Page 33 - The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9-12: Health and Physical Education, 2015 - revised

Strand B – Movement Competence: Skills, Concepts, and Strategies
The Movement Competence strand helps students develop the movement competence needed to participate in physical activities through the development of movement skills and the related application of movement concepts and movement strategies. As students develop their confidence and competence, they will be developing their physical literacy. Students are also introduced to movement principles in developmentally appropriate ways. These principles are indicated in the expectations through examples and teacher prompts that illustrate how skills can be applied at different ages and stages. The students learn kinesthetically in this strand, as in the Active Living strand, and have regular opportunities in every grade to develop and practise their personal movement skills.
The development of fundamental movement skills in association with the application
of movement concepts and principles provides the basic foundation for physical literacy. An understanding of fundamental skills and concepts is essential both to an individual’s development of effective motor skills and to the application of these skills in a wide variety of physical activities. Because the development of movement skills is age-related but not age-dependent and because students’ skill levels depend on a variety of factors, including their experiences outside of school, the opportunities they have for practice, their rate of growth and maturation, and their abilities and interests, the range of skills in a typical class will vary widely. Consequently, it is very important to provide choice and flexibility within activities and to ensure that learning experiences are designed to reflect individual students’ developmental levels and adapted to suit learners of all abilities. Modifications should be made as needed to allow students to develop and work towards their own personal level of movement competence.
Since the development of movement skills can also enhance students’ interpersonal, cognitive, and emotional development, it is critical that the health and physical education program be inclusive, fully engaging all students irrespective of sex, gender identity, background, or ability. Without the development of fundamental skills, many youth choose to withdraw from activity due to fear of failure, self-consciousness, or lack of ability to move efficiently. Learning fundamental movement skills and applying movement concepts and principles help students increase their comfort, confidence, competence, and proficiency with movement, thereby increasing their rates of overall physical activity and improving their health. When fun and enjoyment are part of skill development and physical activity, students are more likely to develop positive attitudes towards lifelong healthy, active living.
The focus of the learning in this strand is on transferable skills. The goal is to have students understand how skills, concepts, and strategies learned in one activity can apply to other activities. For example, the fundamental skill of throwing an object overhand can be transferred to a tennis serve or a badminton smash. Similarly, general transferable movement skills that apply to the three phases of movement – preparation, execution, and follow-through – can be applied to a variety of physical activities. By understanding how to apply their learning to other activities and situations, students will be better equipped to enjoy and participate in a wide variety of physical activities throughout their lives.
As students grow and develop, the focus of learning related to movement skills and associated concepts and movement strategies shifts. When students are younger or less experienced, the emphasis is on developing basic skills and applying them in situations involving the use of simple strategies and tactics. When students are more mature and
THE PROGRAM IN HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION
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