Discipline of physical education

Frequently physical education is discussed with reference to its status as an

academic discipline. A discipline is an organized, formal body of knowledge. The discipline of physical education has as its primary focus the study of human movement.

Within the past two decades the knowledge in this field has grown tremendously. As the scope of physical education broadened, physical educators became interested in specific areas of study within physical education. Subsequently, subdisciplines or specialized areas of study emerged. One effect of this growth and subsequent specialization is the increase of job opportunities within the physical education and sport field.

It is useful to define the most common subdisciplines and areas of specialization within physical education.

Sport sociology is the study of the role of sport in society. Sport sociologists are concerned with how sport influences and is influenced by institutions (i.e., educational institutions), politics, religion, economics, and the mass media.

Biomechanics is the study of the various forces that act on the human body and the effects that such forces produce. Biomechanics is concerned with the scientific study of movement and areas such as the musculoskeletal system, the application of principles of physics to human motion and sport object motion, and the mechanical analysis of activities. In sport, biomechanics may work with athletes to identify specific aspects of their technique that limit performance and make suggestions for improvement.

Sports medicine is the medical relationship between physical activity and the human body. It is concerned with the scientific study of the effects of physical activity on the human body and also the factors that influence performance. Sports medicine includes the study of the influence of elements such as the environment, drugs, and growth on human physical activity. Sports medicine is also concerned with prevention of injury as well as therapy and rehabilitation.

Exercise physiology is applied physiology or the study of the impact that exercise and work conditions have on human body. The exercise physiologist is concerned with aerobic capacity, fatigue, and the effects of various training programs on participants’ physiological responses.

Sport philosophy focuses on critically analyzing issues as well as examining beliefs and values as they relate to participation in sport and physical education. The philosopher may use logic and problem solving as an aid to decision-making.

History is the study of the past with a view to describing and explaining events. The sport historian is concerned with analyzing events and explaining their significance in relation to past, concurrent, or future events.

Pedagogy is the study of teaching. Sport pedagogy is concerned with the study of curriculum, teaching, teacher education, evaluation, administration, and organization as it applies to the field of physical education and sport.

Sport psychology utilizes various principles, concepts, and facts from the field of psychology to study behavior in sport. Sport psychology concerns itself with motor learning and performance. The sport psychologist studies psychological factors that affect the learning and performance of motor skills.

Motor learning focuses on factors that influence an individual’s acquisition and performance of motor skills. Understanding the stages of learning as well as how to facilitate learning are concerns of the motor learning specialist.

Motor development examines the factors that influence the development of abilities essential to movement. The motor development specialist uses longitudinal studies, that is, studies that take place over span of many years, to analyze the interaction of genetic and environmental factors that affect an individual’s ability to perform motor skills throughout their lifetime.

Adapted physical education is concerned with studying the capacities and limitations of persons with special needs or disabilities and designing appropriate physical education programs for these individuals.

Sport management encompasses the many managerial aspects of sport, including organized sport and sport enterprise or business. Professionals within this area are concerned with facility management, budgeting, programming, communication, promotion, and personnel.

The emergence of subdisciplines and specialized areas of study has broadened our knowledge base tremendously. Despite the specialization of these fields of study, their focus is still the study of human movement, albeit of a particular facet. The separateness of these specialized fields of study should not be overemphasized; rather, their interrelatedness and their contribution to the discipline of physical education should be stressed.

2.1. Listen to the text and answer the questions:

1. Does the discipline of physical education focus on the study of human movement? 2. Has the knowledge in the field of physical education and sport grown or lessened lately? 3. Which subdisciplines or specialized areas of study emerged in the result of the discipline of physical education development? 4. Has it led to the increase of job opportunities within the physical education and sport field?

2.2. Find the English equivalents in the text for the following words and phrases:

фахівець з формування рухальних умінь; нездатність; хоча; влив; результативність; з точки зору; рухальні вміння; вірування; протягом багатьох років; першочергове значення; довгостроковий; сприяти; робочі вакансії; кадри; робити передбачення; реакція /відповідь; з наміром/метою; відповідний/підходящий; виникати; охоплювати; наука; перебільшувати; навчальна програма; у межах; аеробне споживання; особливий/спеціальний; втома; поведінка; аспект; взаємозалежність; розширювати; оцінка; масштаб; поява; опірно- руховий апарат.

2.3. Read and translate the text with help of dictionary.

2.4. Open the brackets and put the verbs into right tense form:

1. Physical education (be) an educational process that (have) as its aim the

improvement of human performance and enhancement of human development through the medium of physical activities selected to realize this outcome. 2. In this definition, “education” (be) broadly defined as representing the ongoing process of learning and total development that (occur) throughout our lifespan. 3. Physical education (include) the acquisition and refinement of motor skills, the development and maintenance of fitness for optimal health and well-being, the attainment of knowledge about physical activities and exercise, and development of positive attitudes toward physical activity as a means to improve human performance. 4. It also (contribute) to total individual development, and (enhance) one’s quality of life. 5. Physical education (be, not) only concerned with the physical outcomes that (accrue) from participation in activities but also with the development of knowledge and attitudes conductive to lifelong learning and lifespan participation. 6. Physical education (be) concerned with the promotion of active lifestyles for people of all ages and abilities. 7. For the benefits of physical education activities to be realized, physical educators (must, conduct) sound physical education programs and (select) activities judiciously so that participants (may, attain) the maximum benefits from participation.

2.5. Put questions to the words in italics:

1. Many names have been proposed to replace the term “physical education”. 2.These

names include human movement, movement sciences, kinesiology, sport sciences, exercise science and sport science, and physical education and sport. 3. The presigious American Academy of Physical Education endorsed the term “kinesiology”, the study of human movement, as a descriptor for the discipline. 4. Strong support has also been offered for the term “exercise and sport science”. 4. Still other professionals are in favor of retaining the term “physical education”. 5. They argue that instead of changing a title, a new image of physical education should be developed to accurately reflect its evolving nature and expanding scope. 6. The term “physical education”, often in conjunction with the term sport, is used in the text. 7. Physical education has been defined as a process that enhances the development of individuals through carefully selected physical activities.

2.6. Match the words and notions from the columns.

III. Have a dictation.

Physical education has been defined as a process that enhances the development of individuals through carefully selected physical activities. A vital concern of physical education, sport is defined as physical activities with established rules engaged in by individuals attempting to outperform their competitors. These terms are broadly defined to reflect the contemporary status of this dynamic field. The term “physical education and sport” encompasses a diversity of programs ranging from traditional programs serving school-aged individuals to nontraditional programs in a variety of settings serving people of all ages.

IV. Translate the following into English:

Дуже часто фізичне виховання розглядається як навчальна дисципліна, тобто як організована та сформована сукупність знань. Ця дисципліна головним чином зосереджує свою увагу навивченні рухів людини.

За останнє десятиліття ця галузь знань значно разширилась. Із зростанням галузі застосування фізичного виховання росте інтерес до спеціалізованих напрямків у цій галузі.Так виникають та розвиваються такі галузі як спортивна психологія, спортивна медицина, біомеханіка тощо. Одним з наслідків цього процесу є збільшення числа робочих місць у галузі фізичного виховання та спорту.

V. Text II

INTERRELATEDNESS

OF ALL AREAS WITHIN THE DISCIPLINES

The growth of specialized areas of study has led to the development of related career opportunities. One consequence of this specialization is that practitioners in these areas may describe their occupation in terms of their specialty, such as exercise physiologist, sport psychologist, or biomechanist. Physical education students in an effort to fully prepare themselves for a career in a particular area may become too narrowly focused and fail to learn about the other areas within the discipline.

It is important for professionals to be knowledgeable about the specialized areas within the discipline and to have an appreciation and an understanding for interrelatedness of these areas. For example, a professional who is working in the area of corporate fitness certainly needs expertise in exercise physiology to be able to evaluate the fitness levels of program participants and to design exercise prescriptions for them.

The professional philosophy will also guide the manner in which the program is conducted. Additionally, the practitioner may find knowledge from the realm of sport psychology helpful in motivating individuals to adhere to there exercise programs and to work at their fullest potential. Teaching skills (pedagogy) will assist the practitioner in clearly explaining exercises and activities to the program’s participants and in educating them about the values to be delivered from participation.

If as part of corporate fitness program one teaches participants sports skills, for example, how to play tennis, one needs to be knowledgeable about the principles of motor learning. Application of motor learning theory enables the practitioner to teach the participants the skills most efficiently and effectively and in such a way that they experience success. Success in performing skills is an important factor in motivating participants to continue to participate in activity throughout their lifetime. Knowledge gleaned from the area of motor development will help the practitioner design experiences appropriate for the age of the participants.

Perhaps one of the program’s participants complains of pain while jogging. An understanding of biomechanics will be useful in evaluating the participant’s jogging technique, and knowledge from the area of sports medicine will be helpful in the prevention of injuries. As a future practitioner, it is important to learn about the entire discipline of physical education and the relationship among the specialized areas.

5.1. Listen to the text “Interrelatedness of All areas within the Disciplines”.

5.2. Read and translate the text with help of dictionary in writing.

5.3. P ut all types of the questions (general, alternative, disjunctive, special) on

the text.

5.4. Make the sentence below Negative and Interrogative (and also in Past and Future Indefinite):

The sport psychologist helps individuals achieve their optimal level of performance.

VI. Play out the conversation:

- I’ve never supposed that the discipline of physical education comprises so many

various subdisciplines.

- No wonder. With increase of knowledge in that field there have appeared

specialized areas of study.

- And what are the most common of them?

- They are sport sociology, biomechanics, sport medicine, exercise physiology, sport philosophy, sport management, adapted physical education, etc.

- Are they all interrelated?

- It goes without saying. Understanding each of them is necessary.

- You have said it.

VII. Retell the topic: