role of teacher is to guide each child along the way. Crucially, the trainee needs to be aware that as one of the child’s significant others, they are a role model, they need to act responsibly and need to be aware that a careless or insensitive comment could adversely affect a child for life.

The first task during ITTE is to allay the trainees’ fear and to address misconceptions of physical education - an understanding of physical literacy is central in achieving this. Thereafter, the teaching and learning can focus on equipping the trainee to understand how best to nurture children’s love of being physically active. Not every new teacher aspires to be a physical education subject leader; however, it is essential that every new teachers understands the value of children developing their physical literacy.

1 From 2003, the Physical Education and School Sport Club Links strategy and the subsequent Physical Education Sport Strategy for Young People provided £millions in funding for a number of strands including professional development in physical education for teachers. This funding stream ended in 2012.

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Contact

Liz Taplin
Institute of Education, Plymouth University
Drake Circus
Plymouth, PL4 8AA.
liz.taplin@plymouth.ac.uk

http://www.icsspe.org/