Physical Literacy

Welcome to the Physical Literacy web site

Full Articles

Whitehead, M.E. Meaningful Existence, Embodiment and Physical Education - Journal of Philosophy of Education (1990)

Whitehead, M.E. The Concept of Physical Literacy - BJTPE (2001)

Whitehead, M.E. The Concept of Physical Literacy - EJPE (2001)

Whitehead, M.E. Physical Literacy - A Debate - Pre-Olympic Congress Thessaloniki (2004)

Mandigo, J. and Holt, N. Reading the Game: Introducing the notion of Games Literacy - PHE (2004) (PDF only)

Whitehead, M.E. Physical Literacy - A Developing Concept (2005)

Whitehead, M.E. Developing Physical Literacy - Roehampton (2005)

Whitehead, M.E. The Concept of Physical Literacy and the development of a sense of self - IAPESGW (2005)

Whitehead, M.E. Poster on Physical Literacy 2nd World Summit on Physical Education - Macolin (2005)

Haydn-Davies, D. How does the Concept of Physical Literacy affect what is and might be the practice of Physical Education? BJTPE (2005)

Whitehead, M.E. Developing the Concept of Physical Literacy. ICSSPE Newsletter Summer 2006

Whitehead, M.E. with Murdoch, E. Physical Literacy and Physical Education: Conceptual Mapping. PE Matters Summer 2006

Martin, A. Special PE: Physical Literacy in a Special School. PE Matters Vol. 1 No.3 Winter 2006

Whitehead, M.E. Physical Literacy and its importance to every individual - NDA (2007)

Whitehead, M.E. Squaring the circle - Women, Physical Literacy and Western Patriarchal Culture - BPSA (2007)

Whitehead, M. E. (2007) Physical Literacy as the goal of Physical Education with particular reference to girls and young women. Unpublished paper given at CAHPERD Conference May 2007

Maggie Killngbeck, Mark Bowler, Danny Golding and Paul Sammon. Physical Education and Physical Literacy

Whitehead, M. E. (2007) Physical Literacy: Philosophical considerations in relation to the development of self, universality and propositional knowledge. Sport Ethics and Philosophy Vol 1 No. 3 Dec 2007

Physical Education Matters Summer - 2006

Physical Literacy and Physical Education: Conceptual Mapping

Margaret Whitehead with Elizabeth Murdoch

This article proposes that the goal of Physical Education should be the nurturing of Physical Literacy, arguing that this would provide credible justification and valuable support for this area of the curriculum. The paper goes on to look at sustaining Physical Literacy throughout the whole life span, indicating significant others and important situations that would support the realization of this goal. The article includes a diagrammatic representation of the development , fostering and maintenance of Physical Literacy through life.

Read the full paper.