1. Adolescent Development in Physical Education
KNR 242

2. Who Will You be Teaching?
What do you know about adolescents? What do you think about them?
What are adolescents interested in?
What are some descriptors/adjectives you would use to describe adolescents?

3. Who Is Today’s Adolescent?
24.3% of U.S. population is under 18 years old
Adolescent population is more diverse than general population:
Language other than English spoken at home: 19.6%
Families below poverty level: 9.9%
White
Hispanic
African Amer.
Asian
Adolescents
62.9
15.6
14.5
3.6
All ages
69.1
12.6
12.1
3.7

4. Who Is Today’s Adolescent?
Adolescent population is growing (16.6% increase from )
More adolescents live in the suburbs:
Two thirds of adolescents live with both parents:
Asian: vs Living with both parents
White: vs Living with mother only
Hispanic: vs. 26.3
Afr. Amer: vs. 46.0
Suburban
Urban
Rural
53.8
27.2
19.0

5. Who Is Today’s Adolescent?
Teens have money to spend. Their yearly discretionary income increases from nearly $1,500 at age 12 to 13 to nearly $4,500 by age 16 to 17.
As a group, Teens of all ages spent a projected $112.5 billion dollars in
Top 10 Items Teens Last Bought with Their Own Money By Percent (%)
Overall Rank
Males
Females
1. Clothes 21 43
2. Food 30 31
Candy 24 34
3. Soda/Soft Drinks 26 32
4. Salty Snacks (i.e. chips) 15 22
4. CDs or Recorded Music 19 18
Overall Rank
Males
Females
5. Lunch 13 22
6. Shoes 15 16
7. Video Games 18 5
Jewelry 7
Magazines 9 12
10. Ice Cream 10

6. Define a physically literate person?
NASPE
Demonstrates competency in a variety of motor skills and movement patterns.
Applies knowledge of concepts, principles, strategies and tactics related to movement and performance.
Demonstrates the knowledge and skills to achieve and maintain a health-enhancing level of physical activity and fitness.
Exhibits responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others.
Recognizes the value of physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression and/or social interaction.
Adolescents and Physical Activity (Pearson, 2013)
A. Define a physically educated person:
- Can you define a physically educated person?
- Would you consider yourself physically educated?
- Can you identify the three domains of learning in this definition?
What do you think is the hardest part of this definition to get across to teens?
How do you justify inclusion of PE in schools? (all write a response, share with partner  class)
C. What is the difference between Physical Activity and Physical Education?
“Physical activity is a behavior and physical education is a curricular area that helps students to develop physical and cognitive skills while engaging in physical activity. Providing time for unstructured physical activity is not the same as providing instructional time for meeting the goals of quality physical education.”
However, it’s undeniable that children and youth need both physical activity and physical education.

7. Focus of Physical Education
Traditionally we have emphasized the product
Shift toward emphasizing process
Fitness scores are influenced by many factors that are out of our control
Fitness testing should be used for educational purposes not grading
Focus of Physical Education:
Physical activity is the process while physical fitness is the product. The process should be the focus so students learn the skills and concepts needed to be physically active.
Improved fitness is usually a product of regular participation in physical activity.
Many factors influence fitness that are out of our control. For example? heredity, age and maturation, access to space and equipment, etc.
Why should fitness scores not be used for grading purposes? Several reasons:
- Poor scores will discourage students from trying in the future.
- Also, since there are outside factors at work, it may not be fair to all.
- Errors can and will occur in the testing
- Teachers may not be well trained in administering the tests
- Some may use techniques that cause children to give up due to embarrassment
- Students may cheat on the test (you cannot watch every child being tested)
Plus, should physical education be judged entirely on fitness test scores? Is that all we do??

8. Factors that influence youth physical activity
Biological
Psychological
Social and economic
Factors that influence activity?  
1. Biological:
Gender – boys are more active. Why is this? Due to biology or socializing?
biology - muscle mass increases
OR socializing – boys get more opportunities and encouragement.
Age - older = less active
2. Psychological:
Self-efficacy - confidence in one’s ability. Teachers have a huge ability to put people in a situation where they’ll be successful.
Time – offer suggestions for different skills (things in the area that students can do) along with time mgmt. skills
Perceived behavioral control – how much control you have over what you do. This, coupled with subjective norms (what others think) are huge factors. In teens, concern is what peers think (parent’s input important too – but peers are a stronger influence as teens grow older).
Enjoyment – having fun does not mean rolling out the ball. Building competence and confidence are important. For teens, enjoyment of the activity vs. understanding that exercise helps prevent disease --- enjoyment always wins out.
3. Social and Economic:
SES – more education = higher activity levels
Race and Ethnicity – also affects activity levels but more so in terms of how race and ethnicity are related to SES levels and education
Gender – must encourage and reward both boys and girls.
 Based on these 3 factors, which area(s) do teachers have the most influence over? enjoyment and self-efficacy

9. Growth and Development Factors
Growth Spurts: girls at age 9-12, boys at age 11-13
Height: 98% of adult height achieved by -
girls at age 16, final growth by age 18
boys at age 18, final growth by age 20-21
Weight Gain During Teens: girls ~35 lbs., boys ~45 lbs.
Overweight vs. Overfat
Muscle Fiber Differentiation
Adolescent Growth and Development (Himberg Ch. 4, Pearson Ch. 2)
What is the difference between growth and maturation?
Growth = change in size
Maturation = biological process toward an adult state
Growth and maturation differ among individuals. See Ht./Wt. chart pg.30-31
Growth Information
Growth spurts: girls – about age 9-12, boys – about age Girls are often taller during early adolescence (middle school years).
Height: 98% of adult height achieved by girls at age 16, boys at 18.
Final growth often by age 18 (girls) and (boys)
Weight gain: girls gain about 35 lbs., boys about 45 lbs. Important to differentiate between overweight and overfat.
A muscular build may appear overweight according to height/weight charts but that may or may not be true. The concern is with children who are overfat who are at risk for disease like heart disease or type 2 diabetes.
Muscle Fiber: amount of slow and fast twitch fibers genetically determined. Thus someone with predominant slow twitch fibers likely won’t do well in a team sports dominated class which relies on quickness and strength  need a varied CR.

10. Physical Growth and Development
Middle School
High School
Rapid swings in metabolism
Increased height and weight
Lack of coordination
Sexual gender characteristics occur
Hormonal changes leading to mood swings
Wide range of physical development
Some may still experience rapid growth spurts
Boys gain more muscle than fat; girls gain more fat than muscle
High potential for increasing muscular strength and endurance
Bones are still growing
Loss of flexibility
Physical Growth and Development (From the Rink Text):
Middle School on left:
Metabolic changes can be manifested in growth spurts.
As shown earlier, this is one of the prime times in life when there is significant weight change.
Lack of coordination makes them appear gawky, clumsy
Sexual characteristics begin to appear – locker room implications
When you realize the moodiness is likely due to hormonal changes, it makes the moodiness more understandable.
When we observe at the middle school, you will see tremendous differences in size between and among boys and girls.
High school on right:
Some later developers will still continue to grow throughout high school.
During this time, the type of weight gain that occurs differs between boys and girls. This underlies the importance of regular physical activity for them.
High potential for increasing muscular strength and endurance. Important for you to realize the correct way to train, lift weights, etc.
Bones are still growing –
Loss of flexibility – but can be minimized with good stretching technique and flexibility exercises
Physical Growth and Development (body types)
Mesomorphs – muscular appearance
Endomorphs – soft and round protruding stomachs, obese
Ectomorphs – thin, skinny
With everything else that is going on during teen years, it can be difficult for teens who
want to fit in but have endo- or ecto- morph appearance. They want peer acceptance and to look like everyone else. Their body shape can influence their ability to be successful and active in a class.
Eating disorders: more prevalent? Statistically, 5-10% of teen age girls and women will suffer from this. Do you know anyone with an eating disorder? Cite examples.

11. Physical Growth and Development
Maturation: will have a variety of early and late maturing students. Students will grow into their bodies.
Aerobic Capacity: time vs. distance
Strength: differences for boys and girls
Maturation: Mix of early and late bloomers in physical educationunderlines importance of a varied CR to appeal to many.
Aerobic Capacity: Increases with age during elementary years. Oxygen uptake increases with boys, stops for females around 14. Female tapering due to development of reproductive body fat.
Implication: people respond to training differently. Two people can have the same training and have different results. Again, don’t focus on fitness test scores. Is it wrong to test for physical fitness? No, as long as focus stays on process, not product.
Also adjust workload to time rather than distance.
Strength: boys and girls can be fairly even when the activity focuses on leg strength. When focus shifts to arms, chest, shoulders, boys will win.
Bottom line: focus on activity entirely? No. Plan activities that demand a wide range of physical attributes

12. Intellectual Development
Middle School
High School
Capable of abstract thought
Beginning to question and understand complex cause and effect relationships
Curious
Unlikely to be interested unless material is personally relevant
Reaching adult cognitive abilities
Increase in ability to use language
Increased memory
Increased interest and capacity to understand abstract thinking and problem solving
Intellectual Development From the Rink Text
Middle School on left:
Note the changes that appear – their ability to cognitively process has improved. Now capable of much more abstract thinking and reasoning.
Cause and effect – if you point it out to them, more likely to see it. Should be able to behave more appropriately in that they should be able to recognize the effect of their actions.
While they are curious about many things, they are most interested in material that is personally relevant to them.
High School on right:
Much higher order thinking and reasoning now going on.
Better able to express themselves through language.
Are now more capable to learn to defer gratification – understand that the benefits of fitness will be seen in the future and not today.

13. Intellectual Development
Justification for Physical Education based on its positive relationship with academics?
Should physical education be valued solely on its impact on academics?
Cognitive Objectives:
List, Define, Describe, Identify, Label, Name
Summarize, Compare, Contrast, Estimate, Interpret
Apply, Examine, Solve
Integrate, Create, Design, Modify
Assess, Evaluate, Conclude
Intellectual Development
Youth today are better informed than other generations due to ease of getting information. Thus, must be able to make good decisions about what they find.
 Is it OK to justify PE solely because it helps with some academics?
Can our objectives get beyond “recite cues”?
Knowledge verbs: list, define, describe, identify, show, label, name
Comprehension verbs: summarize, interpret, compare, predict, estimate, discuss, contrast
Application verbs: apply, demonstrate, complete, illustrate, adapt, examine, solve
Analysis verbs: analyze, explain, compare, infer, order
Synthesis verbs: integrate, plan, create, design, formulate, invent, modify
Evaluation verbs: assess, evaluate, examine, decide, rank, discriminate, conclude
Partner activity: come up with cognitive objectives that address different levels.

14. Social Development Seeking independence from adults
High School
Middle School
Seeking independence from adults
Can show both maturity and immaturity
Very group oriented
Moody, sensitive
Self-conscious
Views their problems as unique
Interested in opposite gender
Begin to break reliance on peer groups
Explore relationships with opposite gender
Can be expected to display appropriate social behavior
Social Development - Rink text:
Middle School on left:
Trying to assert their independence. Can encourage this by giving them choices in activity, grouping etc. and encouraging them to make a good choice.
Have to realize that where they are socially, means they will have immature days.
Group oriented – tend to move in a pack. Should realize who the groups are – may not always be wise to let certain groups work together
Moody, self-conscious, sensitive – a teasing, sarcastic sense of humor does not go over very well at this age. They tend to take it personally.
Viewing problems as unique - As stated before – interested in things that are personally relevant.
Socially developing interest in the other gender.
High School on right:
Reliance on peer groups: able to work more independently.
Begin to establish relationships with opposite gender – not necessarily dating, but able to be friends
Fully capable of exhibiting appropriate social behavior – so that should be the expectation.

15. Social Development Physical Education Dropouts
Reinforcement of early maturing students
Social Development
- For teens, must realize the importance of peer groups. They compete with parents in terms of rank with teens.
- Teens need to learn to accept responsibility for their actions.
- Realize that boys and girls mature at different rates
- As they get older (high school), teens become more accepting of others, despite differences
PE Dropouts: Often occurs at Middle School due to negative feelings about activity
Reinforcement of Early Maturers: These kids often considered better athletes and get that reinforced by teachers and peers. This becomes Self Fulfilling:
Good athletes usually are early maturers  get placed at skill position (SB – pitch vs. right field)  reinforces their success
Brainstorm affective behaviors: leadership, teamwork, respect, sportsmanship, cooperation, etc.
Write an objective  Share and compare

16. Motor Skill Development
Fitts & Posner, 1967
Cognitive Stage
Motor Stage
Autonomous Stage
Development is content specific
Motor Skill Development
Students learn different skills at different rates. Cannot assume that if someone is skillful at one sport it will transfer to another.
Fitts and Posner is a useful way to understand how people learn motor skills.
It's a 3-Stage approach:
Cognitive: - Heavy focus on the processing of information
- Learner has to focus on how to do the movement, little attention paid to outside influences (other players, strategy, attacking the defense)
- needs mental rehearsal (may say steps aloud)
- movement isn’t fluid, it’s inconsistent
- learner usually unable to self correct
Motor (Associative): - Temporal (timing) adjustments are made along with coordination of movement.
- Gradually able to cope with outside environment.
- Learners benefit from feedback but may stay in this stage a long time.
- they can consistently demonstrate fundamentals
- fewer errors are seen, the learner can self-correct
Autonomous (Automatic): - How to do the mvmt is no longer primary importance.
- Learner can do the skill automatically without thinking about it.
- Performance is consistent and adapts to outside environment.
- Performance flows, looks effortless
- Can perform in a variety of settings
Soccer dribbling example: Cues for soccer dribbling? Almost always includes “eyes up” – but a learner at Stage 1 may not be capable of that. Need to assess where the learners are and teach to that level.

17. Implications of Student Differences for Teaching
Knowing individual differences helps teachers individualize instruction.
Students in one grade level may be as much as 11 months different in age, not counting older students who have been held back.
Motor ability factors predispose students to success in different activities (agility, balance, coordination, flexibility, strength, speed).
Programs should include a variety of activities so students will find something commensurate with their abilities and be challenged to extend their abilities.
Other factors that influence learning:
Must create an environment in which different learning styles can be accommodated and then empower the learner to become an active
participant.
Being aware of differing ages to better accommodate students who are physically more mature or less mature.
This shows the importance of providing a challenging CR appropriate to their age level.
Examples where you’ve seen things that are too hard or easy for the students?  
These motor learning factors (agility, balance, coordination, flexibility, strength, speed) may really help someone in team sports 

18. Eliminate embarrassment and failure.
Exercise as punishment
Choosing teams
Elimination games
Fitness testing by putting individuals in the spotlight
Grading policies
Anything that causes public humiliation has no place in a physical education program.
How many of these things have you seen/experienced?
Do not post personal fitness scores or top scores unless you also post most improved.
Re: grading policies: focus on the process over the product.