Teaching outdoor and adventure activities: an investigation of a primary school physical education professional development p

Teaching Methodologies 
Direct teaching was reported as the main strategy used by most teachers. The literature 
also views direct teaching as a desirable approach when a teacher wishes the children to 
correctly copy a certain skill (Government of Ireland, 1999b; MacFayden, 2000). 
Additionally this format ensures effective management, as control, is more firmly 
placed with the teacher. Interview data provided suggested that direct teaching was 
prevalent, in order to avoid accidents and the teacher wanted to be in control;
 ‘Anxious 
with class of 31 is that some might disappear’ 
(FGT Nancy JI). 
‘Class-size and 
organisation plays a huge role in the successful teaching of a lesson’
(FGT Sean 5).
Integration was rarely used. In interview, when it was mentioned, it seemed to be 
mainly integration with Irish through use of the basic commands. Guided discovery, the 
methodology least used by teachers, should be made available to the child and they 
should be educated in the use of this method in order to develop them as independent 
thinkers and to develop an appreciation of physical education and what it has to offer.
Group teaching although incorporated into lessons seemed only to facilitate social 
development and dividing classes into teams was also classified as group work.
Barriers and Supports 
Barriers 
The main barriers that teachers noted were class size, lack of confidence, lack of 
facilities, location of equipment stores, lack of time and a lack of a school plan for PE.
The primary concern for those teachers, who see class size as a constraint, is safety and 
control. Teachers, especially junior teachers, would welcome an assistant, or ‘extra pair 

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of hands’ during physical education lessons in order to help them manage both the 
children and the equipment. Over a third of all respondents felt lack of confidence 
constrained them in their teaching of all strands. This lack of confidence was attributed 
to; lack of subject content knowledge, class size and fear of injury. 
A lack of facilities for the teaching of physical education is recognised both 
nationally and internationally as a constraint in implementing curricula and programmes 
(Deenihan, 2005; Houses of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Science, 
2005; Irish National Teachers' Organisation, 2004b; Marshall & Hardman, 2000). This 
school is no different although the school has good outdoor facilities, it has very poor 
indoor facilities;
‘Our lack of facilities severely impedes some PE programmes’
(FGT 
Eileen 3). Most (94.7%) teachers felt that adequate space indoors and outdoors was 
‘very important’ to the implementation of a quality PE programme. 
The location of the three equipment stores seemed to be a problem for all the 
teachers. The teachers were happy with the school’s physical education equipment but 
availing of it was the difficulty,
 
 
not just with the stores locations but the fact that on 
many occasions the equipment wasn’t there when you went for it; 
‘
Equipment isn't 
always readily accessible’
(FGT Kate JI). 
Following discussions with the staff and the Principal, it was established the 
school did not have a policy with regard to the provision of physical education. This 
was due to the fact that the school is attempting to devise policies and procedures for all 
twelve subjects of the curriculum. Priorities had been given to certain subjects and to 
certain areas of school management. Teachers also felt that lack of time was a huge 
barrier in providing quality physical education; time to plan, time to organise resources 
when planning, time to set up equipment and time to fit physical education in, in an ever 
demanding curriculum.