The Effects of grouping by perceived ability on the attitude of Year Ten students toward Physical Education

Abstract

Given the challenges to maintain adolescent engagement and participation in Physical Education lessons, and the reported deleterious effects of inactivity on children's health, secondary school PE teachers are keen to find effective methods to sustain student commitment. This paper reports on the approach used at one school in Ontario Canada to investigate the effects of ability grouping on Year 10 students' attitudes to PE. The method of enquiry is based upon the perceived ability of two groups of fifty students, which are assigned to streamed PE classes, and a third group, which is used for comparison. Efficiency in fundamental motor skills provides an empirical comparison to perceived ability. Changes in attitudes to PE are measured and effects on perceived ability grouping ascertained. Implications for engagement and attitudes to PE are explored.