NON – FORMAL PHYSICAL EDUCATION INFLUENCE ON HEALTH RELATED PHYSICAL FITNESS OF CHILDREN

Abstract

The aim of this study was to develop and implement curriculum of non-formal physical education in school and assess its effectiveness for health related physical fitness of 11-13 year old children. The research was conducted in two stages. In the first stage 51 11-13 year old children participated in a quasi-experiment for two years. Pupils were organized into E (experimental) and C (control) groups. Both groups shared the duration (1 hour) and frequency (twice a week) but were different in their education curriculum. In the second stage 72 pupils (groups A and B) attended in the research from the same schools. The curriculum of the group A was modified and differed from group E, group B - the same as group C. In both stages the focus groups performed four physical fitness tests and BMI was calculated. Group E girls’ indices of three tests and boys’ indices of all four tests were significantly (p<0.05) higher than young adolescents’ from group C. Group A girls’ flexibility and aerobic endurance as well as boys aerobic endurance were higher (p < 0.05) than pupils from group B. Results suggest that the individualized, diverse, 11‒13 years old children hobbies, needs, abilities, physical and functional powers answering non-formal curriculum, which expands knowledge and develops new skills and when various child-activating teaching methods and forms are used, positively influence their health related physical fitness.