The overall aim of this paper is to introduce a new way of analysing and understanding the framing and potential of Physical Education and Health (PEH) practice. Focusing on subject-specific literacy, which is defined as an abstract and generalising language, containing words and concepts typical for a specific subject [Nestlog, B. E. (2019).…

This paper draws on critical discourse analysis to examine how health and physical education (HPE) curricula from Sweden, Norway, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand may influence possibilities for the enactment of social justice in schools. The findings highlight the presence of social justice intentions across the five curricula as related…

In this paper, we describe and reflect on the Critical Incident Technique (CIT) methodology used to explore how secondary school health and physical education (HPE) teachers address social justice in their teaching practice. The paper is informed by data generated as part of an ongoing three-year international research project involving eight…

In this paper, we add to the literature by exploring how sustainable development (SD) and sustainability-oriented learning, are reflected in the Swedish compulsory school and upper secondary school physical education and health (PEH) syllabi. The source of data was the PEH syllabi and the commentary material, as produced by the Swedish National…

Purpose: Literature suggest that physical education and health (PEH) may contribute to the sustainable development (SD) agenda, yet little is known how PEH teachers relate SD to their teaching practices. This paper explores Swedish upper secondary PEH teachers' experiences and perceived competence regarding teaching SD as part of PEH. Method: An…

Background: Combining Game-Based Approaches, video feedback, and debate of ideas "(débat d'idées)" constitutes an emerging field within pedagogical literature in Physical and Health Education. Nevertheless, more work is needed to understand how this digital tool can be effectively integrated into the teaching and learning process.…

The overall aim of this study was to explore how upper secondary school students (age 16-19) in Sweden perceive physical education and health (PEH) through the assessment practices they experience in this subject. In particular, the study aimed to examine the students' experiences of what can be considered as valid knowledge and what the students…

Assessment has been identified as an ongoing problem in physical education (PE). Since the student perspective on assessment is often neglected in research, in this paper, we will report on a study that explored students' experiences of assessment in the Swedish school subject physical education and health (PEH). In particular, the aim of this…

Physical literacy (PL) has gained considerable attention and traction in the field of health and physical education (HPE) for some time now and can thus be seen as part of the HPE discourse. However, just as advocacy for PL has grown exponentially over the last decade(s), so have the critical voices raised over the universal adoption of this…

The aim of this paper is to identify and discuss similarities and differences between the curricula for physical education (PE) in secondary schools in Sweden, France and the canton of Geneva (Switzerland) in the light of PE teaching traditions (PETTs). Teaching traditions concern ideas about the goals of school disciplines and therefore about the…

Teachers in the school subject Health and Physical Education (HPE) need to be able both to teach health and to do so in a healthy (equitable) way. The health field has, however, met with difficulties in finding its form within the subject. Research indicates that HPE can be excluding, meaning that it may give more favours to some pupils (bodies)…

Despite an extensive debate and an openness of teachers to a strength-based approach to health and physical education, it is not always clear what a salutogenic strengths-based approach might look like in practice, at least not in the day-to-day work in schools. The purpose of this article is to present a salutogenic strengths-based school…

'Characteristics and consequences of different body ideals' are a mandatory curriculum content in Swedish physical education (PE). Didactic strategies for teaching on body ideals are, however, scarce. In this paper, we introduce a classroom-based teaching unit on body ideals and present didactic possibilities and challenges of the unit. We used a…

The Health and Physical Education (HPE) profession has increasingly advocated for caring teacher-student relationships. In this paper, we draw on data from an international research project called 'EDUHEALTH' [Education for Equitable Health Outcomes -- The Promise of School Health and Physical Education] to explore caring teaching and the…

For more than 40 years, health and physical education (HPE) academics in universities and teacher education colleges have drawn attention to issues of social justice specific to the context of PE and advocated for teachers in fields, gymnasiums and other physical activity spaces to do a better job of promoting more equitable outcomes for all…