Integrating movement and physical education into subject teaching Learning by moving

• Published in: Developing a Didactic Framework Across and Beyond School Subjects pp. 74 - 86
• Main Authors: Kuokkanen, Joni, Gutierrez, David, Snellman, Janina Enkvist, Romar, Jan-Erik
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: Routledge 2024
• Edition: 1
• ISBN: 1032433205; 1032434295; 9781032434292; 9781032433202
• DOI: 10.4324/9781003367260-9

This chapter explores a research-supported strategy known as movement integration (MI) that focuses on merging activities that are intentionally physical, at any level of intensity, into content-specific academic lessons. We present an MI framework comprising four progressive and nested layers, with unique strategies, practical examples, and resources for each level. This enables a balanced and critical approach to exploring its potential to provide opportunities for increasing physical activity (PA) during school hours and supporting cross- and transcurricular learning and wellbeing. The chapter also addresses individual and structural barriers and the facilitators that affect the feasibility of implementing MI while providing a description of successful MI projects and learning modules in teacher education and professional development in two educational contexts. We postulate that teachers can foster a fruitful environment for holistic student development and Bildung by gradually learning to mix different MI strategies in their teaching.