Physical literacy is “the motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge and understanding required by participants that allows them to value and take responsibility for engaging in physical activity and sport for life" (Sport New Zealand).
Individuals who are physically literate move with competence and confidence in a wide variety of physical activities in multiple environments (land, water, air, snow, and ice) that benefit the healthy development of the whole person. Physically literate individuals demonstrate a variety of movements confidently, competently, creatively, and strategically across a wide range of health-related physical activities (PHE Canada). |
Research has shown that being physically active later in life depends on an individual's ability to feel confident in an activity setting. That confidence most often comes from having learned fundamental movement and sport skills, or physical literacy, as a child.
Without the development of physical literacy, many children and youth withdraw from physical activity and sport and turn to more inactive and/or unhealthy choices during their leisure time. Quality physical education programs offer the best opportunity to foster the development of physical literacy for all children and youth given their mandate to provide equal and equitable access to the development of the skills, knowledge, and attitudes needed to become physically literate. (PHE Canada and Canadian Sport for Life) |
What are FUNDAMENTAL MOVEMENT SKILLS and Fundamental Sports Skills?
Fundamental movement skills are the foundational movement patterns needed to enjoy a wide range of physical activities. Some examples include: walking, running, jumping, catching, dribbling, throwing, skating, swimming, kicking, and cycling. Children typically develop these skills between ages 0 to 9. They do not develop them naturally. They must be practiced over and over.
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For children to have success in sport--either for recreation or competition--it is important they master movement skills before learning sport skills, and fundamental sport skills before specific techniques. Learning fundamental sport skills before mastering the related fundamental movement skills actually reduces performance ability later.
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After mastering the fundamental movement skills, children learn how to transfer those skills to a variety of sport-specific movements, like soccer throw-ins, football passes, basketball lay-ups, softball pitches, and gymnastics dismounts. Many children learn to apply these skills, along with game strategies and tactics, in middle school physical education classes.
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Click this link to read "An Introduction to Physical Literacy" from Canadian Sport for Life.
Do not reproduce without permission. For permission, contact Sarah Gietschier-Hartman.