Symposium overview: Australia's pathway to physical literacy

Abstract

Introduction: The term ‘physical literacy’ is gaining increasing prominence in a range of different disciplines worldwide. Whilst there is widespread consensus that ‘more’ physical literacy will help ensure an individual is active for life there is still significant debate over how it is defined, operationalised and assessed. The aim of this symposium is to describe what is currently happening in the Australian context. In Paper 1, the process of developing the definition and Draft ASC Physical Literacy Standard will be presented. In Paper 2, initial perceptions of the Draft ASC Physical Literacy Standard from the sport, health and education sectors will be presented. In Paper 3, research will be presented which explored how the Standard could be used as a design tool for sport or physical activity programs aimed at increasing a participant's physical literacy. In Paper 4, an example of translating Physical Literacy research into the Early Childhood Sector will be presented. Paper 5 will present potential ways to approach the measurement of physical literacy. Finally, in Paper 6, the Australian Sports Commission will outline why physical literacy is on their agenda and what they hope to achieve. Following the six papers, the discussant will comment on the presented studies in light of the literature, and lead audience discussion.