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| Feature | No.65 October 2013 |

Knowing, experiencing and Owning- Perceptions of Physical Literacy in young Adults

Helen M Hazelwood

Abstract

This paper begins to address the question - how do you encourage young adults to understand and apply the concept of physical literacy? Report in the paper is the way that by participating in a series of some novel activities, students hoping to be involved in sport as a career were encouraged to transform into practice knowing the theory, through experiencing and owning the concept of physical literacy.

In the second year of the three year Physical and Sport Education undergraduate degree programme at St Mary’s University College Students may opt to take the Applied Physical Literacy module. The module consists of 30 hours of taught sessions and structured independent learning comprising reading and writing a reflective journal. Many of the students aspire to become physical education teachers; others hope to be coaches whilst others, who have embarked on the programme with Physical Education as their favourite school subject, are unsure how they can use it in a career. For students with such a background and aspirations some advanced form of physical literacy might have been expected by both the staff and the students themselves.

Knowing

The module commenced with a taught session where the concept of physical literacy was thoroughly discussed and its importance as an underpinning for physical education emphasised. The idea of physical literacy as more than movement competence was explored and Whitehead’s definition adopted as a basis for discussion; “a disposition acquired by human individuals encompassing the motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge and understanding that establishes purposeful physiccal pursuits as an integral part of their lifestyle.” (Almond & Whitehead, 2012, p68).

Understanding of the concept was fostered by weekly taught introductions where students were asked to consider an aspect (from the above definition) of physical literacy and how they were making progress in that area.

Experiencing

However the module was also planned with the rationale that if physical literacy is based on a monist philosophy (Whitehead 2010), then the best way to understand and embrace it is to experience it for oneself: at times going through the apprehension, enjoyment and challenges that may be experienced by the learners they will one day be coaching or teaching. Participating in this wide range of activities puts into practice the existential tenet that we are embodied beings resulting from our experiences. In recording their journey in a reflective journal students were able to review and consider their own development in Physical Literacy as a result of their experiences and record their physical literacy journey as described by Taplin (2010).

Whereas Hayden Davies (2008) described physical literacy as more than being proficient in one or a small number of physical activities Mandigo, Francis, Lodewyk and Lopez (2009) go further describing physical literacy as encompassing movement competence in a wide variety of physical activities. Almond and Whitehead (2012, p68) go further still in a definition of physical literacy stating that there are additional aspects which must not be overlooked: “the motivation; confidence; knowledge and understanding of physical pursuits as an integral part of lifestyle.”

This provided the rationale for the activities selected: there was an attempt at provision of a range of social and physical environments and also a wide range of skills to be employed. Activities included Judo, Handball, Volleyball, Parkour, Tai Chi, Street Dance, Boccia, Double Dutch skipping, Sitting Volleyball and Rowing. Sourcing activities that might not have been experienced before was deemed important in providing experienced ‘sports people’ with challenges to competence, confidence and motivation not always experienced in the sports with which they are familiar. In providing novel situations it also created learning opportunities where students could explore their ability to draw on any existing motivation, confidence and physical competence in new activities and environments. The activities also questioned some stereotypical attitudes held - that Tai Chi was just for old people for example. In participating in a new activity there was also the hope that some would continue to participate underpinning the objective of Physical Literacy of lifelong physical activity. One outcome of providing novel activities was that it was a ‘leveller’ and partially successfully dispelled the differences in physical competence, confidence and addressed the balance between the genders. Where some excelled when it came to dance others found an unexpected proficiency in double Dutch skipping.

Owning

As young adults aged 19-30, the students are deemed by Erikson (1970) to have focussed in their adolescence on identity and for these students one could expect that many will have identified themselves as a ‘sporty person’. Thus the new activities experienced in this module may have challenged this identity. For some experts in football, rugby or netball, a non-competitive activity with no ball was a challenge to the expectations of what comprised a Physical activity. For these games players part of the enjoyment and motivation of being involved in physical activity is the socialising with other ‘sporty people’ but for those who were expert in individual or more solitary activities such as athletics and solitary training this cooperative and team work was a challenge, at times frustrating yet at others unexpectedly enjoyable as new relationships were formed and cooperative learning was experienced at its best.

As young adults they may be considered to be acutely aware of the body image. Gallagher ( 2005, as cited in Whitehead,2010, p59) suggests that physical activity impacts the “emotive evaluation of one’s own body image” and this was evident in mixed sex groups which tried out judo positions and dance moves where there was close contact- for some this was mildly embarrassing whilst for others it seemed not to be an issue. One could surmise that previous experience has filled some students with sufficient confidence not to be held back by their preoccupation with their own body image and this connotes with Whitehead’s (2010) assertion that positive experiences enhance self confidence that impacts the whole person and life beyond physical education.

“A physically literate individual will be perceptive in reading all aspects of the physical environment anticipating movement need or possibilities and responding appropriately to these with intelligence and imagination.” (Whitehead, 2010, p44). This aspect of physical literacy was especially evident in the marked change in the physical environment when rowing on the river. Some admitted to fear of capsize and getting wet. For others the fear hit when in the boat and the realisation dawned that others could impact their safety regardless of their own actions. The need for cooperation, teamwork and strict adherence to guidelines given by the coach was shocking for some who were used to their own decision- making having the biggest impact on their lives. They realised a heightened reliance on others not experienced in many other team sports. Early data analysis suggests that they considered themselves not to have demonstrated the attributes of a physically literate individual on this occasion. Responding to and synchronising with music was another notable challenge and surprised some with their inability to master seemingly simple movements and keep in time. However benefits such as working in small groups and being able to express emotion through movement helped to overcome the disappointment of not excelling immediately in an activity.

In spite of recognising the inherent risk in sports like rowing and Parkour, it was interesting that many sports people related a dislike of a direct authoritarian approach taken by some coaches. In these activities where safety was paramount a more explicit giving of instruction was deemed unpopular by some whilst for others it was regarded as providing reassurance that ‘horseplay’ was not acceptable. For many experiencing a wide range of teaching styles from expert coaches was enlightening and data suggests that it has impacted on the students as prospective teachers and coaches in a way that a theoretical understanding might not have done.

“Physically literate individuals move with poise economy and confidence in a wide variety of challenging situations.” (Whitehead, 2010, p44) so the wide variety of activities chosen gave a broad experience of a number of factors but especially physical skills. For some a new sort of physical challenge was memorable. Rowing and Tai Chi demanded mastery of very precise movements and Street dance added the element of trying to synchronise with music and with one’s group. Ball skills were required in team games like handball, volleyball and boccia and combative skills in judo. Students realised the wide range of skills needed and some recognised that they lacked proficiency in more than one or two activities and thus this challenged their identity as a physically literate individual.

In moving from what was known (physical literacy) to what was an unknown (the new activities) student had an individual opportunity for assimilation as they made sense of what they already knew and related it to their experience so participating in transformational learning suggested by Mezirow (1997) and exemplifying the idea of knowing, experiencing and owning the concept of physical literacy.

In Boccia students tried to understand the involvement in sport for someone whose movement capability was restricted by a neurological condition. Some reported feelings of empathy as they tried to put themselves in a less autonomous situation. In Tai Chi and Judo a spiritual dimension was introduced – one could say that this is present in all sport but it was made explicit by the coaches in these two activities- and there was recognition in their movements for the need to be conscious of oneself as a whole being ,underlining the essential monist philosophical underpinning of physical literacy.

The end goal of the physical educator is to nurture individuals into lifelong participation in physical activity. Almond (in Whitehead 2010 p125) states that it is not enough merely to provide opportunities for people to engage in physical activities but it is essential to provide practitioners who can engage with people and make them love being active. Not only was this the intention in finding expert coaches for these activities but it was also the desired outcome: Nor just that students should make progress in each of the activities but that it would rekindle a desire to take part in a wide variety of activities and to love being active. To suggest some success in these areas, some of the students have taken up some of the activities and joined classes or clubs to progress their learning and others have realised that they need to widen their teaching and coaching experience of different physical activities and sports in order to embed themselves in a physically literate identity: They can be said to have been involved in knowing, experiencing and owning physical literacy.

References

1. Almond, L. & Whitehead, M. (2012, spring). Physical Literacy: Clarifying the concept. Practice Matters 7, 68-71.

2. Erikson, E. (1968). Identity, youth and crisis. New York: W. W. Norton Company

3. Gallagher, S. (205). How the body shapes the mind. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

4. Hayden-Davies, D. (2008, September 4th). So what is physical literacy (and what use is it?). Paper presented at British Educational Research Association annual conference, University of Edinburgh.

5. Mandigo, J., Francis, N., Lodewyk, K. & Lopez, R. (2009). Physical literacy for educators. Physical & Health Education Journal, pp 27-31.

6. Mezirow, J. (1997). Transformative learning: Theory to practice. New directions for adult and continuing education, 74, 5–12.

7. Taplin, E. (2010). Physical literacy - A lifelong Journey. AIESEP conference paper, Spain.

8. Whitehead, M. E. (ed.). (2010). Physical literacy: Throughout the lifecourse. Abingdon: Routledge.

Contact

Helen M Hazelwood
St Mary’s University College, Twickenham
London
United Kingdom
Email Helen.hazelwood@smuc.ac.uk

http://www.icsspe.org/