BritishJournalofTeachingPhysicalEducation2001 TheConceptofPhysicalLiteracy MargaretWhiteheadPhD DeMontfortUniversityBedford TheconceptofPhysicalLiteracyhasbeenusedwithintheprofessionforsomeyears, possiblyasanalternativetotheideaofbeingphysicallyeducated.Infactitwasusedina UKSportsCouncilsflierin1991.Thisstated'PhysicalEducationcreatesliteracyin movement,whichisasvitaltoeverypersonasliteracyinverbalexpressionitself'.(1) HoweverPhysicalLiteracypersehasreceivedlittleattention. InrelationtoPhysicalLiteracyitisintriguingtonotethattherehavebeenindications recently,fromcertaingroupsintheprofession,thatthedevelopmentofaconceptsuchas this,couldbeuseful.Questionsarebeingaskedaboutwhetherthereisacoregoalofthe subjectwhichisbeyond,orfundamentalto,specificproficiencyinanumberofdifferent namedactivities.Theconceptofphysicalliteracycouldprovideapointerindefininga core.ThisarticleisashortenedversionofapapergivenattheI.M.

MarshCentenary ConferenceinJune2000.Thepaperwaspresentedtoopenadebateontheconceptof physicalliteracy.Thisremainsthestatusofthisarticle.Aswillbeseenitraisesahostof questionsthatwillneedtobeaddressedbeforeadefinitivedescriptioncanbeworkedon. Inworkingtodefinetheconceptofphysicalliteracyitneedstobemadeclearthatthis paperdoesnottrytolegitimisewhatiscurrentlytakingplaceinschoolunderthenameof physicaleducation.Thedeliberationsstartfromacleansheetandithastobeaccepted thatthefinalproposalsmaynotbecomfortabletoeveryone. MyowninterestinphysicalliteracyaroseoutofresearchformyPhD(2),although beforeembarkingonmyinvestigationsIhaddevelopedastrongcommitmenttothe notionthatwewerenotmadeupoftwoseparateaspects'bodyandmind'.Asaphysical educationistIperceivedthepersonasawhole,albeitwithdifferentdimensions.There wasnothingthat'happened'toanydimensionthatdidnotaffectthewholeperson.From thisperspectiveIdonothaveabodybutIammybody.Thenotionsofbodyasobject and'bodyasmachine'werealientomeandmyperspectivewasas'bodyasself'.I thereforebecamefascinatedbytheworkofthosephilosophersforwhomembodiment wasasignificantaspectofourhumanness.Thesephilosopherswereexistentialistsand

phenomenologists.(3&4)Putverysimplytheirviewsare,firstlythatwearetheresult ofalltheinteractionswehavewithoursurroundings.Wemakeourselves,fromdayone, outoftheseinteractions.Secondly,thatwearebynature'beingsintheworld'.Thisina sense,followsfromthefirsttenet.Ifwearetheresultofourinteractions,thatwithwhich weinteract(theworld)isthematerialoutofwhichwecreateourselves. Soweareintheworld,creatingourselvesoutofourinteractionwitheverythinginthe world,viawhateverhumandimensionswehavethatcanrealisethisinteraction.The richerourinteractioninbreadthanddepth,themorefullyrealisedahumanweshallbe. Onesignificantdimensionwithwhichweinteractwiththeworldisourbody,our embodieddimension..Theworldawakenscapacitiesinus,aswediscoveraspectsofthe world.Swimmingisagoodexamplewithoutwaterwewouldnotrealiseourcapacity toswim. Followingfrommyownstudytherewerequestionsthatneededtobeanswered.For example'Whatistherangeofphysicalcapacitiesthatwoulda)enableustomakethe mostofthisuniquedimension;b)enableustointeractwiththeworldtoawakenourhuge wealthofcapabilitiesandc)helpustobecomearicherpersonbothinourselvesandin respectofthatwhichweknowabouttheworld'? TheconceptofPhysicalLiteracyfitsverycomfortablyintothisscenariobecauseforme literacyisnotonlyjustaboutbeingabletodo,itisaboutbeingabletoperceive intelligentlyandrespondappropriately.PhysicalLiteracythenmustencompassmore thanphysicalskills,itmustincludeanabilitytoreadtheenvironmentandtorespond effectively. HowevertheconceptofPhysicalLiteracyisnotstraightforwardandthereareanumber ofquestionsthatneedtobeconsideredatthestartofthedebate. Firstlyistheconceptuniversal,orisitculturallygrounded?Shouldwebetryingto describeaphysicallyliterateindividualinUK,oranywhereintheworld? Secondlyistheconceptagerelated?Shouldwerefertoanendstateachievedbyan adultwhateverthatmeansordoweneedtocreateaconceptthatcanbeunpackedat differentstagesoflifeinfancy,childhood,adolescence,adulthood,oldage? Thirdlywheredothephysicallychallengedfitinthosewithaphysicaland/oranother disability?

Andfourthlyhowfarshouldweinclude,whatcouldbecalledforshort,dexterity? Shouldweconfineourselvestomovementinvolvinglargermusclegroupsforwantofa betterdescription? Atthisstageinthedebate,itseemsdesirabletoworktowardscreatingauniversal description,onthegroundsthatallhumans,wherevertheylive,areembodiedand interactingwiththeworld.Italsoseemsappropriatetoconsideranendstate.Thisend stateis,however,notonethatcanbeattainedandthenforgotten.Itisanendstatethat needsconstantattentiontobemaintained.Justasinacquiringaforeignlanguage,one needstomaintainonesfluencybyregularuseofthelanguage,physicalliteracycannot beattainedandthenforgotten. Theissueofthephysicallychallengediscomplex.Atthisstageitmightbewiseforthe conceptofphysicalliteracytofocusonmakingthebestuseofthefullrangeofwhat couldgenerallybeacceptedas'normal'embodiedcapacities,inourinteractionwiththe world.Itcouldbethecasethatasimilarprincipleshouldbeusedforthosewitha differentorrestrictedclusterofcompetenciesi.e.makingthebestuseoftheircapacities, althoughthisopensupthescenarioofhavingtocreateanotionofphysicalliteracyfor everyindividualtomatchtheiruniquecapacities. Anddexterity?IfpossibleitseemsdesirableatthisstagetoavoidPhysicalLiteracy includingskillssuchastyping,knittingandcarpentry.Howevershouldweinclude drivingacar,gardening,housedecoration,houseworkandsimilarmovementtasks,ina conceptofphysicalliteracy?Itseemsthatincomingtoafinaldefinition,weshallhaveto delimitoursphereofconcern,albeitacknowledgingthattherecanbenoclearcutoff point. Soatthisstagethepaperisaimingforauniversalconcept,thatisanendstaterelating ourfullhumancapacities,involvinglargermusclegroups. Lookingverybroadlyitcouldbesuggestedthattheoverarchingcharacteristicsofa physicallyliterateindividualarethatthepersonmoveswithpoise,economyand confidenceinawidevarietyofphysicallychallengingsituations.Furthermorethe individualisperceptiveinreadingallaspectsofthephysicalenvironment,anticipating movementneedsorpossibilitiesandrespondingappropriatelytothese,withintelligence andimagination.Physicalliteracyisakintonotionsidentifiedbyotherwritersas intelligentperformanceorintelligentaction.Ifthestatementaboveasacceptableit

followsthatphysicalliteracyisnotpurelyabodilycapacity.PhysicalLiteracyrequires aholisticengagementthatencompassesphysicalcapacitiesthatareembeddedin perception,experience,memory,anticipationanddecisionmaking. Definingtheconceptneedscarefulanalysisandthiswillbeapproachedbylookingat fourissues,beingtheembodiedcapacitiesthatwouldseemtoformanessentialground tothestate;therangeofenvironmentalsituationswithwhichtheindividualshouldbe abletointeract;therangeofpersonalandinterpersonalsituationsinwhichtheindividual shouldbeabletodeploytheirembodieddimensioneffectively;andtheholistic capacitiesthatareessentialtoachievingthestate. Theembodiedcapacitiesthatweneedtointeracteffectivelywiththeenvironment. Thesearenostrangerstousandmustsurelyincludecapacitiessuchasbalance, coordination,flexibility,agility,control,precision,strength,power,enduranceandthe abilitytomoveatdifferentspeedsthatisexplosively,rightthroughtosustaininga movementoveralongperiodoftime. Eachoftheseconceptswillneedtobedefined,anditislikelythattherearemore,butat roottheydescribethatwhichourembodieddimensioniscapable.Thelistdefinesand delimitsthewaysinwhichwecaninteractwiththeworld.Theysettheparameters.They describeourpotential.Anditistruethatwithoutanyoneofthesecapacitiesourabilityto interactwiththeworldwouldberestricted. Thesecapacitiesaffordustheopportunitytocarryoutawiderangeofmovementskills suchaswalking,running,jumping,climbing,turning,propellingourselvesthrough water,striking,catchingandthrowing. Therangeofenvironmentalsituationswithwhichanindividualshouldbeableto interact. Considerationofthisissueproducesafascinatingdichotomyandchallengestheintention tomaketheconceptculturallyneutral. Firstlytherearegivenaspectsofthenaturalworldenvironment.Thesewouldinclude phenomenonsuchaswater,differentsurfaces,hillsandmountainsandallmannerof situationsinnaturerangingfrommovingindifferentweatherconditionssuchaswind,to climbingtrees.

Andsecondlytherearemanmadeenvironments.Someoftheseenvironmentshavebeen createdforcomfortandefficiencybutneedaneffectivemovementresponsetorealise theirpotential.Thislistcouldincludeusingcars,householdgadgetsandgardening instruments. Othermanmadeenvironmentscouldbeseentohavebeencreatedwiththesoleintention ofutilising,extendingandchallengingourembodiedcapacities.Somearebasedon naturalenvironmentalsituationssuchasjumpingeventsandsailing.Othershavemoved onfromthenaturalenvironmentsomewhate.g.trampoliningandgymnastics.Eachof thesemanmadeenvironmentshasbeencreatedtobeintunewithourembodiedpotential andwouldnothavebeencreatedunlesswehadthecapacitytoengagewiththem.It wouldseemthattheyhavebeencreatedtosomeextentasendsinthemselves,perhaps withthetacitknowledgethatininteractingwiththeseenvironments,weashumans realiseandrefineourpotentialinwaysthatarerewarding,satisfyingandhelpusto developouruniqueindividualidentity.Worldwidethesemanmadesituationsdrawona commonbankofhumancapacitiesbutareclearlyculturallygrounded. Inidentifyingthetwostrandsofenvironmentswehavesituatedourselvesinthe developedworldinthe21stcenturyandmovedawayfromtheaimtobeculturally neutral.Itcouldbethatthenotionofphysicalliteracywearemovingtowards,isonly pertinenttoourworldtoday,andsoitcouldbethatthosewithasignificantlydifferent lifestyleareeitherphysicallyilliterate,ontheseterms,orneedtohaveadifferent conceptofphysicalliteracytowhichtoaspire. Acceptingthatwearenowfirmlyinthe21stcenturyinthedevelopedworld,canwe answerthequestionWhatcategoriesofsituationsexistinourworldwithwhichwe, asphysicallyliterateindividuals,shouldbeabletointeract? Thefirstcategoryofsituationsshouldsurelybethosethataregiveninthenatural world.Toengagefullywiththeworldweshouldbeabletointeracteffectivelywithsuch phenomenaasgravity,gradient,fixedandmovingobjectsandwater.Thiswouldseemto involveforexample,walking,running,jumping,climbing,swinging,turningand propellingoneselfthroughwater. Thesecondcategorymightbelocatedinthemanmadesituations.Thesecoulddemand theapplicationofthefirstcategoryengagementstospecificfeaturessuchasusinga ladderorahouseholdmachine/instrumentordrivingacar.

Thissecondcategorymightalsoincludeengagementinthosemanmadesituations createdsimplytochallengeandcelebrateourembodiedcapacities.Thesesituations mightdemandspecifictypesofrunning,jumping,propellingoneselfthroughwateras wellasthemanipulationofimplementsandmissiles.Adevelopmentofthissecond category,mightbethosemanmadesituationsthatinvolvetheinterplaybetweenourself andotherindividuals,togetherinteractinginandwithaspecificaspectofthe environment. Onreflection,wecouldperhapsrescueouraspirationstoformulateauniversalconcept bylinkingsituationsandenvironmentstoembodiedpotential.Perhapsweshouldbe lookingtoidentifyaclusterofnaturalandmanmadeenvironmentsthatchallengeall aspectsofourembodiedcapability.Culturallythecontextsorenvironmentscouldbe different,buttheoverallembodied,interactivechallengewouldbethesame. Therangeofpersonalandinterpersonalsituationsinwhichtheindividualshould beabletodeploytheirembodieddimensioneffectively. Itseemsimportantthataphysicallyliterateindividualshouldalsobeabletodeploy his/herembodieddimensiontoachieveintentionsthatfocusonselfexpression.Weare manifestintheworldinbodilyformandthroughourembodimentwedemonstrate/ display/communicatemanyaspectsofourpersonality.Thisaspectofphysicalliteracy couldrelatetosituationsinwhichselfpresentationandnonverbalcommunicationare central.Thesesituationscouldalsoextendtothoserelatedtoartformssuchasdanceand drama. Thiscapacityisnotsoobviouslyrootedininteractionintheenvironmentapartfrom havingtorespectgravity.Inasensethisaspectofphysicalliteracymakesabridge betweentheenvironmentalinteractionsandtheholisticconsiderationsofthenextsection. Itcouldbethatitcanbesubsumedinoneofthese.Howeverinconsideringthewayswe cananddouseourembodieddimension,thisareaneedstoexamined. Theholisticcapacitiesessentialtoachievingphysicalliteracy Thephysicallyliterateindividualnotonlyhastheembodiedcapabilitiesmentionedinthe firstlistandhasmasteredtheinteractionwithdifferentenvironmentsreferredtoabove, butinadditionhastheabilitythereadthedemandsofthesituation

Whatdoismeantbythewordread?Itisusefultostartbyconsideringwhatwemean byreadinginrelationtothewrittenword.Roughlyputwemightsaythatanabilityto readmeansthatanindividualisabletogivemeaningtothewrittenwordandfurthermore isabletorelateseparateitemstogether,suchaswords,sentencesandparagraphs,to makeacoherentandagainmeaningfulwhole.Thereaderisabletoengagewiththe materialthatisreadasisresonateswithexistingknowledgeandexperience.Todothis thereaderhastodrawonarangeofcognitiveskills.Newinformationconnectswith existingunderstandingandenrichestheexperienceandknowledgebaseoftheindividual. Inadditiontobeingabletoengagemeaningfullywiththewrittenwordthereaderisable torespondverballyorinwriting,toarticulate,developorcontestwhathasbeenread. Thereisasensethatinreading,newknowledgeiscreated.Thispertainsbothtothe readerwhohasaddedtohis/herstoreofunderstanding,andtotheworldatlarge,because theinteractionofthereaderwiththematerialhasbroughtintobeingauniqueandnew perspectiveonthepassageread. Ifwetranslatethisscenariointothecontextofphysicalliteracythefollowingpicture emerges.Thephysicallyliterateindividual,onperceivingtheenvironment,througha rangeofsenses,appreciates,viaexperience,therelevantcomponentsofthedisplaye.g. shapesize,weight,surface,speed,movementofothers.Theseattributesofthe environmentareimmediatelyunderstoodasmeaningful,inthattheyresonatewith embodiedcapabilities,andtheindividualwillknowatoncehowtomove,torelate effectivelywiththecombinedaspectsoftheenvironmentinquestion.Thisknowledgeof howtorelateistheresultofpreviousexperience. Inasituationwherethedisplayiscomparativelynovelthemoverwilldrawonarangeof previousexperiences,tomakemovementsenseoftheenvironment.Inactuallymovingin relationtothisnovelenvironmentanewblendofapplicationofmovementskillsis broughtintobeing.Inamannersimilartoreadingthewrittenword,newknowledgeis createdbothforthemoverandforothers,inthatthemoverhascreatedanewandunique responsenovelinteractionwiththeworld. Indiscussingthisholisticaspectoftheconceptitneedstobeaskedwhetherphysical literacycanbeeffectedintuitivelyandhabitually.Weperhapshavetounpackmovement andlearningnewmovementskillstosomeextent.Amovementresponseislearntina newenvironmentandthisthenbecomespartofourrepertoireofmovementresponses. Onceestablishedtheresponsecanbeusedwithoutapparentconsciousattention. Howeverintheactoflearninganewresponsethereisaconsciousawarenessofbringing anewsetofcoordinatedactionsintobeing.Alltheselearnedresponsescreateabankof

movementresponsesthatcanbedrawnonasneeded.Thephysicallyliterateindividual hasthecapacitytodrawonthisbanktosolvetheproblemofinteractingwithanew environment.Moreoverthisindividuallearnsfromanynewinteractionsoaddingtothe bankofresponses. So,torecapthissection,aphysicallyliterateindividualisamoverwitharichbankof establishedmovementresponsesacquiredthroughinteractingwithawiderangeof challengingenvironments.Themoverexhibitsintelligentmovementinteractionwiththe worldthroughperceptivereadingoftheenvironment,astuteapplicationofexisting responses,effectedalongsidenewlycreatedresponseswhereneeded.Thephysically literateindividualisadeptatappreciatingsimilaritiesbetweenenvironmentsaswellas recognisinguniquefeatures.Themoverdemonstratesacuityinpracticalreasoningthat combinessubconsciousandconsciouslevelsofmotorcontrol.Themoverisacutely awareoftheeffectivenessofresponsesandreadilyassesseslevelsofsuccess.The physicallyliterateindividuallearnsfromallinteractions,ceaselesslymodifyingand refininghis/herresponsebank. Sofarinthispaperanyreferencetolanguagehasbeenomitted.Notthelanguageof movementbutspeechorverbalarticulacy.Inasensewhathasbeensaidsofarcouldbe interpretedasoccurringatanonverballevel.Howfarshouldaphysicallyliterate individualbeabletoverbalisetheplanningandevaluationofmovementactionsor responsesasindicatedinthecurrentandforthcomingNCPE?Orisverbalisationmore atoolinbecomingphysicallyliterateforthepupilandtheteacher?Thisiscertainlya questiontobeanswered.Asanextensiontothishowfardoestheacademicstudyof disciplinesthatrelatetomovementandmovementformsasseeninGCSEandALevel contributetophysicalliteracy?Anotherquestion. Thereisabsolutelynodoubtofthehugepotentialthereisforenhancingqualityoflifevia thedevelopmentanddeploymentofphysicalliteracy.Asacapacityintegraltothe individualandinfluencingmuchoflifeasweknowit,theachievementandexerciseof physicalliteracyplaysaverysignificantpartinthedevelopmentofselfrealisation,self awareness,selfconfidenceandpositiveselfesteem.Thetaskofconvincingothersisin nowaystraightforward,asitisbynaturebasedonaphilosophicalpointofview. Howeverifadefinitionofphysicalliteracycanhelpusinourcause,thisisataskwe mustundertake.Wehavemuchworktodo.Iwouldbeverypleasedtobeintouchwith otherswhosharemyconvictionthatadefinitionofphysicalliteracyisneededtohelpus

toargueforourplaceinabroadandbalancedcurriculumthatacknowledgesthemany dimensionsandaspectsofourhumannature. Questionsarisingfromthispaperthatwarrantfurtherdebatecouldinclude 1. IsPhysicalLiteracyauniversalconcept? 2. IsPhysicalLiteracyanendstate? 3. Howcantheconceptrelatetothephysicallychallengedandthosewithother disabilities? 4. Whataretheembodiedcapacitiesthatareessentialtotheconcept? 5. Shouldtheconceptbeconfinedtowholebodyactionorshoulditincludee.g. dexterity? 6. Canweidentifytherangeofnaturalandmanmadeenvironmentsinwhichwe needtointeracteffectively? 7. Shouldtheseenvironmentsbethosewhich,collectively,challengeallthedifferent aspectsofourembodiedcapabilities? 8. Whatdowemeanbyeffectivelyinrespectofinteractionwiththeenvironment? 9. Isthereaneedfortheidentificationofembodiedattributesrelatedtoself expression.Doesthisincludenonverbalcommunication? 10. HowcanwebestdescribetheholisticcapacitiesessentialtoPhysicalLiteracy? 11. HowfarshouldaPhysicallyLiterateindividualbeabletoverbalise/articulatethe componentsofthisattribute? 12. Shouldaphysicallyliterateindividualadoptbehavioursconducivewithpersonal healthpromotion? 13. DoesstudyatGCSEandALcontributetoPhysicalLiteracy? 14. HowdoestheconceptofPhysicalLiteracyaffectwhatisandmightbethe practiceofPhysicalEducation?

References/bibliography. 1..U.K.SportsCouncil(1991)TheCaseforSport(Publicityleaflet)

2.Whitehead,M.E.UnpublishedPhDthesisAStudyoftheviewsofSartreand MerleauPontyrelatingtoembodiment,andaconsiderationoftheimplicationsof theseviewsforthejustificationandpracticeofphysicaleducation.1987. 3.Sartre,JP.(1943)BeingandNothingnesstranslatedbyHazelBarnes.Methuen1957

4.MerleauPonty,M.(1962)ThePrimacyofPerceptiontranslatedbyArleenDallery NWUniversityPress1964

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