PDHPE

RATIONALE
Personal Development, Health and
Physical Education K-6

Miss Joanne Nguyen 5N

Personal Development Health and

Physical Education (PDHPE)
PDHPE provides theory and practical sessions in order to
effectively address to all students:
Development

of knowledge, understandings and practical skills

that lead to better health as it results in less sickness and
disability, improved quality of personal, family and social
relationships and the ability to make choices in work and leisure
activities.

Knowledge

and understanding, skills and value and attitudes

contributing to healthy, active and fulfilling lives in order to
become a responsible and productive citizen.

Appreciation

of a commitment to healthy and social lifestyles by

acting upon health decisions to enhance personal and
community health and well-being.

Formation

and maintenance of relationships through competent

and composed movement.
(Board of Studies, 2007)

Movement Education
Students

need to actually become physically educated rather

than just being informed in a traditional physical education
class of where or how the development of physical fitness,
motor skills and sports skills occurs (Johnson & Turner, 2016).

The

four factors of weight, space, time and flow in

fundamental movement which are required to conduct daily
activities such as sports, fitness and games has established
the foundation of movement education (Weiller, 2010).

Movement

education is a strand of teaching which aims to

educate students to develop their motor skills through physical
movement.

According

to NSW Department of Education and Communities

(2011), K-6 students are required to learn fundamental
movement skills which are static balance, sprint run, vertical
jump, side gallop, catch, kick, hop, skip, leap, overarm throw,
two-hand strike and dodge.

Benefits of Learning Movement

Students who participate in learning body movement in school
grounds are found to be capable of achieving:
Physical

development to co-ordinate actions of the whole body

by learning fundamental movement skills and patterns.

Improved

performance and composition of locomotor and nonlocomotor movement.

Physical

literacy to prevent self-harm in endangering

environments and real-life contexts.

Skills

and knowledge to participate in leisure and recreational

activities to enhance social development.

Cognitive

development and increase self esteem by having the

ability to effectively communicate, interact, make decisions,
problem solve and move to overcome health issues.
(Board of Studies, 2007)

Movement Education as a
teaching approach

According to AIHW (Australian Information and Statistics to

promote better health and well-being) (2014):
25%

of Australian children aged 2-17 were overweight or

obese

45%

of Australians ages 16-85 will experience a common

mental health related condition such as depression

About

1 million Australians had diabetes in 2011-2012

Students

who are well informed on health issues and have

control over their decisions have higher chances in
experiencing less illness and positive relationships (Board of
Studies, 2007).

Students

will no longer feel disconnected from physical

education as they have conceptualised their knowledge on
the relationship between physical fitness and fundamental
movement skills (Kirk & Macdonald, 1998).

 Learning

Academic Integration

complex movement sequences stimulates the

prefrontal cortex used in problem solving and decision
making which means this effect could improve academic
performance in the classroom (Sallis et al, 1999).

Movement

education enhances students learning strategies

as they gain kinaesthetic skills while self exploring ideas with
their bodies in maximised space in order to implicitly learn
content and about the environment around them (Kuczala,
2015).

Movement

education can be integrated as either service

connections, symmetric correlations and syntegration
because other key learning areas can work together to
increase enjoyment and motivation for students to fulfil
failed outcomes (Russel-Bowie, 2015).

For

instance, utilising movement elements and patterns

enhances mathematical skills and also develop
multiliteracies as students can decode movement as
expressions of personal, social, cultural and/or historical life
(Dinham, 2013).

Social and Cultural Awareness

Movement

education can contribute to managing classroom

behaviours as the program allows students to become aware
of others by adjusting their movement patterns to avoid
collisions and develop positive interrelationships with diverse
students by being able to empathise with the social and
cultural issues which may occur (Pica, 2014).

Students

gaining experience in valuing self and others during

movement education can enhance safety in the community
as it prevents the attitudes and beliefs which trigger
discrimination of cultural and personal identities, body
images and physical and cyber bullying.

Ultimately,

the feelings of self-acceptance and the ability to

act in the best interests of themselves and others are
developed by understanding the uniqueness of individual
development (Board of Studies, 2007).

Parental and Teacher Guidance

In

order for students to reach their full potential in their

learning, it involves increasing opportunities for students to
gain knowledge through combined guidance from parents,
teachers and school systems and programs.

lack of commitment to refine fundamental movement skills

during pre school and primary school years often leads
students to frustration and failure during adolescence as it
restricts their maturity development process (Gallahue &
Cleland, 2007).

Furthermore,

it is fundamental for students to gain positive

body experiences throughout their daily lives so that they
are willing to consistently appreciate the present (Van &
McFarlane, 2012).

Hence,

it is desired as a primary educator to communicate

and cooperatively work with all parents as a collaborative
team to make a difference for the childrens lives.

References
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2014). Australias Health 2014. AIHW (Australian Information
and Statistics to promote better health and well-being).Retrieved from:
http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=60129547205
Board of Studies, NSW. (2007). Personal Development, Health and Physical Education K6 Syllabus.
Sydney: Board of Studies. Retrieved from: http://k6.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/go/personal
developmenthealthandphysicaleducationpdhpe
Dinham, J. (2013).Delivering authentic arts education(2nd ed.). Melbourne, Australia: Cengage
Learning.
Gallahue, D. L., & Cleland-Donnelly, F. (2007).Developmental physical education for all children. Human
Kinetics.
Johnson, T. G., & Turner, L. (2016). The Physical Activity Movement and the Definition of Physical
Education.Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance,87(4), 8-10.
Kirk, D., & Macdonald, D. (1998). Situated learning in physical education.Journal of Teachin
Kuczala, M. (2015). Training in Motion : How to Use Movement to Create Engaging and Effective
Learning. Retrieved from http://www.eblib.com
NSW Department of Education and Communities. (2011). Fundamental Movement Skills. Retrieved from:
http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/primary/pdhpe/gamessport/fms001.htm
Pica, R. (2014). Early Elementary Children Moving and Learning : A Physical Education Curriculum.
Retrieved from http://www.eblib.com
Russell-Bowie, D. (2015). MMADD about the arts: An introduction to primary arts education (4 th ed.).
Frenchs Forest, Australia: Pearson Australia
Sallis, J. F., McKenzie, T. L., Kolody, B., Lewis, M., Marshall, S., & Rosengard, P. (1999). Effects of healthrelated physical education on academic achievement: Project SPARK.Research quarterly for exercise
and sport,70(2), 127-134.
Van der Kolk, B. A., & McFarlane, A. C. (Eds.). (2012).Traumatic stress: The effects of overwhelming
experience on mind, body, and society. Guilford Press.
Weiller. A. K. (2010).Teaching movement education. Human Kinetics