Movement Education is a framework for physical education that was pioneered in the 1970s by Rudolf von Laban. It focuses on developing students' movement skills and knowledge through four key concepts: body, space, effort, and relationships. The framework aims to foster learning in cognitive, physical, and social-emotional domains. It emphasizes developing basic movement literacy to promote lifelong physical activity. Movement Education is well-aligned with physical education curriculum standards and can be implemented through encouraging student problem-solving, group work, and using movement-focused language.

1. +
Movement Education
A Guide and Explanation to the Approach

2. + What Is Movement Education?
 The origins of Movement Education date way back to the 1970s where
Rudolf von Laban pioneered the framework, identifying its four key factors
of movement as: weight, space, time and flow (Abels & Bridges, 2011;
Peter & Walter, 2010).
 Later developments of the framework saw its movement concepts as a
means for teachers to foster learning in the cognitive, psychomotor and
affective domains (Weiller Abels, 2010).
 The four movement concepts can be further described as: body (the
action), space (where the body moves), effort (the quality of the
movement), and relationships (what the body comes into contact with as it
moves) (Weiller Abels, 2010; Peter & Walter, 2010).
 The framework is most effective when teachers focus on extensively
developing their knowledge about movement in order to best help their
students in becoming skilled with all components of movement (Weiller
Abels, 2010).
 It is considered to be the most basic framework for physical education (PE)
as it delivers all the basics that teachers require to implement the
foundation for teaching PE (Weiller Abels, 2010).

3. + What Is Movement Education?
(cont…)
 It focuses not only on nurturing motor skills, but also the development of
movement knowledge. Furthermore, movement education encourages
learners to develop a movement vocabulary and to classify movement,
which in turn can be used to learn, enhance and execute many different
types of movements (Weiller Abels, 2010).
 It emphasises that students should be able to demonstrate basic
movement concepts and patterns in order to be ‘physically literate’ and
competent in confidently participating in more demanding physical activities
(Lubans, Morgan, Cliff, Barnett & Okely, 2010; Peter & Walter, 2010).
 The framework focuses on taking place in a highly social and inclusive
setting where its key values centralise on the success, activity and
contributions of all students (Weiller Abels, 2010).
 It encourages students to become more independent and responsible for
their learning, allowing opportunities for solving movement problems,
creative thinking and making choices about what they learn (Peter &
Walter, 2010).

4. + Why Choose Movement Education?
 Movement Education is a highly versatile framework for almost any teacher as it is extremely
adaptable to suit any stage or year level and any developmental stage (Weiller Abels, 2010).
 The core of its framework: learning basic movements is the common denominator of all content
featured in physical education (Peter & Walter, 2010).
 The vocabulary involved can be beneficial and utilised throughout the entire teaching and learning
process including introductions, assessment, feedback and conclusions. Additionally, the
vocabulary can foster clearer and more effective communication between students and the
teacher, creating a more harmonious learning environment (Weiller Abels, 2010).
 It requires children to go a step beyond simply learning the necessary skills. It extends by
prompting them to apply movements and theorise solutions to complex movement problems
(Weiller Abels, 2010).
 It provides chances for students to make decisions about their learning that enhances their
engagement, interest and confidence in the content (Peter & Walter, 2010).
 The framework develops a range of skills including locomotor (walk, hop, jump), and manipulative
(throw, roll, strike) (Abels & Bridges, 2011; Lubans et al., 2010).
 It promotes life-long participation in physical activity and promotes better individual health and
wellbeing (Sevimli-Celik & Johnson, 2015).
 It develops both physical and cognitive skills and abilities (Sevimli-Celik & Johnson, 2015).

5. + Relation To The PDHPE Syllabus
 The implementation of the Movement Education Framework links well with the
content, objectives, skills and outcomes in the PDHPE K-6 syllabus as listed below:
 Objectives:
* “To develop students’ skills in: moving with competence and confidence.”
* “To develop students’ knowledge and understanding about: the composition,
performance and appraisal of movement.”
(BOSTES, 2007, p. 8)
 Skills (development of 5 essential skills):
* Communicating, Decision Making, Interacting, Moving and Problem Solving
(BOSTES, 2007).
 Outcomes:
* Active Lifestyle – eg. “ALS1.6 Participates in physical activity, recognising that it can
be both enjoyable and important for health” (BOSTES, 2007, p. 26).
* Games and Sports – eg. “GSS1.8 Performs fundamental movement skills with
equipment in minor games” (BOSTES, 2007, p. 28).
 Content:
* Active Lifestyle – eg. “Ways to be active – skill development activities” (BOSTES,
2007, p. 36).
* Games and Sports – eg. “Manipulative skills – rolling, stopping, throwing…”
(BOSTES, 2007, p. 36).

6. + How Could It Be Implemented?
 Teachers need to apply the framework’s general objectives: success for
all, activity for all, and contribution by all (Abels & Bridges, 2011).
 Provide opportunities and encouragement for students to take
ownership of their learning by making independent movement
decisions and using problem solving skills (Peter & Walter, 2010).
 Give explicit instructions when guiding a movement activity and ask
prompting questions consistently to promote higher order thinking and
enhancement of skills (Abels & Bridges, 2011).
 Set lots of group work experiences to foster positive social relationships
and constructivist learning pathways where students learn from their
peers (Woolfolk & Margetts, 2013).
 Allow for maximum success in simultaneous cognitive and physical
development by using “a process of discovery, techniques of problem
solving, and the view of many answers being correct responses” (Abels
& Bridges, 2011).

7. + References
Abels, K. W., & Bridges, J. (2011). Movement Education Framework (MEF) Made EZ!. Strategies, 25(2), 8-10.
Board of Studies, NSW. (2007). Personal development, health and physical education K-6: Syllabus. Sydney,
Australia: Author.
Lubans, D. R., Morgan, P. J., Cliff, D. P., Barnett, L. M., & Okely, A. D. (2010). Fundamental movement skills in
children and adolescents: Review of associated health benefits. Sports Medicine, 40(12),
1019-1035.
Peter, M., & Walter, O. (2010). Developing movement as inclusive pedagogy. Support for Learning, 25(1),
38-46.
Sevimli-Celik, S., & Johnson, J. E. (2015). Teacher preparation for movement education: increasing pre-
service teachers’ competence for working with young children. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher
Education, 1-15.
Weiller Abels, K. (2010). Teaching movement education. Human Kinetics.
Woolfolk, A., & Margetts, K. (2013). Educational Psychology (3rd ed.). Frenchs Forest, Australia: Pearson
Australia.