Main description:

This book offers an ecological conceptualisation of physical literacy. Re-embracing our ancestry as hunter gatherers we gain a new appreciation and understanding of the importance of play, not only in terms of how children learn, but also in showing us as educators how we can lay the foundations for lifelong physical activity. The concept of physical literacy has been recognised and understood throughout history by different communities across the globe. Today, as governments grapple with the multiple challenges of urban life in the 21st century, we can learn from our forebears how to put play at the centre of children's learning in order to build a more enduring physically active society.

This book examines contemporary pedagogical approaches, such as constraints-led teaching, nonlinear pedagogy and the athletic skills model, which are underpinned by the theoretical framework of Ecological Dynamics. It is suggested that through careful design, these models, aimed at children, as well as young athletes, can (i) encourage play and facilitate physical activity and motor learning in children of different ages, providing them with the foundational skills needed for leading active lives; and (ii), develop young athletes in elite sports programmes in an ethical, enriching and supportive manner.

Through this text, scientists, academics and practitioners in the sub-disciplines of motor learning and motor development, physical education, sports pedagogy and physical activity and exercise domains will better understand how to design programmes that encourage play and thereby develop the movement skills, self-regulating capacities, motivation and proficiency of people, so that they can move skilfully, effectively and efficiently while negotiating changes throughout the human lifespan.

Contents:

Section 1: Theoretical Positioning of Physical Literacy

1. Time for a Rethink: Why a New Approach to Physical Literacy is Needed

2. Understanding the Ecological Roots of Physical Literacy and How We Can Build on this to Move Forward

3. What Physical Literacy in the Community Can Teach Us: Learning Designs in Natural Settings

Section 2: Contemporary Approaches for Operationalising Physical Literacy

4. Motor Learning and Why It Matters: How We Teach Physical Literacy

5. Nonlinear Pedagogy: A New Framework for Designing Learning Environments for Sport, Physical Education and Recreational Activities

6. Practitioners as Architects of the Environment: How We Can Use Environmental Design Principles to Support Physical Literacy

7. The Athletic Skills Model: Enhancing Physical Literacy across the Life-span

Section 3: Further Considerations and Future Direction of Research and Practice in Physical Literacy

8. A More Holistic Way of Measuring Physical Literacy

9. What We Have Learned and the way Forward

Section 4: Exploring New Avenues of Research to Understand Physical Literacy

10. Physical Education: Combining Movement Education and Nonlinear Pedagogy to Provide Meaningful Physical Education Experiences

11. Boing and Physical Literacy: A Play Based Movement Programme for Community, School and Sport

12. High Performers: Physical Literacy is Still an Important Consideration

13. Measuring Physical Literacy: A Fresh Approach

14. Development of Creative Movement through Enriched Game Design