PE_Guidelines_english0

Classroom planning for
physical education
Section 4 Classroom planning for physical education
Considerations for the
class programme
• the experience of the class
• the guidance offered by the
school plan
• use of a variety of teaching
methods and approaches
• the time devoted to each
strand and the depth of
treatment
• the period of the year in
which activities might take
place
• establishing a code of
practice for physical
education lessons
• the availability of resources
and support
• the integration of strands
with other subjects
• the involvement of pupils in
the organisation of physical
education
• how to provide for differing
abilities
• how pupil progress might be
assessed
Considerations for the
teacher
Many of the most important concerns
for the teacher when planning a
programme of work for a class are those
discussed already in Curriculum planning.
In addition, consideration should be
given to the following:
The learning needs of the
children
It is essential to establish the
experience of the class to date with
particular reference to the work
completed in the various strands.
Liaison with the previous class teacher
and consulting the class records
containing information gained from
previous assessment should provide the
information necessary for building a
new programme.
The school’s programme for
physical education
The aims and broad objectives of the
school’s programme and the guidance
offered in the school plan on the
selection of appropriate strands and
strand units will provide further
direction for the teacher’s work with
the class.
Teaching methods and
approaches
The use of a wide range of methods and
approaches is essential when teaching
physical education and should be
considered as the teacher selects the
content of the class programme.
Suggestions for a range of approaches
which are particularly suited to the
teaching of physical education are
provided on pp. 42-101.
Time
Planning a class programme involves
considering the time to be devoted to
each strand and the depth of treatment
of each strand. It should be noted that
it is not necessary for each strand to
have an equal share of curriculum time,
provided that the agreed objectives
outlined for each class can be achieved
in the time allocated to a particular
activity. Some activities will require
more time than others. Time for
travelling to a pool or outdoor activities
centre, for example, should be planned.
It is recommended that the year be
divided into blocks of four to six weeks.
A strand or part of a strand may be
completed in this time. Where a part of
a strand is covered in a block of time, it
may be useful to complete it at another
time of the year. Fig. 1 illustrates a
games unit which is initiated in
September and is completed later in
the programme.
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