Factors influencing a physical education teacher’s pedagogical games practices with pupils experiencing social, emotional and mental health issues

Abstract

Recognizing the limited research examining physical education teachers’ pedagogical practices for pupils experiencing social, emotional and behavioural issues, this case study sought to examine how a male teacher with a high performing sports background taught games to such pupils and identify those factors that led to such practices. Occupational socialization was used to explore how childhood experiences of physical education and high performance sport, higher education and the workplace influenced his teaching and learning approaches in a special school setting. Data were collected by conducting three semi-structured interviews, eight videoed lesson observations and a self-reflective journal. Inductive data analysis identified that the twin aims of developing life skills and transferability of such skills beyond physical education were said to be achieved by developing pupils’ emotional resilience and encouraging appropriate social behaviour. The influence of the teacher’s family, his high performing sporting background, the needs of the pupils and the school’s policies impacted on developing such resilience and social behaviour. Two suggestions are offered as a result of these findings. Firstly, prior examination of childhood values should be undertaken for those wishing to teach physical education to pupils experiencing social, emotional and mental health issues. Secondly, given this study contradicts research findings that teachers with high performing sport backgrounds emphasize the development of pupils’ practical performance, research examining the impact of such sportspersons on physical education pedagogy in different educational settings appears warranted.