Depression
Type 2 diabetes
Heart disease
Stroke
Cancer: breast, colon, kidney and endometrium
Osteoarthritis
Fatty liver disease (non-alcoholic)
Research has revealed that currently many schools are without access to
specialist physical education (PE) teachers. As such the responsibility for
PE classes has been placed into the hands of classroom teachers.
These teachers overwhelmingly expressed a lack of confidence in their
ability to develop, deliver and assess a PE program. They feared not
being capable of providing a skill based and health focused program of
learning.
Increased academic
performance related to:
Cognitive Skills and
Attitudes (e.g.,
attention/concentration,
memory, verbal ability).
Academic Behaviours (e.g.,
conduct, attendance, time on
task, homework completion)
Academic Achievement
(e.g., standardised test
scores, grades).
Throwing
Research questions
How successfully could students with no prior knowledge or
exposure to basic movement skills, develop these skills?
Would these children be willing to learn the fundamental skills?"
Will providing a structured skill based PE program to a year 2 and
3 class previously without access to a fundamental movements
program demonstrate an observable skill acquisition in balancing,
running and throwing?
Methodology
The students were informed of the reason for the research study and
were taken through the basics of each task by a simple demonstration.
Individually they performed the activities: balancing, running and
throwing to provide baseline times, falls and distance figures and would
identify where any deficit in fundamental movement skills existed.
The study comprised bi-weekly, 40 minute classes over a ten week period.
78
77
75
44 44
43 43
31
25
23 23
12.512.5
22
YEAR 2
Results continued.
85
Results in percentages
YEAR 3
BOYS
GIRLS
Decreased time
Decreased falls
No change or an increase
Running
62.5
50
37.5
25
0
YEAR 3
Decreased time
55
44
36
22
28
25
7
YEAR 2
YEAR 3
14
11
BOYS
GIRLS
Year 3 (14)
9 improved accuracy
1 significant improvement
5 no improvement
Girls (9)
5 improved
1 significant improvement
4 no improvement
Conclusion
Literature also acknowledges that not all children have access to an
evidence based PE program with a focus on basic skills.
This study has shown that with intensive intervention it is possible to
develop the basic skills of balancing, running and throwing to children
without prior exposure.
75
YEAR 2
64
50
71
66
Improved
Significantly improved
No change or a decrease in accuracy
Result in percentages
Results
Introduction
Background
The prevalence of overweight and obese children is rising alarmingly.
Results in percentages
Christina Williams
BOYS
GIRLS
Further study
A follow-up study with students in a similar situation would add
confidence to this studies findings. Access to a secondary venue
would also assure that data were more accountable.
Acknowledgements
My practicum school for allowing the study to take place, my mentor
teacher for her guidance and support and the students for their
enthusiastic participation.
I would also like to respectfully acknowledge the Noongar peoples on
whose land the study was undertaken.