Physical Literacy

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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 Unpublished paper given at CAHPERD Conference May 2007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

Pre-Olympic Congress Thessaloniki, Greece - 2004

Physical Literacy - A Debate

Margaret Whitehead

Abstract

The intention of this paper is to stand back from current physical education practice and take a broad philosophical view of the fundamental goals of all aspects of movement education. The concept of Physical Literacy as currently defined is presented and compared with the notion of being 'physically educated'. The concept of Physical Literacy is justified from an existential and phenomenological viewpoint. Physical Literacy is then considered alongside firstly motor development and secondly the ongoing work on talent identification.

The implications of the notion of Physical Literacy for movement opportunities from birth and in movement education and physical education throughout schooling are considered.

Finally the paper opens up four areas of debate in relation to the concept of Physical Literacy. These are:-

  1. Is Physical Literacy a universal concept?
  2. How can the concept relate to the physically challenged and those with other disabilities?
  3. How far should a physically literate individual be able to verbalise/articulate the components of this attribute?
  4. Has an understanding of personal health promotion a place in the concept of Physical Literacy?

Read the full paper.