Physical education to transgress
Exploring an activist approach in a primary school setting
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21784077 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Bruna Saurin Silva (0000-0001-6556-0111, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, corresponding author), Carla Nascimento Luguetti (0000-0002-9442-1636, The University of Melbourne), Mariana Zuaneti Martins (0000-0003-0926-7302, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-23 |
| Publication date | 2026-04-20 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1740-8989 • E-ISSN: 1742-5786 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/17408989.2026.2660950 |
| OpenAlex | W7154970027 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 30 |
Introduction: There is a body of research that describes the importance of the Activist Aproach (AA) as a way to improve students' motivation, engagement and learning in physical education (PE) (Shilcutt, J. B., K. Oliver, and C. Luguetti. 2024. An Activist Approach to Physical Education and Physical Activity: Imagining What Might Be. Taylor & Francis). However, most studies focus on secondary schools, pointing to a need to explore AA in primary schools.Purpose: This study explores the enactment of the AA in a primary PE class in Brazil. Theoretically, we draw from bell hooks (2014. Teaching To Transgress. Routledge) and her concept of teaching to transgress.Methods: This was participatory action research (PAR) carried out in 4th grade PE class in a state primary school in Brazil. Twenty students aged nine to eleven participated, including seven boys and thirteen girls, as well as a researcher, a PE teacher and two critical friends. Data collection took place during 70 lessons and included field notes, student work sessions, artifacts, focus group with students and debriefing session recordings. Reflective thematic analysis was used to analyse data.Findings: Two key themes were generated. The first highlighted the importance of creating a learning community to confront violence in PE classes. Violence and exclusion discouraged participation, especially for girls and less skilled students. The second theme described how a day-by-day curriculum was created to critique and negotiate social injustices. This co-construction involved experimentation, critique, redesign and the creation of inclusive games.Conclusion: His study highlights the transformative potential of AA in primary school physical education, showing that breaking with traditional practices becomes possible when children's experiences are placed at the centre of pedagogical decision-making. By creating learning communities to address violence and co-constructing the curriculum on a daily basis through dialogue, experimentation, and negotiation of injustices, AA promoted more inclusive and democratic forms of participation. The results demonstrate that it is possible to build a pedagogy committed to social justice, capable of generating significant changes in the way children relate, participate and give meaning to their experiences in physical education.Impact statement: This study contributes to the field by demonstrating how the AA can be meaningfully enacted in primary PE to confront violence, address participation inequalities and promote social justice. By showing how children's lived experiences can guide curriculum co-construction, it offers practical insights for educators seeking to create more democratic and inclusive learning environments. The study expands the understanding of the AA beyond secondary schooling and provides concrete pedagogical strategies that can inform both future research and everyday teaching practice
Physical activity · Physical education · Primary education · Global Education and Multiculturalism · Physical Education and Pedagogy · Sports, Gender, and Society
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| Highly cited | No |
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