Five Components Of Physical Education

What is Physical Education

Physical education focuses on teaching learner’s basic movement concepts as well as practical and specific sports skills that will equip them to be active, healthy and physically fit throughout their entire lives. Physical education tries to promote and the five components of physical fitness and teach learners how to maintain them throughout their lives. These are namely cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, flexibility, and body composition. (Gallahue & Cleland Donnely, 2003; Insel & Roth, 2006; Hoeger & Hoeger, 2013) Physical education also needs to address and teach basic motor learning concepts and principles. The components of motor development that are taught and focused on in the curriculum are coordination,

Some of the physical benefits school children gain include; weight control, better sleeping patterns, a sense of wellbeing, mood elevation, less fatigue, increased physical and mental efficiency, a positive relationship with academic performance. It also helps the development of fundamental gross and motor skills in the Foundation Phase specifically, which is the foundation on which fine motor skills are built which effects many important skills including those of reading and writing. (ACSM, 2010; Insel & Roth, 2006; Tompkins et al., 2012; Hoeger & Hoeger, 2013) Physical education can also have a positive impact on certain medical conditions for example diabetes and obesity both of which are becoming more prevalent in South African children. (Steyn, Fourie & Temple, 2006) It is not clear to what extent physical activity effects growth in children however it is clear that it does positively impact growth. If we look at the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement the main aim of physical education should be to positively impact the children’s lifetime exercise patterns. (CAPS 2012) Therefore, we see that physical education is an important part of any child’s school experience many of the skills gained are important building blocks for not only school success, whether academic or physical, but also lifelong success in many

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