THOUGHTS FROM MY PENSIVE: LINKING LITERACY, HEALTH
LITERACY AND CHILDREN’S HEALTH IN THE PRIMARY CLASSROOM
June LeDrew | Faculty of Kinesiology & Health Studies, University of Regina
I
’m not a rocket scientist, I’m a social scientist, which affords me
greater latitude in my observations of human nature; simply
put, I try to pay attention. I’m also a parent of two elementary
school-aged children. Both of these qualities mean that in a
fantasy world I would probably qualify for a Harry Potter pensive
– a bowl in which you can place memories and thoughts when
you feel your mind is a little stretched. I often feel overwhelmed
by the current, negative trends in the health of young children
and the multitude of factors influencing the situation. Google the
terms ‘obesity’, ‘inactivity’, ‘Type 2 diabetes’, ‘heart disease’ and
‘children’ and watch the poisonous potion brew. So I’m removing
several silver threads from my pensive and placing these thoughts
in this article for your viewing and reflection.
My spouse and I recently attended three-way conferences
(student, parent, teacher) for our kids and it was not lost on me
that 10 of the 15 minutes available for the primary teacher to
‘share’ her thoughts on their progress was spent on language arts.
Examination of the report card of our son (Grade 3) showed
that almost half of the assessments made focused on reading
and writing (8 of 17), two focused on mathematics, and seven
were divided amongst science, social science, health, physical
education and arts education (drama, music and visual art).
In the written portion of the report card, approximately two-thirds
of the commentary focused on language arts, one-third on math
and a few sentences on his, mostly, positive behaviour in class.
Dare I generalize here that the primary teacher is, or feels, most
accountable for teaching my child to read and write, followed not
too distantly by how to add and subtract? I have no intention
of questioning the primary importance of the three Rs. Rather,
I want to suggest that it may be very worthwhile to include in the
resources used to teach those subjects material that is specifically
related to active living and health issues.
primary physical education. Now don’t get your wand in a knot
– these three women did highly value teaching physical education
to the students in their classes: that may or may not be generally
true of teachers. However, in the delivery of the subject they
did face challenges, which merged into three categories: women
finding a comfort zone with respect to their own bodies, their
memories of “gym class” and movement generally; limitations of
primary physical education in a sport-focused gymnasium space;
and finding the time for a quality primary physical education
experience while being held principally accountable for language
arts, math and class management. Table 1 presents potential
challenges and a pensive thought for primary teachers and their
physical education delivery.
Table 1: Potential challenges for primary teachers and
physical education delivery
The Body
Pensive Thought: Reinforce the idea that
physical education is not solely about
achievement in sport skills but focused
on “movement literacy” for life-long
participation in healthy, active lifestyles.
We would not expect children to become
competent writers without first learning their
ABCs, then progressing to words, paragraphs
and sentences. The primary teacher is
providing the environment for movement
literacy and some of the conceptual and
fundamental movement skills and is not
expected to develop specific or elite skills or
train young athletes.
The Primary Teacher and Physical Education
My PhD dissertation included a 1½-year ethnographic journey
with three primary grade teachers. My specific interest was
to understand how teaching physical education fit into their
professional lives. These three women, who averaged 21 years of
teaching experience, taught me a lot about their world. I remember
once, naively, inquiring about how often during parent-teacher
interviews these women fielded the question ‘How is my little
Hermione doing in physical education?’ In short, after the laughing
stopped, I was told that ‘not once’, in their combined 60-ish years
of teaching had a parent ever asked about a student’s progress in
Physical activity and past experiences with
it may make the teaching of movement a
less than comfortable experience for some
women.
The Space
The traditional space for teaching physical
education – the gymnasium – may be a
modified sport-complex and not childfriendly.
LeDrew, J.E. (1996). Women & primary physical education: A feminist critical
ethnography. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. University of Victoria. Victoria, B.C.
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Pensive Thought: Although the gymnasium,
space surrounding it, and equipment in it,
may be inundated with images of sport
(i.e., warrior wall graphics, ornamental
cheerleaders, intramural and school team
trophies), or a fitness training facility, it can
also be a place of connectedness to others in
the school through assemblies and heritage
fairs. Primary teachers should consider the
teaching of healthy, active lifestyles to be
environment flexible, a notion better suited
to life-long participation in physical activity.
Doing yoga, dancing or energy blasts to TV
instruction in the classroom, walking with
pedometers in the school hall, or playing
low-organizational games (those with few
rules and requiring little equipment) on the
playground are all acceptable active living
experiences.
The Time
Get Beyond the Blame the Primary Teacher Game
I’ve had a few colleagues and teachers comment to me about the
need for ‘specialists’ in physical education since classroom teachers
seemingly cannot adequately provide the children with the basic
skills needed to be successful in movement. If I had an effective
wand I probably would have stunned them. But being a muggle
(non-magic folk) I, yet again, offered a different view along the
following lines.
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•
The primary teacher is in perpetual motion
adapting to a vast array of subject area
responsibilities and ever-changing curriculum
guidelines.
Pensive Thought: Understandably language
arts and math are critical to a child’s success
in this world. However, if literacy is the
vehicle perhaps an interdisciplinary approach
is time efficient. Having students read and
write about the 5 Ws & H (who, what, when,
where, why & how) of healthy, active living
experiences may assist in increasing students’
health literacy knowledge and encourage
physical activity experiences.
•
•
During the late 80s and early 90s research studies tried
to determine who was the ‘best teacher’ of elementary
physical education, a specialist or a classroom teacher.
Several variables (e.g., skills development, fitness level,
enjoyment, etc.) were usually examined. There was no
conclusive evidence supporting one type of teacher
qualification over the other.1
•
Most individuals who elect to specialize in physical
education have had positive experiences in sport.
Primary physical education and its twin, active living,
usually focus not on sport but on the development
of positive movement experiences. The emphasis
here is on the opportunity to develop fundamental
movement skills rather than on the development of
athletes heading towards Olympic gold. Some motor
development literature suggests that children should
not specialize in any one sport or activity until they are
in late elementary school. The ability to comfortably
participate or function in a variety of physical activity
experiences has been called ‘movement literacy’,
and this is what primary education, via active living,
should strive for.
When moving in the ‘professional field’ of physical
education I sometimes hear, “Well the classroom
teacher never comes to our conferences.” Well, why
would they? Although most physical education
conferences have adopted the term ‘health’ into the
conference title, a review of the sessions offered quickly
reveals to me that not many have as their subject matter
learning opportunities and activities for elementary
aged students; fewer still take children in the primary
grades as their focus. Also, when a primary or classroom
teacher is provided financial support for attendance at,
perhaps, one conference a year, many elect to attend
early childhood or reading conferences. Again, what do
we hold the primary teacher most accountable to teach
our young children?
Teacher education programs continually graduate
students who specialize in physical education, and those
graduates usually find employment as specialists, yet
the number of children and youth who are inactive at
all ages is increasing. This problem is larger than what
is or is not occurring in physical education class and
emphasis on sport-related skills and training will not
go far to motivate any but those students predisposed
to sport. The problem seems to be as much, if not
more, related to changes in our habits and attitudes
that derive from technological change and a host of
other factors. Slowing, and hopefully reversing, the
trend towards inactive lifestyles for children, and
their subsequent health problems, needs a variety of
interventions. Physical education taught by a specialist
in the primary grades will, in my view, not remedy this
situation.
Literacy & Health Literacy
The term ‘literacy’ in an elementary school context is often
associated with reading activities performed solely in classroom
language-arts-based programs, a rather traditional way of viewing
literacy. Education and literacy rank as key determinants of
health:
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Figure 1: Integrating Active Living for Children’s Literacy, Health Literacy and Body Health
...literacy levels, which are usually, but not always, related to
levels of education, are important predictors of employment,
active participation in the community and health status. They
are also important predictors of the success of a nation.
Studying the impact of literacy and life-long learning on health,
within the education system, should be a top priority if Canada
is going to spend scarce health care dollars more efficiently.
Recently the term “health literacy” has received serious attention.
The U.S. government’s “Healthy People 2010” describes it as “the
degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process,
and understand basic health information and services needed
to make appropriate health decisions. Understandably, general
literacy and health literacy form a complex interface that may
not address major health challenges facing at-risk populations.
In the context of young children and inactivity, health literacy,
that is, learning to read and use material related to improving
health, may well benefit from the integration of active living
messages. These active living messages (partnered with nutrition
messaging – however I, who always drink my pumpkin juice, will
leave this pensive thought for someone else to pursue) may be a
very powerful tool to teach children about body health and wellbeing in a way that is relevant to them.
Health Canada (1999). Toward a healthy future: Second report on the health of Canadians.
Health Canada, Ottawa, Canada. Retrieved March 2, 2008 from http://www.phac-aspc.
gc.ca/ph-sp/phdd/report/toward/index.html
Rootman, I., & Ronson, B. (2005). Literacy and health in Canada. Retrieved May 15, 2007,
from www.nlhp.cpha.ca/lithlthe/cover.htm
United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention
and Health Promotion. (2000). Healthy People 2010. Retrieved March 2, 2008 from
www.healthypeople.gov
Kickbusch, I. (2001). Health literacy: Addressing the health and education divide. Health
Promotion International, 16(3), 289-297.
Teaching approaches that seek to encourage movement in a
creative way through the use of stories lend themselves well to
creative movement and expression.
Unless teachers capitalize on literacy teaching and learning
in each and every environment possible, and use a variety of
texts to do so, they will undoubtedly leave many children illprepared for later life (p. 19).
Movement itself affords numerous opportunities to connect
physical activity to vocabulary and other fundamentals of reading
and writing. The Canadian Council on Learning suggests
that “education levels and home background provide a strong
foundation for literacy. However, an analysis disentangling
potential factors that influence health literacy shows significant
positive effect from daily reading” (p. 25).
Integrating Curricula
Traditionally, physical education instruction in primary and
intermediate grades has been viewed as a stand-alone subject,
the practice of which has mainly consisted of the “come and run
and have fun” types of activities. I am suggesting that it should
become less of an outlier. Teachers have shown great creativity
in integrating curricular concepts while combining math and
science, or language arts and social studies. The idea of integrating
literacy and active living is less common, probably because of the
Green, C. (2002). Moving to literature. Texas Child Care, 26(1), 12-21.
Ballinger, D., & Deeney, T. (2006).. Physical educators as teachers of literacy. Journal of
Physical Education, Recreation & Dance. 77(5), 18-23.
Bell, N., & Lorenzi, D. (2004). Facilitating second language acquisition in elementary
and secondary physical education classes. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance,
75(6), 46-51.
Canadian Council on Learning (2008). Health literacy in Canada: A healthy
understanding. Retrieved April 2, 2008 from www.ccl-cca.ca/NR/rdonlyres/266E08898B9B-45DB-B615-33E146E31B06/0/HealthLiteracyReportFeb2008E.pdf
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| THOUGHTS FROM MY PENSIVE |
hesitancy some teachers have about the whole subject of physical
education for the reasons mentioned earlier. But why can’t we
use some of the large block of time devoted to language arts to
units, or portions of units, that incorporate activity, movement
and health issues as their subject matter? All teachers need to be
teachers of literacy across all subject areas.10 Twenty years ago it
was suggested that curriculum integration was
...a knowledge view and curriculum approach that consciously
applies methodology and language from more than one
discipline to examine a central theme, issue, problem, topic,
or experience (p. 8).11
Knowledge, skills and attitudes related to personal health
are best achieved in programs that are comprehensive and
interdisciplinary.12 One way of doing this is to extend the idea
of the importance of staying active from the gym into classroom
core subject areas.
Understandably, there are inherent problems in integrating
curricular concepts since some ideas within a single content area
are best understood without complicating the subject matter.
It is also suggested that students need to grasp some basic concepts
sufficiently before moving on to a multidisciplinary delivery of
ideas. Some teachers may not possess sufficient understanding
within certain disciplines to effectively lead students towards a
thorough knowledge of important concepts. Teacher education
programs don’t provide enough interdisciplinary experiences for
practising teachers to draw on. Finally, as was evident in review
of the assessment hierarchy of the report cards of my children,
student assessment is usually organized around traditional subject
matter areas and usually not conducive to flexible disciplinary
boundaries.13 And while these nasty bludgers can be challenges
to our moving towards more positive ground on children’s health
they are not insurmountable. Nothing in life that is worth having
is easily attainable. Recently one of our graduate students, a local
language arts consultant, taught two classes of primary grade
children five low organizational games, two derived from First
Nations’ beginnings. The children were digitally photographed
while playing in the school yard. After learning on laptop
computers how to manipulate the photographs, the students
sequenced the order of game events and engaged in a procedural
writing process that was used to develop e-books describing how
to play their games. Students reported that they: 1) loved writing
their books and listed many additional topics for writing another
book; 2) loved using the computer to write their books – it made
the writing, spelling and changing (revising) easier; 3) wanted to
10 Tovani, C. (2004). Do I really have to teach reading? Content comprehension, grades 6-12.
Maine: Stenhouse.
11 Jacobs, H. (1989). The growing need for interdisciplinary curriculum content. In H.H. Jacobs
(Ed.), Interdisciplinary curriculum: Design and implementation (p.1-11). Alexandria, VA:
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
12 Anderson, A., & Weber, E. (1997). A multiple intelligence approach to healthy active
living in high school. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance. 68(4), 57-62.
13 Mason, T. (1996). Integrated curricula: Potential and problems. Journal of Teacher
Education. 47(4), 263-270.
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write another book; and, 4) loved playing the games with their
classmates. The classroom teachers found this project benefited
the development of the following student skills: social and
engagement, story sequencing, revision and editing, technology,
First Nations content and perspective, physical education and
differentiated instruction.14 The children’s e-books were then
posted on the school’s Web site.
Supporting Health Literacy & Active Living
In an article published in Query 2004, it was reported that 281
teachers attending the Saskatchewan Reading Council and Early
Childhood Education provincial conferences in 2003 filled out a
teacher’s healthy, active living survey.15 Teachers were asked “what
types of resources would assist you in educating your students on
healthy, ACTIVE living.” The top three items on the wish list
were:
•
•
•
1st – Books (i.e. picture, instructional, non-fiction on
active living, dance, stories on positive role models)
2nd – Examples of physical activities that can be done in
less than 15 minutes
3rd – Instructional videos for teachers and children
This wish list inspired the creation of the Reading Teacher’s In
Motion Kit.16 Three-hundred and fifty teachers were provided
with free educational material with the theme ‘Active Minds,
Active Bodies’ to use in their teaching of language arts. Of the
teachers who received the one-hour in-service explaining how
the materials in the kit could be used to maximize physical
activity possibilities and to make the connection between active
living and literacy, 67 completed the survey (a 19% response
rate). This response rate may be regarded as low, but the on-line
survey was only available from April 1st to June 15th – a busy time
for teachers. An overview of the demographics of these survey
participants indicated that 96% were female; 62% were 40-60+
years of age and 69% were teachers of children aged 5-9 years.
Based on their use of the kit (either in part or as a whole), teachers
indicated the following impact of the kit on their students:
•
•
70% agreed or strongly agreed that students learned
more about healthy, active lifestyles
54% agreed or strongly agreed students in their class
were more physically active
14 Gatzke, L., & LeDrew, J. (2008). Linking physical education and technology to engage
primary students in meaningful literacy experiences. Learning Conference 08: The Fifteen
International Conference on Learning. June 3-8, 2008 Chicago, USA. Retrieved May 9,
2008 from http://l08.cgpublisher.com/proposals/640/index_html
15 LeDrew, J.E. (2004). Reading as a Strategy to Prevent Childhood Obesity.
Query: Journal of the Saskatchewan Reading Council. 34(1), 24-25.
16 Beginning with a grant from Saskatchewan In Motion© and then building partnerships
with other community groups (SaskSport, Inc., Bethnold Creations, Dance Saskatchewan,
Inc. and the organizing committee for the 2006 provincial Saskatchewan Reading Council
conference) we developed a Reading Teacher’s in motion Kit that included resource material
that enabled the teaching of reading while also educating children about healthy active
lifestyles.
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•
39% agreed or strongly agreed students were better able
to meet their reading objectives Fifty-three percent
of the teachers declared they were unable to rate this
last question. This last statistic in itself may show that
units or portions of units using active living themes as
their subject material have, at the very least, no negative
impact on meeting reading objectives.17
There’s No Such Thing as Magic!
Given the current epidemic of childhood obesity in Canada,
a variety of immediate intervention programs are needed to
change the culturally accepted practices (TV viewing, computer
game playing, unhealthy snacking, etc.) that have changed the
physical activity patterns of children and have become a dangerous
part (for their long-term health) of their daily routines. We need
to support educators teaching outside the uni-disciplinary box
and expanding the boundaries “to use all the tools available to
encourage student participation in physical activities that are
meaningful and relevant in the cultural landscape of their day to
day lives” (p. 11).18 In particular, more work is needed to support
primary teachers in having the confidence and motivation to
deliver an interdisciplinary health literacy message to children,
teaching them about physical activity and guiding them to
transfer that knowledge into their own daily practices.19 I believe
confidence and motivation are the primary stumbling blocks:
once the view of what constitutes physical education and health
changes, I have every confidence that teachers will show great
creativity in integrating the curricula.
Traditionally educators may have relied on one-size-fits all
reading and writing programs that take literacy apart, offering
phonics, fluency and writing programs separately and offering
little support for integration into other areas of curriculum. We
need to be able to put all of these things together to read and
write well.20 The teaching of healthy, active living cannot be left in
the gym. We need other ways for children to learn about health
and active living and the language arts curriculum seems like
the ideal place to introduce and reinforce these important ideas.
The more concepts are arranged so that similar learning activities
relate to one another, the more meaningful curriculum becomes
for students.
What is proposed here is all about the health of our children
and, therefore, about their probable health as adults. The utility
of high levels of skill in language or math use can be seriously
compromised if health concerns prevent people from employing
those skills to productive ends. We all know older people whose
health issues have pushed them to the sidelines in terms of their
productivity and whose health has become the major focus
of their lives. Unfortunately, that reality is already trending
downward in terms of age. Optimal periods of physical growth
and motor development are time-sensitive for young children.
Childhood is also a period where behaviour can become firmly
ingrained subsequently causing an unhealthy visible ‘overgrowth’,
a.k.a. children becoming overweight and obese at the expense of
appropriate skeletal, muscular and organ development, to name
only a few problems.
This reality will not come without cost, both in terms of real
dollars (health care cost, lost productivity) and in terms of
mental, physical and emotional well-being. The studies have been
done. Common sense should now take over to jar us out of our
complacency or stunned unconscious state. Or, have we conjured
the spell “stupefy” amongst ourselves instead of coming up with
concrete, practical approaches to what is clearly now known as a
problem. Teachers have never lacked flexibility, what they have
lacked is resources and time. The integration of active living
messages into the language arts curriculum is one such approach.
What is your pensive thought and action to make positive change
in the health of our children?
About the Author
June LeDrew PhD, is a professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology
and Health Studies at the University of Regina, who works
extensively in partnership with community-based groups working
to improve upon issues relating to the health and physical activity
of children. She is the creator of the ‘On the Move’ book series, a
series that encourages healthy, active lifestyles for young children
through the use of descriptive sentences and colourful pictures of
children in active living situations.
17 LeDrew, J., Zimmer, J., Hoeber, L., & Dorsch, K. (2007). ‘A Reading Teacher’s in
Motion Kit: A Community Based Research Project with Saskatchewan Teachers.’ Query:
A Journal of a Special Subject Council of the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation. 36(3),6-8.
18 Gannon, G., Halas, J. & Ng C. (Winter 2008). The challenges of teaching fitness in
an era of physical inactivity: Examples of effective practice. Health & Learning Magazine:
Canadian Teachers’ Federation. 11-14.
19 Harris, J., & Cale, L. (1997). How healthy is school PE? A review of the effectiveness
of health-related physical education programmes in schools. Health Education Journal, 56,
84-104.
20 Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2007). Improving adolescent literacy: Content area strategies at work.
(2nd edition). New Jersey: Pearson.
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