Chapter 3

Physical Education
Instructional Program
Instructional Objectives and Competencies to be Achieved
After reading this chapter, the student should be able to:
Provide a description of the nature, scope, purpose, and worth of instructional
program in physical education.
Outline management guidelines for preschool, elementary school, secondary
school, and college and university physical education instructional program.
Thus far in this text we have concerned ourselves with the nature and
scope of management as they relate to physical education and sport. We have also
discussed the objectives these programs are designed to achieve and the
organizational structure needed to efficiently and effectively pursue and
accomplish these goals.
Meaningful assessment and developmental records that follow a student
from grade to grade should be maintained throughout his or her school life. These
records will indicate the degree to which the objective of the program have been
achieved by the student.
MANAGEMENT

GUIDELINES

FOR

SCHOOL

AND

COLLEGE

PHYSICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Physical education programs in schools and colleges have played a prominent role
in educational systems since the turn of the century. Physical education programs
exist at the preschool, elementary, junior high school, middle, and senior high
school levels as well as at the college and university educational level.
Preschool Physical Education Programs
The concept of early schooling is no longer regarded as a custodial or
compensatory undertaking. Instead it is viewed as a necessary provision for the
normal growth and development of children. Research by psychologists, child
development specialists, and sociologists has indicated that the early years are

crucial for the child intellectually, physically, socially, and emotionally. In light of
such findings, as well as the return of many mothers to the workforce, nursery
schools and child day-care centers have gained wide popularity.
Preschool educational programs should involve indoor and outdoor playlearning activities. Physical education activities should include the development
of fundamental movement skills, fitness, self-testing and team-building activities,
music and rhythmic activities, creative free play, and rhymes and story plays.
Preschool programs are becoming an integral part of educational systems
in this country, and physical education should play an important role in such
programs.
Elementary School Physical Education Programs
Contemporary elementary physical education programs continue to focus on the
foundation of the profession human movement. Physical education takes on an
important part of the schools instructional program and is designed to foster
development of fundamental motor skills, health related fitness, and knowledge
and attitude relative to physical activity through a carefully planned curriculum
that includes, for example, movement skills (running, jumping, skipping/fitness),
nonlocomotor skills (stretching, balance), manipulative skills (throwing,
kicking/ball skills), and rhythms and dance.
Physical education at this level should promote the individual childs
standard of motor performance and establish a physical activity comfort level so
that each child develops an appreciation and enjoyment movement.
Elementary schools also combine the essential movement skills and
perceptual motor development, and in some schools, an interdisciplinary approach
is utilized, whereby the subject matter of physical education is integrated with
certain other subjects such as health, music, science, history, and act.
Secondary School Physical Education Programs
The junior high, middle, and senior high schools of the nation should build on the
physical education foundation provided at the elementary school level. Here are
some management guidelines that represent important considerations in secondary

school physical education programs. Most of the guidelines set for the elementary
school also have merit in developing programs for secondary schools. The
secondary program should be based on the developmental tasks of secondary
schools students.
In addition, to these management guidelines, the following points should
be stressed:
The physical education class provides the student with a safe and
wholesome environment in which to learn the skills, strategy, appreciation,
understanding, knowledge, rules, regulations, and other material and information
that are part of the program. It is not a place for free play, intramurals, or varsity
practice. It is a place for proactive and dynamic instruction. The class period
should be devoted to teaching students the skills and content matter of physical
education.
Instruction should be progressive. There should be a definite progression
from basic to complex skills. Just as a student progresses in mathematics from
basic arithmetic to algebra, geometry, and calculus, so the physical education
student should progress from basic skills and materials to more complex and
involved skills, techniques, and strategies.
Trends and Innovative Ideas in Secondary School Physical Education
Many innovative instructional programs are being employed in physical education
at the secondary school level. This is a result of AAHPERDs Lifetime Sports
Education Project (LSEP). It is estimated that 75 percent of the nations secondary
schools emphasize lifetime sports.
College and University Physical Education Programs
College and universities should provide instruction in physical education that
meets the following management criteria:
The program should be available to all students.
The program should not be a repetition of the high school program, but should
offer more advanced work in physical education and health-related fitness (i.e.,

Yoga, aerobic boxing, spinning). However, instruction in the development of

basic skills should continue to be an integral part of the program.
The program should include innovative features to meet the needs of students
and at the same time be interesting and challenging.
Since the 1970s, 50 percent of the nations colleges and universities in the
United States have moved physical education from a mandatory to an elective
status. Institutions still requiring physical education typically do so for a one to
two-year period. Classes usually meet two or three times per week, with some
colleges still requiring standards of achievement (most often swimming and basic
fitness).
The program of activities should be based on the interest and needs of
students as well as on the availability of facilities and staff. Some colleges have
introduced foundation courses, which cover basic subject matter ranging from
nutrition and weight control perspectives to the philosophical underpinnings of
physical education (Prentice 1997).
MANAGEMENT

FACTORS

RELATING

TO

ONE

OR

MORE

EDUCATIONAL LEVELS
Some of the more pertinent factors include interrelationships of elementary,
secondary, and college and university program; instructional aids and materials;
class management; interpretations of Title IX regulations for instructional
strategies; and implications of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA) for adapted/developmental physical education programs for persons with
varying disabilities.
Interrelationships of Elementary, Secondary, and College and University
Programs
The physical education programs for the K 12 level through the college and
university level should be interrelated. Continuity and progression should
characterize the program from the time the student enters kindergarten until
graduation. Program content and its delivery should be based on current research.
Overall planning is essential to ensure that each student becomes physically

educated and to guarantee that duplication of effort and time, curricular omissions,
and shortages do not occur.
Management Guidelines for Selecting Instructional Aids and Materials
When selecting audiovisual aids or other instructional resources and materials,
physical educators should consider the following principles that make using their
aids effective, meaningful, and valuable.
Class Management
Sound management does not just happen. It requires careful thought, good
judgment, and planning before the class begins. Management practices help to
ensure that the class functions as a coordinated group in order to effectively and
efficiently accomplish the goals and tasks that have been established. Quality
management leads to enjoyable, satisfying, safe, and worthwhile experiences. The
teacher who is in charge of a class where optimal learning conditions exist has
spent considerable time planning the details of the class from start to finish.
Management Guidelines
The classroom environment should be one that is safe yet unrestricted, and
creative movement should be encouraged. Equipment should be in proper
condition and place condition and placed appropriately for safe activity. Field
and gymnasium markings, equipment arrangements, logistics for activities, and
other essential details should be attended to well before class.
A risk management walkabout before class is highly recommended.
Strategic and long-term planning for the semester and the year should be
prepared as well as daily, weekly, and seasonal planning.
TITLE IX
On May 27, 1975, President Gerald Ford signed into law Title IX (Clement 1998)
of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, which states that no person, on the
basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be

subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving

federal assistance.
Reason for Title IX
The primary reason for the enactment of Title IX was testimony before
Congressional and other committees to the effect that females were frequently
denied enrollment in traditionally male courses and activities and that girls and
women were continually denied equal participatory opportunity.
Implications of Title IX for Physical Education Teachers and Their
Instructional Strategies
Physical education classes must be organized on a coeducational basis. Teachers
and staff should ensure that instructional offerings and opportunities are
coeducational or gender-balanced. Most activities should be coeducational in
nature, and equal opportunity for participation and equal time must be afforded to
all students.
Interpretation of Title IX Regulations
Some interpretations of Title IX regulations that affect physical education
instructional strategies are listed here. Interpretations such as the following have
come from various sources. Sex designations associated with class schedules,
activities, and budgets are not permitted.
Coeducational Physical Education Classes
Because the provision for coeducational classes is one of the key implication of
Title IX regulations, this topic is discussed further here.
Problems in physical education classes concerning Title IX have been
cited in the professional literature. Clement (1998) indicates that problems such as
the following have developed as a result of Title IX: the teacher is not
professionally prepared to teach various activities in a coeducational setting; male
and female teachers who traditionally made decisions on their own are finding it
difficult to function as a team and share the decision-making process; students are

also finding problems such as being unable to perform some activities satisfactory
in front of members of the opposite sex; and those with poor skills are excluded
from participation on highly skilled coeducational teams.
Compliance with Title IX
Title IX is being enforced by the Department of Education of the federal
government. The first step seeks to have voluntary compliance. This process
should be the job of the physical education teacher, physical education
department, and school administration.
THE

ADAPTED/DEVELOPMENTAL

PHYSICAL

EDUCATION

PROGRAM
The adapted/developmental program refers to the phase of physical education that
meets the needs of the individual who, because of some physical inadequacy,
functional defect capable of being improved through physical activity, or other
deficiency, is temporarily or permanently unable to take part in the regular
physical education program or the phase in which special provisions are made for
students with disabilities in regular physical education classes.
People with Varying Disabilities
The nations estimated fifth million people with disabilities have engaged in an
aggressive civil rights movement. These actions were aimed at obtaining the equal
protection promised under the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the
United States.
Definitions Relating to the Adapted/Development Program
Many terms have been used to define and classify persons with disabilities. These
terms vary from publication to publication. Categories of children designated by
the U.S. Congress in relation to legislation for persons with disabilities, Section
50A of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, (P.L. 93-112), will be the primary
classification used in this text; however, these terms will be modified to reflect the
changing view concerning persons with disabilities, such as those infected with

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

(ADHD), or Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS).
Special Education
Under federal law, special education means specially designed instruction, at no
cost to parents or guardians, to meet the unique needs of persons with disabilities,
including classroom and physical education instruction, home instruction, and
instruction in hospitals and institutions.
Physical Education
Physical education as it relates to the persons with disabilities under federal law is
the development and delivery of (1) physical and motor fitness, (2) fundamental
motor skills and patterns, and (3) skills in aquatics, dance, and individual and
group games and sports (including recreational and lifetime sports).
Individualized Education Program
Individualized Education Program (IEP) is the program or prescription written for
each child in relation to his or her specific disability. It is required by law and
specifies the service that the student must receive in each school subject in which
he or she is declared disabled.
Least Restrictive Environment
In essence, the least restrictive environment (Figure 3-3) means that individuals
with disabilities are placed in a class or setting that is as similar to a normal class
as possible and in which the child can function safety.
Functional Physical Education Goals for Individuals with Disabilities
Selected goals that provide direction to the physical education program for the
student with disabilities and that translate into objectives for each participant, as
outlined by AAHPERD, are presented here in an updated and modified format:
Inform each student of his or her capacities, limitations, and potentials.

 Provide each student within his or her capabilities the opportunities to develop
organic vigor, muscular strength and endurance, joint function and flexibility,
and cardiovascular endurance.
Public Law 94-142/Public Law 101-476 (IDEA)
These services have now been extended from birth through age twentyone. Children with disabilities, as defined in IDEA-Part B, are those who require
some type of special education and related services.
Individualized Education Programs for People with Disabilities
After identification and eligibility have been determined for students with
disabilities, an IEP must be developing for each individual.
The comprehensive IEP is developing using the team approach. The
following persons may be included on the team: parent, teacher (classroom,
adapted physical education, and special education), administrator, case manager,
student, and when appropriate the people responsible for supervising special
education, related services such as school psychologist (diagnostic evaluation),
and other agency representatives (e.g., social worker, physical therapist, etc).
Adapted/Developmental Physical Education Facilities
Appropriate and adequate facilities, equipment, and supplies are important to
successful programs of physical education for persons with disabilities. However,
these items must be modified for special or adapted physical education students
because facilities and equipment are usually designed for students in the regular
class.
Adapted/Developmental Physical Education Equipment and Supplies
For the most part, equipment and supplies that are used in the regular classroom
can be modified to meet adaptive needs, and certainly equipment that already
exists at regular playgrounds can and should be employed.

MANAGEMENT MATTERS RELATED TO PHYSICAL EDUCATION

INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS
1. Scheduling
The status and role that physical education plays in the educational curriculum
reflect the mission and goals of the school as well as the physical education
leadership and its relationship with central administration.
2. Period and Black Scheduling
Many physical education programs have schedules based on a six or seven
period day. In this system, the teacher might teach five or six forty-five-or
fifty-minute classes with one preparation period. Some primary or elementary
schools limit their scheduled class period to thirty or thirty-five minutes, in
which the teacher may teach from eight to ten class periods daily.
3. Flexible and Modular Scheduling
The introduction of flexible scheduling into school program has implications
for the management of school physical education programs. Flexible
scheduling assumes that the traditional system of having all subjects meet the
same number of times each week for the same amount of time each period is
not always possible.
4. Dress
Dress does not have to elaborate, but it should be comfortable, safe, and
appropriate. An important concern is that the clothing ensures safety when
students are engaged in physical activity.
5. Time Allotment
Just as scheduling practices vary from school to school, district to district,
college to college, and state to state, so does the time allotment for physical
education.
6. Class Size
Some school and college administrators contend that physical education
activity classes can accommodate more students than so-called academic
content classes. This is misconception that has developed over the years and
needs to be corrected.

7. Instructional Loads and Staffing

The instructional load of the physical educator should be of prime concern to
management. To maintain a high level of enthusiasm, vigor, and morale, it is
important that the load be fair and equitable so that physical educator can
perform to their fullest potential.
8. Differentiated Staffing
Many innovations, such as differentiated staffing, are directed toward aiding
teachers in the performance of their duties.
Selecting Physical Education Activities
Physical education activities represent the core of the program. They are the
means for accomplishing objectives and achieving educational goals. Because
activities are so important to the physical education program, they must be
selected with considerable care.
Criteria for Selection
Activities should be selected in terms of the values they have in achieving the
objectives of physical education, and of course, the mission or vision of the
school. This means that activities should serve to promote and develop not only
body awareness, movement fundamentals, and physical fitness, but also the
cognitive, affective and socio emotional makeup of the individual.
Grouping Participants
Proper grouping of students in physical education classes is crucial to both
obtaining desired results and complying with guidelines such as Title IX and
IDEA. Because of consideration such as these, the physical educator needs to
develop a broad spectrum of organizational strategies concerning grouping
procedures.
Student Leadership and Involvement
In recent years students have been demanding greater involvement in the
educational process, and in most cases, this increase involvement has been

satisfactory to students, teachers, and administrators. Some of these areas of

involvement are discussed briefly here.
General Planning
Students should be involved in planning meetings that discuss scheduling,
curriculum innovations, and recent changes in educational methods and
instructional strategies.
Curriculum Planning
Student surveys sometimes reveal the extent of curriculum changes desired by the
student body. Administrators, teachers, and students should carefully weigh this
information in light of current literature, Title IX implications, research, and
curriculum innovations in similar schools and colleges.
Establishing the Student Leader
Student leaders may be used in the physical education program in several
capacities.
Class Leaders
Opportunities abound in the physical education instructional class period for
student leaders to be of great assistance. These duties include acting as squad
leader, serving as captain of a team; being a leader for warm-up exercises;
demonstrating skills, games, and tactics to be performed; taking attendance;
serving as an official or referee, time or score keeper; assisting with locker-room
supervision; and providing risk management and safety measures for class
participation such as serving as a spotter and checking equipment and play areas.
Committee Members
A physical education student committee should be formed, so student leaders can
gain valuable experience.

Supply and Equipment Manager

Supplies and special equipment ranging from basketballs and floor hockey
equipment to audiovisual aids are among the items continually used in the conduct
of the physical education program.
Program Planner
Various aspects of the physical education program need to be planned, and
students should be involved.
Record Keeper and Office Manager
Attendance records test scores, and inventories must be taken, recorded, and filed;
bulletin boards kept up to date; visitors greeted; and other responsibilities
effectively met.
Special Events Coordinator
A multitude of details are always involved in play days, sports days,
demonstrations, and exhibitions. Student leaders should help plan and conduct
these events.
SELECTED

MANAGEMENT

PROBLEMS

IN

INSTRUCTIONAL

PROGRAMS
The manager of any physical education program is continually confronted with
questions such as the following: Should physical education be required or
elective? Should other activities be substituted for physical education? How much
credit should be awarded?
1. Should Physical Education Be Required of Elective?
General agreement is that physical education should be required at the
elementary, junior high, and middle school levels. However, there are many
advocates on both sides of the question of whether it should be required or
elective at the secondary and college levels.

2. Required
Physical education is a basic need of every student. Students need regular and
vigorous physical activity to develop to their fullest potential and to release
tension from the rigors of not only the academic setting, but also daily life as
well.
3. Elective
Physical education carries its own drive. If a good basic instructional
physical education program is developed in the elementary and middle schools,
with students acquiring the necessary skills and attitudes, the drive for such
activity will carry through to the secondary school and college.
4. Should Substitutions Be Permitted for Physical Education?
A practice exists in some school and college systems that permit students to
substitute some other activity for their physical education requirement. This
practice should be scrutinized and resisted aggressively by every educator.
5. Should Credit Be Awarded for Physical Education?
Whether credit should be awarded for physical education is another
controversy with which the profession is continually confronted. Here again
advocates can be found on both sides.
6. What Policy Should Be Established on Class Attendance?
It is important for every department of physical education to have a clear-cut
policy concerning class attendance that covers absenteeism and lateness.
7. What about Excuses
The principal, nurse, or physical education frequently receives a note from a
parent or family physician requesting that a student be excused from
participating in physical education.
8. Grading and Assessment of Students
To determine whether students are meeting the objectives of the physical
education instructional program, it is requisite that each instructor develops
meaningful, effective, and efficient methods for assessment.

Who Should Conduct the Elementary School Physical Education Class?

The question of who should conduct elementary school physical education class
has been discussed and debated for many years. Some educators suggest that the
elementary classroom teachers instruct physical education classes, whereas
physical education advocates prefer that a physical education specialist assume
this responsibility.
Dressing and Showering
The problem of dressing and showering is not so pertinent at the elementary level
where the age of the participants and type of activities usually do not require
special dress and showering.
Record Keeping
Records are essential in keeping valuable information regarding the participants
welfare. Records also are essential to efficient program planning and
management. They should, however, be kept to a minimum and should be
practical and functional. They should not be maintained merely as busy work and
for the sake of filling files.
Computers in the Gymnasium
The use of computer and on-line information retrieval and delivery in the physical
education and sport setting can serve to greatly enhance the programs. Software
continues to develop for data management, ranging from Physical Best
personalized fitness reports to individualized exercise and nutrition prescriptions
to digital video simulation.
Safety Considerations
The teacher of the instructional physical education program is responsible for the
basic conduct of the program. This responsibility ensures that each class is
operated in a safe, progressive, and prudent fashion.

CRITERIA

FOR

EVALUATING

PHYSICAL

EDUCATION

INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM
The following checklist (pp. 101103) has evolved and has been adapted for
evaluating physical education instructional programs. This checklist can serve to
assess the instructional units or modules as well as the people who use (student)
and deliver (teacher) the learning package. The checklist results can also guide
both curriculum service and development of new instructional strategies.
SUMMARY
The instructional program in physical education is the place to teach such vital
elements as skills, strategies, and understanding concerning the contribution of
physical activity to total well-being.
Physical education instructional programs exist at all educational levels
and in various community agencies and private volunteer organizations.
Management guidelines exist for teaching physical education in all these
settings as well as for selecting instructional aids, guides, materials, and
appropriate educational technology.
Management matters that relate to physical education instructional
programs include scheduling, grading, and assessment, class size, differentiated
staffing, selection of appropriate activities, grouping of and instructional strategies
for participants, and student involvement.