Categories of Body Movement - Week 1

The first lesson in Physical Education (PE) came as a complete surprise to me. My expectations were different to the delivered class and it was a refreshing, informative and interactive session. Aspects of our personal perceptions of each other and self were explored and this gave rise to a meaningful discussion and group sharing of information. The definition of PE states that it is a non-competitive and non-academic discipline, but it is the instruction and care of the body ranging from callisthenic exercises to a course of study, providing training in hygiene, gymnastics and the performance and management of athletic games. PE allows the development of skills that would not otherwise be learnt. It was apparent from this lesson how valuable the pedagogy needs to be for children to delve into another dimension of their learning. Awareness of body, developing body confidence and movements, learning in a structured organised manner and in a comfortable environment. 

The definition of movement is the act or process of moving people or things from one place or another position. In the body it is the motion of all or part of the body, especially at a joint or joints. Ball and socket joints give the greatest range of movement in the body, however other movements may depend on several joints to work together to create a particular movement. Category of movements include abduction, adduction, angular motion, circumduction, dorsiflexion, plantar flexion, elevation, depression, extension, flexion, gliding, opposition, pronation, supination, retraction and rotation. 

The class discussion veered in the direction of learning how to move and in greater depth about the movements. The learning of body movements can take place in three domains cognitive (knowledge), affective (attitudes) and psychomotor (skills) which can be explored through the whole body. PE can be used to teach other subjects such as Mathematics and therefore as an integrated subject otherwise known as using a 'thematic'' approach.

Although there was no practical session in this class, there were demonstrations of the category of movements during the class, which put the descriptions of each, into a visual context.

Categories of Movements

Ref:
Innvista: Types of Movement
http://innvista.com/health/anatomy/types-of-movement/