Irish primary school teachers' experiences with Sport Education

Abstract

Recent reviews illustrate the considerable literature on Sport Education (e.g. Kinchin, 2006; Wallhead & O’Sullivan, 2005). However, research on the experiences of non-specialist physical education teachers attempting Sport Education is limited (MacPhail et al. 2005; Strikwerda-Brown & Taggart, 2001).The focus of this research was to investigate non-specialist teachers’ views on Sport Education, and identify what possibilities might exist regarding Sport Education in the context of primary schooling. Eight teachers [4 male and 4 female] from four primary schools in Ireland volunteered to take part. Following in-service in Sport Education, all teachers delivered a unit of work in their schools. Data were collected using individual teacher and focus-group interviews and each was visited during implementation. Findings indicated Sport Education was an entirely new teaching and learning experience for these teachers which they found to be professionally rewarding and pedagogically refreshing. Teachers discussed high levels of enjoyment displayed by their pupils. An enthusiasm for exploring the integrative potential for Sport Education was evident and many teachers wished for more examples of how the characteristics of Sport Education could be further integrated across the primary curriculum.