This article reviews four approaches to assessing children's movement competence: (1) product assessment approach; (2) qualitative assessment approach; (3) performance error assessment approach; and (4) comprehensive systems approach. (MT)

A sedentary lifestyle, along with program cutbacks and changes in teaching emphasis, have led to lower scores every year on tests of upper body strength of elementary school children. Pulling, pushing and hanging activities are described, and a yearly program of fitness activities is suggested. (MT)

Gymnastics builds increasingly complex body management and control skills which are the basis for later learning. The demands for strength, speed, and agility help develop the overall physical capacity of children at this crucial stage. Themes for different age groups are offered. (MT)

Most children at a young age appear to enjoy creative movement and have some sense of rhythm. There is a need to implement a sound, theory-based, practical program in elementary schools. This article proposes such a program. (MT)

This approach to teaching creative dance to children attempts to narrow the gap between theory and practice. It is based on teaching processes definitions and creative functioning levels which encourage creative movement. The teacher's role is to facilitate student participation and ability at five levels of processing. (MT)

Existing physical education curricula in five schools were investigated for the presence of movement purpose concepts. Formal, perceived, experiential, and operational curricula were studied. Twenty-one of 22 purpose concepts were documented. Results are discussed. (Author/MT)

Results of a study of the differential impact of three types of reinforcers (edibles, social praise, and sensory events) on the attending behavior of three severely handicapped boys (9-12 years old) supported the contention that performance is a function of the value attributed to a reinforcer. (CL)

"Assessing Dance in Elementary Physical Education" is a special edition of the NASPE Assessment Series for K-12 Physical Education. Elementary school physical educators finally have a book that can help them plan assessments for dance, an important part of a comprehensive physical education curriculum. Through dance, students develop their motor…

Presents a series of progressive activities intended to demonstrate to teachers how to incorporate four pedagogical principles (sampling, representation, exaggeration, and tactical complexity) in developing net/wall games and activities that enhance student learning within a teaching games for understanding framework. These principles enable…

Describes the Perceived Intensity-Level Assessment Task (PILAT), an instructional tool designed as an assessment device to help students feel various intensity levels and properly code themselves as they jump rope in a regular physical education class. The paper highlights justification for its use, instructional uses and procedures, instructional…

Documents what children in primary schools in England currently experience as part of the National Curriculum for physical education and examines how this relates to previous practice. Highlights the gap between rhetoric that claims that standards have been raised and the reality of life in many schools. (JOW)

Although computers have potential applications in the elementary and secondary physical education curriculum, current usage is minimal when compared to other disciplines. However, present trends indicate a substantial growth in the use of the computer in a supportive role in assisting the teacher in the management of instructional activities.…

This study compared a teacher-directed interactive video classroom management training program, interactive video instruction, and teacher directed instruction for effectiveness in developing preservice physical educators' knowledge of classroom management. Results found that the interactive video method was more effective in developing preservice…

By strengthening the links between specialty teachers' classrooms (e.g., music, art, and physical education) and the regular classroom, classroom teachers can tap into the specialty teachers' expertise and use the arts to enhance everyday lessons. The article describes the steps in initiating and maintaining such a partnership. Two sample lessons…