Physically fit or physically literate? Children with special educational needs understanding of physical education

Coates, J ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0021-9999, 2011. Physically fit or physically literate? Children with special educational needs understanding of physical education. European Physical Education Review, 17 (2), pp. 167-181. ISSN 1356-336X

[thumbnail of 205052_8121 Coates Postprint.pdf]
Preview
Text
205052_8121 Coates Postprint.pdf

Download (1MB) | Preview

Abstract

The role of physical literacy within physical education (PE) has become a widely debated topic in recent years. Its role in educating children about physicality through embodiment, skill acquisition and reading the environment is argued to be of great benefit to children. However, whether children understand the role of PE in the development of these competencies is not clear, and this is even truer for children who have special educational needs (SEN). Drawing on qualitative phenomenological data from 30 children in key stages 2 and three (7 to 14 years of age) who have SEN, this paper explores notions of physical fitness and physical literacy as understood by children in PE lessons. It aims to gain insight into the ways that children understand the purpose of PE, and places these perceptions within a physical literacy framework, using the National Curriculum for PE (NCPE) as a foundation. Findings demonstrate that children with SEN perceive PE as a means for improving physical fitness, whereas concepts surrounding physical literacy appear to be lost. The paper concludes by making recommendations for factoring physical literacy components more forcibly into the PE curriculum, and through initial teacher training and continued professional development.

Item Type: Journal article
Publication Title: European Physical Education Review
Creators: Coates, J.
Publisher: Sage
Date: 2011
Volume: 17
Number: 2
ISSN: 1356-336X
Identifiers:
Number
Type
10.1177/1356336X11413183
DOI
Rights: Copyright 2011 by Sage Publications. All rights reserved. No portion of the contents may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the publisher.
Divisions: Schools > School of Social Sciences
Record created by: EPrints Services
Date Added: 09 Oct 2015 10:01
Last Modified: 09 Jun 2017 13:16
URI: https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/6391

Actions (login required)

Edit View Edit View

Statistics

Views

Views per month over past year

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year