Characteristics and International Enlightenment of Adolescent Physical Literacy Cultivation in Wales

Abstract

School education has focused on the fields of students’ literacy instead of specific subjects. The cultivation of physical literacy (PL) is gaining more and more attention in western countries, but few studies on this topic were found in China. The purpose of this research was to unfold the experience of Welsh adolescent PL and to provide enlightenment to China. This study analyzed the cultivation of Welsh adolescents’ PL through literature, logical analysis, and semi-structured interviews with eleven experts. The constant comparative method was used to analyze interview transcripts for common themes. During analysis, triangulation, negative case checks, member checks, and an extensive peer review were used. The findings revealed a) reasons that accelerating the development of adolescent PL in Wales include the national health crisis, inequalities in the health rights caused by the gap between rich and poor, and the changes of school physical education values. b) The strategies to cultivate Welsh adolescents’ PL include (1) following the law of physical and mental development of adolescents to strengthen the continuity of the training process; (2) supporting the development of adolescents’ motor skills with the efforts of schools, communities, and families; (3) emphasizing the peer effects of students with excellent PL; (4) providing financial support and opportunities for poor students to participate in sports activities. c) Successful experiences in promoting adolescents’ PL in Welsh schools are (1) taking physical education as the national core curriculum; (2) adopting comprehensive interdisciplinary learning instead of traditional school specific subjects; (3) establishing positive play-based learning environment. This study shows that Wales has gained a lot of experience and success in developing PL among young people, thus can shed light to the development of PL in Chinese adolescents. In the future, China should develop strategies for vulnerable groups’ PL, integrate PL cultivation into the school physical education curriculum, and support subject integration for students’ PL. School, community, and family should strengthen their cooperation to develop adolescents’ PL.