The Impact of Integrated Movement-Based Activities on Primary School Aged Students in the Classroom

Abstract

Movement-based activities can have benefits for children from informal early childhood settings to more formal education contexts in primary schools. Integrated movement-based activities (IMBAs) are activities involving physical movement that are used to teach subjects other than physical education in the primary school curriculum. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact that IMBAs have on primary school aged students. The study was conducted in lower and upper primary classrooms. The data was collected from the perspectives of students, teachers and a researcher using self-reflection journals, numeracy tests, self-rating scales of concentration levels, teacher interviews and researcher observations and reflections. The data was then analysed using open-coding methods. The study found that, when a supporting and structured classroom environment is established, IMBAs impact positively on students’ concentration, enjoyment of learning, engagement in learning and interpersonal relationships.