The purpose of this article is to introduce you to the innovative concept of physical literacy. This global concept inspires more and more stakeholders and organizations to guide their actions on the health and well -being of children.

Physical Literacy?
Physical literacy is an English concept that took shape in the 90’s through the current popular healthy lifestyle. It represents all the fundamental capabilities and values (motivation, confidence, motor skills, knowledge and responsibilities) human beings should have so that they engage in a physical, healthy lifestyle (Whitehead, 2014). This approach may seem complex to translate to children, but the literature shows that we must begin in early childhood and throughout primary school. However, I want to emphasize the global nature of this approach in which all stakeholders, especially parents, must contribute to physical literacy of young children.
It took almost 20 years before the research put forward the benefits of this approach to physical activity and sports among children. Many organizations around the world, including schools, are inspired by this approach to reduce sedentary behaviors and especially to develop the taste for physical activity and sport in childhood. Last October, I attended the first International Activity and Sport Congress for Children (3 – 9 years) held in Liege, Belgium. All major world leaders in the field of motor skills were there and the majority of them stressed or paid particular attention to the importance of physical literacy on the overall development of the child.
In Quebec, the Global Health Program is the only recognized program that provides some objectives to address the physical literacy concept. Unfortunately, the preschool level is often overlooked in the actual implementation of this program in primary and secondary schools.

Implementation
This brief contextualization of this concept may appear broad and without specific reference to the daily practice of team members who are responsible for stimulating children’s motor skills. However, with closer analysis, you can see how it can easily translate into your interventions. Dwell on the fundamental core cited in the definition of physical literacy, namely motor competence. The concept of motor competence refers to the ratio between the level of skill in the execution of a motor task and effort that is spent. Consequently, the implementation is evident with gross motor or any form of physical activity and sport. Therefore, the gateway to develop a feeling of motor competence is based on the varied practice of fundamental motor skills.
In regards to this, the literature highlights nearly thirty fundamental motor skills (e.g. running, throwing, crawling, jumping, kicking, climbing, etc.).
For details on basic motor skills, I invite you to have a look at the January 2014 Newsletter. I have said this for a long time, but the initial training of therapists and educational programs fail in area of gross motor even though it is important in the overall development of young children up to 12 years.

Practical Tools
In recent years, several organizations value and provide practical tools to develop fundamental motor skills. Think of Québec en Forme, ParticipACTION, Kino Québec, Physical and Health Education Canada, etc. These tools are free and allow you to have a bank of interesting activities on most major fundamental motor skills. However, these activities do not always coincide with the concept of physical literacy. Here are some key criteria that meet the true approach to physical literacy:
 Effectiveness of the intervention (dynamism, organization, explanation, feedback);
 Concrete and symbolic activity for the child (pirate, knight, jungle, etc.);
 Tailored activity offering variants according to the child’s competence;
 Motivating activity that offers challenges;
 A single activity which applies to several kinds of therapists/team members;
 Activity is organized to engage all children (no waiting);
 Adequate environment (interior and exterior space) and adapted equipment;
 Educational atmosphere (fun, effort, learning);

New: Apprentice Engine
I’ve been interested in the concept of physical literacy for many years and found that there was a lack of resources (tools and practical training) in French. Over the past two years, I have developed and tested the Apprentice Engine program with over 100 preschool children. This program, suitable for children 4 to 6 years, fully addresses the concept of physical literacy. In addition, it can shift into different sectors and many settings (early childhood, school, leisure, day camp). In one school, for example, Apprentice Engine could be used with a preschool teacher, a physical educator, and a daycare worker.
The program includes 22 thematic sessions for a total of 110 activities that primarily target fundamental motor skills. On average, 13 basic motor skills are targeted in each session. For more details on this innovative program, please visit my website or contact me directly with any questions or requests.

Conclusion
The concept of physical literacy is a global approach you will hear about in the years to come. Without going into depth in this column, this approach is scientifically proven and could revolutionize the way physical activity and sport is designed for young children. It can be integrated into the majority of educational programs, but adaptations are necessary.

Reference
Whitehead, M. E. (2010). Physical Literacy : Throughout the Lifecourse. London. Routledge.

 

Joël Beaulieu, Ph. D. (c), Motor consultant, A+ Action-www.aplusaction.com