Integrating physical education with other subjects in a cross curricular manner in primary schools

Abstract

Physical Education (PE) plays a very significant role in the primary curriculum. It is the only subject that provides students with opportunities to learn motor skills, develop fitness, and gain understanding about the importance of Physical Activity (PA) (Babu, 2016). Steinbeck (2001) believes that encouraging an active lifestyle from an early age should be upheld both at home and at school. Through this study, the perceptions, attitudes and opinions of two primary school teachers with regards to PE and PA in primary schools were investigated. A qualitative approach was used, and semistructured interviews were conducted. Moreover, observation sessions were held, providing insight into school realities and how these affect the teacher’s delivery of PE and PA. Throughout this study, it was noted that Maltese primary school-aged children are not being given the opportunity to participate in the weekly time slots allocated to PE, which according to the National Audit Office (NAO, 2010a), should comprise of four thirty-minute sessions. Although PE is an integral part of the primary curriculum, this study showed that it is not given as much importance as the other academic subjects. This research hence proceeds to investigate the idea of integrating PE cross-curricularly with other subjects, thus increasing PA and contributing to the sixty minutes of required daily PA as recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO, 2016).