Physical Literacy: Breaking Down Silos Between Sectors

• Published in: Physical & health education journal 2016-01, Vol.82 (1), p.1-1
• Main Authors: Johnson, Ashley, McKenna, Hilary A, Lévesque, Lucie
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Annual Reports; Children & youth; Holistic Approach; Literacy; Physical education; Physical fitness; Report Cards; Student Records; Young Children; Youth participation
• ISSN: 1498-0940

Phys ical literacy ap peared as an i ndi cator f or the fi rst ti me i n the 2015 Partici p ACTION report card, nine years af ter the f irs t Phys ica l A cti v ity R eport card was f i rs t launched in 200 5 . S ome of the research g aps in thi s area, as n oted b y th e report card at th e time, were the lack of a common d efinition of phys ica l literacy across divers e s ectors , as well as a lack of ins tru ments to as ses s p hys ical literacy (Partici pA CTION, 20 15). For example, v arying definitions of phys ical literacy were being used, many of which were specific to the sector i n whi ch p hys ical li teracy initiatives were b ein g imp lemented. In 201 4 , rep res entati v es from v arious org a ni zati ons collaborated with the In ternation al Phys ical Litera cy A ss oci ation to d ev elop a def inition of p h ys ical literacy to be uti lized by all. The f ollowi ng is the ag reed u pon d efi n iti on f or ph ysical li teracy: (it is ) "the m oti vat i on, confi denc e, physic al com pet enc e, knowledge and understa ndi ng t o val ue a nd t ake r esponsi bi lit y for engagem ent in physi c al acti vit ies for li fe. " This d efinition was releas ed in a 2015 consensu s s tatemen t that hig hlig hted the n eed an d d es ire for a common def inition and und ers tand in g of phys i cal literacy in Canad a. (For more i n forma tion see: http://www.physicalliteracy.ca/sites/default/files/Consensus-Handout-EN-WEB_1.pdf) One of the res ources developed to assist communities and sectors in nurturing physically literate chi ld ren i s "Becoming a Ca nad i an Sp ort for Life Community." A Canad ian S port for Lif e (CS4L) commu nity links and align s programmi ng of th e ed ucation, health , s port and recreation sectors while infusing the concepts of the CS 4L movement. There is a focus on creating a p arad igm sh ift in the way s port and phys ical activi ty i s p lanned , d eli v ered and accepted with in communities. The CS 4L f ramework provid es gu i delines to ensu re that i ntrod u ctory exp eriences in s port and phys ical activi ty are pos itiv e f or chi ld ren and f os ter the development of phys ical literacy and a continual p articipati on in ph ysical activ ity (Shelton & Ha rber, 2 013). The v arious s ectors en dorsing CS4L hav e mad e ef forts to pus h the physical literacy mov ement forward. The f ollowing sections outline s ome of th e ways in which s port, education, recreation, an d health s ectors have in tegrated phys i cal li