Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program and Physical Literacy: Exploring Preservice Elementary Classroom Teachers’ Perspectives

Abstract

This study aimed to examine preservice elementary classroom teachers’ perceptions of the comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP) and physical literacy (PL). Participants were 192 preservice elementary classroom teachers enrolled in a public research university in the US. Three themes were found between the CSPAP and the psychomotor domain of PL: 1) improving physical fitness (PF) and motor skills; 2) increasing physical activity (PA) time; and 3) promoting a healthy lifestyle. The CSPAP contributed to the PL’s cognitive domain through three themes: 1) learning knowledge about PA benefits; 2) improving academic performance; and 3) teaching the importance of PA/PF to social agents. In the affective domain of PL, the four CSPAP themes included: 1) increasing PA enjoyment; 2) building social skills; 3) improving self-esteem; and 4) promoting social agents’ support and value. The findings underline the important role of the CSPAP in developing preservice elementary classroom teachers’ physical literacy.