A Systematic Review on Teaching Physical Activity in Elementary School Physical Education

Abstract

PURPOSE This study analyzed research on physical activities for elementary school students 1st and 2nd-graders to explore teachers’ perceptions and instructional practices in physical activity classes.METHODS Twelve studies published in academic journals conducted between 2000 to 2022 were selected for analysis.RESULTS The research articles were categorized into three domains: perception of physical activity in lower grades, operational features, and factors influencing practices from a didactic perspective. Challenges identified include dilemmas between curriculum documents and actual practice, a lack of practical teaching expertise, and a teaching culture discouraging physical activity in lower grades. Operational patterns were restructured into “avoidance-style classes,” “ad-hoc classes,” “textbook-dependent classes,” and “textbook-reorganization classes.” Factors influencing physical education for early elementary students included “teacher support factors,” “environmental factors,” and “administrative factors.”CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, this study advocates for policies that systematically improve perception, administration, and support classes for activating physical activities in lower elementary school students. The findings suggest the need for strategies such as adapting integrated curricula, creating training programs and educational materials, ongoing professional development activities for teachers, and specific research focused on physical activities for lower grade elementary students.