Exploring Australian teachers’ perceptions of physical literacy: a mixed-methods study

Figures & data

Table 1. Demographic characteristics of survey participants.

Demographic		N	%
Gender (n = 122)	Male	59	48.4
	Female	61	50.0
	Prefer not to specify	2	1.6
Age group (n = 122)	18–24 years	9	7.4
	25–34 years	44	36.1
	35–44 years	33	27.0
	45–54 years	25	20.5
	55 years and above	11	9.0
Australian State or Territory (n = 122)	Victoria	104	85.2
	Western Australia	5	4.1
	New South Wales	5	4.1
	Australian Capital Territory	2	1.6
	Queensland	2	1.6
	South Australia	2	1.6
	Northern Territory	1	0.8
	Tasmania	1	0.8
Educational background (n = 114)	Bachelor’s degree (e.g. Physical Education, Primary, Education, Exercise Science, Applied Science in Physical Education)	72	63.1
	Multiple degrees (e.g. multiple bachelor’s degree, Bachelors + Honours, Bachelor’s + Graduate Diploma, Bachelor’s + Masters)	39	34.2
	Doctorate degree	3	2.6
Physical Education specialist (n = 122)	Yes	98	80.3
	No	24	19.7
Years of teaching experience (n = 122)	Less than one year	6	4.9
	1–4 years	22	18.0
	5–9 years	27	22.1
	10–14 years	30	24.6
	15–19 years	11	9.0
	20–24 years	10	8.2
	25 + years	16	13.1

Table 2. Responses to statements close-ended statements aimed to elicit teachers’ understanding of PL.

Statement	Strongly Disagree N (%)	Disagree N (%)	Unsure N (%)	Agree N (%)	Strongly Agree N (%)
Physical literacy is primarily about developing fundamental movement skills (e.g. catching, throwing, running, kicking, jumping etc.) (n = 117)	11 (9.4)	29 (24.8)	14 (12.0)	44 (37.6)	19 (16.2)
Physical literacy is essential for helping us lead healthy and fulfilling lives through physical activity (n = 117)	7 (6.0)	9 (7.7)	6 (5.1)	36 (30.8)	59 (50.4)
Being physical literate and physically educated mean the same thing (n = 117)	6 (5.1)	51 (43.6)	23 (19.7)	29 (24.8)	8 (6.8)
Physical literacy can be developed in a variety of environments including land, water, air and snow (n = 117)	2 (1.7)	6 (5.1)	5 (4.3)	53 (45.3)	51 (43.6)
Not every individual can develop physical literacy (n = 117)	52 (44.4)	43 (36.8)	10 (8.5)	7 (6.0)	5 (4.3)
Physical literacy can be developed through school physical education classes, sport, recreation, physical activity and NOT through incidental activities (e.g. using the stairs rather than lifts, standing desks etc.) (n = 117)	17 (14.5)	53 (45.3)	15 (12.8)	23 (19.7)	9 (7.7)
Physical literacy means being able to read and write while moving the body (such as balancing, walking on a beam etc.) (n = 117)	62 (53.0)	30 (25.6)	13 (11.1)	10 (8.5)	2 (1.7)
Some children are more naturally physically literate than others (n = 114)	5 (4.4)	17 (14.9)	11 (9.6)	63 (55.3)	18 (15.8)
Physical literacy is building skills, knowledge, and behaviours needed for lifelong movement and physical activity practice (n = 114)	3 (2.6)	8 (7.0)	4 (3.5)	34 (29.8)	65 (57.0)
Physical literacy is inclusive of some forms of numeracy (n = 114)	8 (7.0)	21 (18.4)	38 (33.3)	37 (32.5)	10 (8.8)
Children who are physically competent are also physically literate (n = 114)	8 (7.0)	51 (44.7)	28 (24.6)	24 (21.1)	3 (2.6)
A physically literate person has the ability to draw on their physical, psychological, cognitive and social capacities to support lifelong physical activity practice. (n = 114)	1 (0.9)	5 (4.4)	7 (6.1)	46 (40.4)	55 (48.2)
The Australian Physical Literacy Framework recognizes 30 elements as foundational to physical literacy development in individuals (n = 114)	1 (0.9)	7 (6.1)	53 (46.5)	33 (28.9)	20 (17.5)

Table 3. Teacher perception of the role of PL in schools (n = 111).

Statement	Strongly disagree N (%)	Disagree N (%)	Neither N (%)	Agree N (%)	Strongly agree N (%)
Physical literacy is NOT an important and/or valuable concept (n = 114)	68 (59.6)	37 (32.5)	1 (0.9)	5 (4.4)	3 (2.6)
Physical literacy should NOT be ranked as highly as numeracy and literacy in the school education curriculum (n = 111)	35 (31.5)	42 (37.8)	13 (11.7)	13 (11.7)	8 (7.2)
Physical education and sport in schools should foster physical literacy in every school-aged child (n = 111)	4 (3.6)	4 (3.6)	10 (9.0)	41 (36.9)	52 (46.8)
Teachers play a pivotal role in developing children’s physical literacy (n = 111)	3 (2.7)	4 (3.6)	9 (8.1)	43 (38.7)	52 (46.8)
Quality health and physical education (HPE) curriculum should address the physical literacy concepts (n = 111)	2 (1.8)	5 (4.5)	9 (8.1)	36 (32.4)	59 (53.2)
If provided with adequate knowledge, I would be willing to implement the physical literacy concept in my classroom (n = 111)	2 (1.8)	5 (4.5)	11 (9.9)	30 (27.0)	63 (56.8)
Our school’s policies and/or practices contribute to physical literacy opportunities for students (n = 111)	4 (3.6)	11 (9.9)	29 (26.1)	45 (40.5)	22 (19.8)

Table 4. Interview participants’ demographics (n = 9).

Participant no	Gender	Age group	Australian State or Territory	Educational background	Physical Education specialist	Years of teaching experience
Participant 1	Male	25–34 years	Victoria	Bachelor of Applied Science (Physical Education)	Yes	5–9 years
Participant 2	Female	45–54 years	Victoria	Bachelor of Education (Secondary), Bachelor of Applied Science (Human Movement) Honours, PhD	Yes	20–24 years
Participant 3	Female	55 + years	Victoria	Bachelor of Teaching	No	25 + years
Participant 4	Female	55 + years	Victoria	Diploma Teaching, Graduate Diploma (Special Education)	No	25 + years
Participant 5	Female	35–44 years	Victoria	Bachelor of Applied Science (Physical Education)	Yes	15–19 years
Participant 6	Male	35–44 years	Victoria	Bachelor of Education (Physical Education), Masters Preliminary (Applied Science Human Movement)	Yes	20–24 years
Participant 7	Female	–	–	–	–	–
Participant 8	Male	18–24 years	Western Australia	Bachelor of Science (Sport Science and Exercise and Health), Graduate Diploma of Education (Physical Education)	Yes	1–4 years
Participant 9	Female	35–44 years	New South Wales	Bachelor of Teaching, Bachelor of HPE (Hons.)	Yes	15–19 years

Table 5. List of subthemes and codes nested under each main theme regarding teachers’ understanding and perception of physical literacy.

Theme	Subtheme	Codes (n Teacher, n references)	Collapsed to (n Teacher, n references)
‘Physical literacy has been a bit of a buzzword’: Perceptions of the physical literacy concept	Importance of the PL concept	Important and valuable (5, 10) a Technological impact (4, 4) a Support of the framework (5, 9) a Explicit reference in the curriculum (5, 9) a Buzzword (4, 10) b Scepticism around PL push – confusing, added layer, increases the status of PE (4, 23) b Inconsistent definition and evolving conceptualization (3, 5) b	(a) Important and valuable (8, 32) (b) Scepticisms (7, 32)
	Understanding of PL	PL is PA engagement, PA knowledge, and FMS (3, 6) a PL is PE and play based learning (1, 4) a Quality HPE curricular outcome (6, 16) b Aligned with the HPE curriculum (7, 19) b PL is holistic (8, 23) c PL is lifelong movement (4, 5) c PL operates on a continuum (1, 1) c PL extends beyond the context of physical education (3, 5) d PL is linked with peer coaching (1, 1) d	(a) Misconceptions and/or incomplete conceptualization (5, 11) (b) Curriculum aligned/outcome (8, 35) (c) PL attributes (8, 29) (d) Context (4, 6)
‘It's a concept that needs to be ingrained’: Implementing physical literacy in schools	PL implementation – strategies and barriers	Strategies Ingrained in curriculum (1, 1) a Explicit reference and alignment with the curriculum (4, 5) a Provision of resources and exposure to continuing professional development opportunities (6, 14) b Training and guidance on PL application (4, 12) b Explaining the ‘why’ (1, 1) b Focus on preservice teachers (2, 3) b Availability of funding opportunities (1, 3) b Top-level push (4, 7) c Organizational support (3, 3) c	(a) Curriculum alignment (4, 6) (b) Provision of resources (including funding), training, and professional development opportunities (6, 33) (c) Policy changes (6, 10)
		Barriers Time constraints (5, 8) a Teacher workload and busyness (3, 6) b Teacher willingness (3, 4) c Teacher’s own PL, knowledge and training (7, 13) c Lack of funding (1, 1) d Teacher current practices not linked to the curriculum (2, 2) e FMS focused teaching and assessment (4, 6) e Lack of accountability (1, 3) f Lack of prioritization of PE in schools (4, 12) g	(a) Time constraints (5, 8) (b) Teacher workload and busyness (3, 7) (c) Personal factors (7, 17) (d) Lack of funding (1, 1) (e) FMS focused teaching and assessment (5, 8) (f) Lack of accountability (1, 3) (g) Lack of prioritization of PE in schools (4, 12)
	Supporting children’s PL development – the ‘who’ and the ‘how’	The ‘who’ (8, 26) Whole school approach (3, 6) a Teachers, coaches, and sporting organizations (3, 4) a School (4, 6) a Family (4, 7) b Community (2, 3) c	(a) Whole school (8, 26) (b) Family (4, 7) (c) Community (2, 3)
		The ‘how’ Whole-child development (4, 4) a Wellbeing focused (1, 1) b MVPA, FMS and movement vocabulary focused (3, 4) c Building psychological elements (5, 7) d	(a) Whole-child development focused (4, 4) (b) Wellbeing focused (1, 1) (c) Movement and FMS focused (3, 4) (d) Psychological domain focused (5, 7)

Note: a Reported codes are the conceptual labels applied to the transcribed data. The numbers reported in parenthesis represent the number of interviewees and the number references associated with each code, respectively. The letter following the parenthesis, correspond to the collapsed categories in the right-hand column.