Page 328 - Štremfel, Urška, and Maša Vidmar (eds.). 2018. Early School Leaving: Contemporary European Perspectives. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut.
P. 328
ear ly school leaving: contempor ary european perspectives
is a very important part of a student’s academic motivation and an aspect
where ESLers often need encouragement (Benard, 1991).
Share (Share et al., 2013) also states that activities related to physical
activity in mainstream and alternative education focus mainly on cur-
riculum-based approaches to introducing physical activity to students.
Approaches tend to be passive and not geared to the different needs of young
people in different education settings. Especially for ESLers, there is a great
need for innovative and practical responses that are enjoyable for them
and address their social and emotional needs such as their lack of a sense
of belonging to a peer group or community (Cederberg & Hartsmar, 2013;
Frostad, Pijl, & Mjaavatn, 2014), lack of motivation for learning (Schargel
& Smink, 2004) and maladaptive school behaviour in general (ibid.). The
social and emotional well-being of ESLers through physical education is
therefore an area that needs improvement.
Physical activity in community learning
In the previous chapter, we established how physical activity is important
for the physical, mental, emotional and social well-being of ESLers. It is
an important point where those aspects can be strengthened and encour-
aged as part of prevention and compensation strategies to reduce ESL rates
where both schools and community-based programmes play an important
role. One of the most recognisable ways in the literature and policy docu-
ments (e.g. European Commission, 2013; Luthar, Shoum, & Brown, 2006;
Zarret & Eccles, 2009) to achieve this are extracurricular activities after
and outside school and different community-based programmes that offer
learning, social and emotional support to ESLers.
Extracurricular physical (sports) activities after and outside school
can raise self-esteem, improve motivation and support learning process-
es (Corneliβen & Pfeifer, 2007; Zarret & Eccles, 2009). Another important
aim of such activities in the context of ESL is to keep children off the street.
Studies (e.g. Corneliβen & Pfeifer, 2007) show that free time allocated to ac-
tivities such as sports reduces the chance of students participating in more
harmful activities (e.g. watching television, smoking, drinking etc.) and, as
such, has an indirect positive effect on educational productivity. The im-
portance of preventive extracurricular and out-of-school sport activities
for preventing ESL is therefore uncontested.
In certain areas, schools might also be the only institution available
with sports facilities (e.g. gyms, sports equipment) that allow for non-formal
328
is a very important part of a student’s academic motivation and an aspect
where ESLers often need encouragement (Benard, 1991).
Share (Share et al., 2013) also states that activities related to physical
activity in mainstream and alternative education focus mainly on cur-
riculum-based approaches to introducing physical activity to students.
Approaches tend to be passive and not geared to the different needs of young
people in different education settings. Especially for ESLers, there is a great
need for innovative and practical responses that are enjoyable for them
and address their social and emotional needs such as their lack of a sense
of belonging to a peer group or community (Cederberg & Hartsmar, 2013;
Frostad, Pijl, & Mjaavatn, 2014), lack of motivation for learning (Schargel
& Smink, 2004) and maladaptive school behaviour in general (ibid.). The
social and emotional well-being of ESLers through physical education is
therefore an area that needs improvement.
Physical activity in community learning
In the previous chapter, we established how physical activity is important
for the physical, mental, emotional and social well-being of ESLers. It is
an important point where those aspects can be strengthened and encour-
aged as part of prevention and compensation strategies to reduce ESL rates
where both schools and community-based programmes play an important
role. One of the most recognisable ways in the literature and policy docu-
ments (e.g. European Commission, 2013; Luthar, Shoum, & Brown, 2006;
Zarret & Eccles, 2009) to achieve this are extracurricular activities after
and outside school and different community-based programmes that offer
learning, social and emotional support to ESLers.
Extracurricular physical (sports) activities after and outside school
can raise self-esteem, improve motivation and support learning process-
es (Corneliβen & Pfeifer, 2007; Zarret & Eccles, 2009). Another important
aim of such activities in the context of ESL is to keep children off the street.
Studies (e.g. Corneliβen & Pfeifer, 2007) show that free time allocated to ac-
tivities such as sports reduces the chance of students participating in more
harmful activities (e.g. watching television, smoking, drinking etc.) and, as
such, has an indirect positive effect on educational productivity. The im-
portance of preventive extracurricular and out-of-school sport activities
for preventing ESL is therefore uncontested.
In certain areas, schools might also be the only institution available
with sports facilities (e.g. gyms, sports equipment) that allow for non-formal
328
