Terry A. Senne

Factors Associated with Adolescent Physical Activity during Middle School Physical Education: A One-Year Case Study.

The purpose of this descriptive component of a larger, exploratory case study was to examine associations among lesson contexts, teacher behaviors, and adolescent physical activity over a year of physical education (PE) at one school. Middle school students (n = 206) and their PE teachers (n = 4) were observed twice-weekly across one academic year. Data were collected using the System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time (SOFIT), Behavioral Evaluation Strategy and Taxonomy (BEST) software and Yamax SW-200 pedometers. Students spent 32.5 percent lesson time in at least moderate intensity activity, averaging 1542 steps per lesson. Higher activity levels were associated with lesson contexts of fitness activity, skill activity, and game play; while lowest activity levels occurred during free play. Higher activity levels were associated with teacher behaviors of promoting fitness, demonstrating fitness, and observing; lower activity levels were associated with teacher behaviors of general instruction and management. Facteurs associés l’activité physique chez les adolescents pendant les cours d’éducation physique au collège. L’objet de ce versant descriptif issu d’une large étude de cas exploratoire était d’étudier les relations entre les contextes d’enseignement, les compor tements de l’enseignant, et l’activité physique des adolescents au cours d’une année d’éducation physique dans un collège. Une cohorte de collégiens (N = 206) et leurs enseignants ont été (N = 4) ont été observés deux fois par semaine pendant une année scolaire. Les données ont été recueillies en utilisant le système d’observation du temps d’enseignement en fitness (System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time ; SOFIT), le logiciel taxonomie et stratégie d’évaluation comportementale (Behavioral Evaluation Strategy and Taxonomy ; BEST), et des podomètres Yamax SW-200. Les adolescents ont passé 32,5% du temps de la séance en activité d’une intensité au moins modérée, et ont effectué en moyenne 1542 pas en moyenne. Les plus hauts niveaux d’activité physique étaient associés à des séances utilisant les activités de fitness, les activités d’habileté, le jeu comme supports ; alors que les plus faibles niveaux d’activité sont apparus lors de jeux libres. Les plus hauts niveaux d’activité étaient liés aux comportements de l’enseignant de promotion, de démonstration des activités de fitness, et d’observation ; les plus faibles niveaux d’activité étaient associés aux comportements généraux de présentation des tâches et de gestion de groupe par l’enseignant. Factores asociados con la actividad física adolescente durante la Educación Física en secundaria: Un estudio de caso anual El propósito de la parte descriptiva de un gran estudio exploratorio era examinar asociaciones entre el contexto de las lecciones, los comportamientos del professor, y la actividad física del adolescente durante un año de Educación Física en una escuela. Estudiantes de secundaria (N = 206) y sus profesores de educación física (N = 4) fueron observados dos veces por semana durante un año académico. Los datos fueron obtenidos usando el SOFIT, el software BEST y pedometros Yamax SW-200. Los estudiantes invirtieron un 32.5% del tiempo de clase al menos en una actividad de intensidad moderada, promediando 1542 pasos por clase. Niveles más altos de actividad estaban asociados a clases con actividades de fitness, de aprendizaje, y de juego. Niveles mas altos de actividad estaban asociados con comportamientos del profesor orientados a promoción y demostraciones de fitness , y a la observación; niveles más bajos de actividad se asociaban con comportamientos de los profesores relacionados con la instrucción y organización. Faktoren sportlicher Aktivität von Jugendlichen während des Mittelstufen-Sportunterrichts: eine einjährige Fallstudie Ziel des vorliegenden deskriptiven Teils einer größeren explorativen Fallstudie war die Untersuchung von Zusammenhängen zwischen Unterrichtskontexten, Lehrer/innen-Verhalten und sportlicher Aktivität von Jugendlichen innerhalb eines Jahres an einer Schule. Mittelstufenschüler/innen (N = 206) und ihre Sportlehrer/innen (N = 4) wurden während eines Schuljahres zweimal wöchentlich beobachtet. Die Daten wurden durch Nutzung der Messverfahren Observing Fitness Instruction Time (SOFIT), Verhaltensevaluations-Strategien (Behavioral Evaluation Strategy) und Taxonomie (BEST)-Software sowie Yamax SW-200-Schrittmesser erhoben. Schülerinnen und Schüler haben 32,5% der Unterrichtszeit mit moderater sportlicher Aktivität verbracht, im Mittelwert wurden 1542 Schritte pro Unterricht gemessen. Höhere Aktivitätsstufen hingen zusammen mit Unterrichtskontexten, die Fitness-Aktivitäten, Bewegungsfertigkeiten und Spiele umfassten; niedrigere Aktivitätsstufen wurden während freier sportlicher Aktivität gemessen. Höhere Aktivitätsstufen standen im Zusammenhang mit einem Lehrer/innen-Verhalten, das die Bedeutung von Fitness hervorgehoben hat, bei dem Fitness selber demonstriert und konkret beobachtet wurde; niedrigere Aktivitätsstufen wurden gemessen im Zusammenhang mit einem Lehrer/innen-Verhalten, das sich stärker an generellen Instruktionen und am Unterrichtsmanagement orientiert hat.

Communicating with Hispanic Parents of Children with and without Disabilities.

JOPERD • Volume 80 No. 4 • April 2009 T he current culture in the United States is both ethnically and socially diverse, and Hispanics are the fastest-growing minority population in the United States. In fact, from 1980 to 2005 the Hispanic population in the United States grew 192 percent, from 14.6 million to 42.7 million (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2007). Statistical projections indicate that by the year 2050, Hispanics living in the United States will no longer be considered a minority group in states like Texas and California (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). Statistics reveal that, in California, the largest student population is Hispanic (46.7%) followed by non-Hispanic Caucasians (32.9%). In the 2006–2007 academic year, 47 percent of the students in special education were Hispanic, an increase of six percent from just five years before (California Department of Education, 2008). This same trend is anticipated in other states as well (table 1). Many professions are being affected by this growing diversity, particularly the teaching profession. Adapted physical education (APE) and physical education (PE) teachers are no exception. Many Hispanic children with and without disabilities are receiving physical education services in school districts throughout the United States. Teachers often struggle to identify ways to communicate with Hispanic children and their families. Consequently, some Hispanic families are unfamiliar with the benefits and services available to their children through special education programs (Columna et al., 2008). For this reason, it is important for educators to have linguistic competence. Linguistic competence is defined as the capacity of an organization and its personnel to communicate effectively and to convey information in a manner that is easily understood by diverse audiences, including persons with limited English proficiency, those who have low literacy skills or are not literate, and individuals with disabilities (Goode & Jones, 2006). Because of potential communication and cultural barriers, it is critical for teachers to become linguistically competent and to find ways to establish direct and ongoing lines of communication with parents in order to ensure their understanding and knowledge of the full array of services and programs that are available to their children. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to provide communication strategies that may assist APE and PE teachers to work more effectively with Hispanic parents of children with and without disabilities. An improvement in communication may help teachers to establish positive rapport while helping Hispanic families to become an integral part of the physical education program. The authors conducted research with the Hispanic population because it is the largest minority population in the United States, but the strategies stated in this article can be applied to other minority groups as well. It is important to note that cultural differences do exist among different groups; therefore, these strategies may not be suitable to all non-Englishspeaking parents. Communicating with Hispanic Parents of Children with and without Disabilities

A Better Path toward Ensuring Lifelong Physical Activity Participation

Currently no empirical research exists to support the contention that increasing levels of MVPA during physical education instruction will increase the likelihood that individuals will pursue physical activity into adulthood. This article presents what else is needed.