What is physical literacy and how does it impact on physical education?

Physical literacy is a relatively new concept in the world of physical education. The concept is founded on philosophical principles and provides a clear rationale for the importance of the subject. The concept identifies a unique value for physical activity as well as clarifying how physical education can make a significant contribution to the education of young people. This chapter is concerned with considering whether and how the concept of physical literacy can play a part in articulating, with conviction and clarity, the significance and value of nurturing our embodied capability, and at the same time, in line with suggestions made in Chapter 2, provide the means by which the profession no longer needs to rely on extrinsic factors to justify the subject area in the curriculum. Work in the movement field is of value in its own right and has both a unique contribution to make to education as well as potential, in and of itself, to make a broader contribution to the development of young people. The chapter opens with a short background to the concept of physical literacy. The concept is based on a monist approach to human nature and two philosophical schools of thought – existentialism and phenomenology. Each of these is explained briefly. The overarching value of fostering our embodied capability is drawn out from these views and this provides the springboard for the definition of the concept of physical literacy to be presented. Building from this explanation, the value of physical literacy as a human capability that can enhance and enrich the quality of life is briefly outlined. The relationship between physical literacy and physical education is then explained and the way that the concept can support the value of physical education is presented. The responsibilities of the physical education teacher in promoting physical literacy are then outlined. Finally the implications for the teaching of physical education, where the goal of nurturing physical literacy has been adopted as the fundamental goal of the subject, are presented.