Issues, challenges and the future of physical eduaction and sport

 

I.

 

Many issues and challengers confront the physical education and sport profession today. As professionals we need to be cognizant of the issues concerning the profession at all levels. As a physical educator you may be perceived by the public as an expert in matters involving physical education and sport. As such you need up-to-date information on current issues so that you may give accurate and knowledgeable answers to the public’s queries in an easily understood manner. This requires that you keep abreast of events and developments through newspapers, television, professional journals, and professional meetings and conferences.

The professional is also facing a great number of challenges. As professionals we must take an active role in meeting these challenges. This requires commitment and professional leadership at all levels. The continued growth of the profession, its vitality and its future depends on practitioners’ commitment and leadership.

 

 

II.

 

There exist a lot of issues and challengers confronting the physical education and sport profession today. The widespread interest in sport by people in our society and the media has made many of these issues very visible.

Following an overview of the issues in physical education and sport today, three issues identified by the American Academy of Physical Education as being of great importance to the profession were discussed. First, the Academy stressed that professionals need to become more active in the physical activity and fitness consumer movement. Second, physical educators must place more emphasis on teaching ethical and moral values through physical education and sport programs. Third, the Academy perceived a need for physical educators to become more active in the conducting of youth sport programs. Two additional issues were also discussed. As the discipline of physical education continues to grow, professionals are concerned about the fragmentation of the field and the title of the discipline. The final issue examine was the gap between research and practice.

Many challenges face physical educators. First, physical educators are faced with the challenge of promoting daily high-quality physical education in the schools. The second challenge is to become more actively involved in public relations. Professionals in all settings must market their programs. The third challenge is to attain the goals set forth in the reports “Objectives for the Nation” and “Healthy People 2000”. These specific fitness and exercise objectives focus on improving the health status of all Americans. If these objectives are to be achieved, each physical educator must make a personal commitment to work with professional organizations to accomplish this task and to be a role model exemplifying a healthy, active lifestyle. Lastly, promoting lifespan involvement in physical activity requires physical educators to provide a diversity of services to individuals of all ages. Physical education and sport has the potential to enhance the health and quality of life of people of all ages. Helping individuals to realize this potential is one of our biggest challenges.

The issues and challenges confronting professionals are many. If we are to deal with them, physical educators must be knowledgeable about the discipline of physical education and be willing to assume leadership positions. The manner in which the profession deals with these issues and meets the challenges confronting it will influence the future of physical education and sport.

 

III.

 

Planning and knowing what the future will be like is essential if physical educators are to take an active part in the direction and shaping of the future. Professionals must start planning for the future now. Such planning requires that professionals recognize that rapid change is characteristic of our way of life.

Several societal trends will influence the future of physical education and sport. The wellness movement and the fitness movement present excellent opportunities for physical educators to involve individuals of all ages in appropriate physical activity. The educational reform movement and the changing nature of education indicates that physical educators, more than ever before, need to inform the public and decision makers about the contribution of physical education to the educational process. Expanding frontiers of the habitual universe, developments in communications, and other technological developments will influence the future of physical education and sport as well.

Physical educators can prepare for the future in several ways. First, physical educators need to establish jurisdiction over their domain by obtaining the proper credentials and actively seeking leadership positions. Second, physical educators need to improve the delivery systems. We must provide for people of all ages and utilize technological advances to facilitate learning. We must take an active role in helping individuals prepare for space and underwater living. The future of physical education and sport is coming, but only physical educators can determine where it is going.

 

 

2.1. Listen to the text “Issues, Challenges and the Future of Physical Education

and Sport”.

2.2. Answer the questions:

 

1. Do any issues and challenges confront the physical education and sport

profession today? 2.What must the professionals be cognizant of? 3. How should the physical educators communicate with the public? 4. What helps professionals to meet the challengers? 5. What makes the issues very visible? 6. What issues are considered as being of great importance to the profession? 7. Do any challenges face physical educators? 8. Name some of them. 9. What will influence the future of physical education and sport? 10. How can physical educators prepare the future? 11. Who can determine where the future of physical education is going?

 

2.3. Find the English equivalents from the text for the following:

 

проблеми та задачі, стоять перед, бути обізнаним, сприймати, громадськість, сучасний/новітній, фахівця з питань фізичного виховання та спорту, поточні питання, точний/влучний, питання, у доступній манері, компетентний, іти в ногу/ бути в курсі, як такий, стояти обличчям до, посідати активну позицію у роз’язанні цих проблем, співучасть, життєстійкість, залежати від, вимагати, видимий, ідентифікувати, галузь споживання фітнес-послуг, відводити більше місця, етичні та моральні цінності, фрагментація, останнє питання, яке розглядається, розрив/ущелина, активно залучатися до суспільних стосунків, викладати, досягати, статус здоров’я, нарешті/на завершення, виконувати задачу, бути прикладом, рольова модель, протягом усього життя, сприяти заняттям фізичною активністю, різноманітність, готовий (охоче зробити щось), суттєвий, швидкий, характерна особливість/риса, тенденція, відповідний, горизонти, які розширюються, середовище проживання, люди, які приймають рішення/керівники, відмінні можливості, також, встановити юристдикцію, системи забезпечення, галузь, належні повноваження, технологічні досягнення, сприяти навчанню, охопити людей різного віку, використовувати, вирішувати/з’ясовувати/визначати, майбутнє йде

 

2.4. Put questions to the words and phrases in italic:

 

1. Numerous issues confront professional in physical education and sport today. 2. Problems within sport e xist at all levels. 3. At the professional level, gambling and drug abuse have commanded a great deal of attention, as have astronomical player salaries and striking players and game officials. 4. Increased player violence has raised concern. 5. Fan violence has led some teams to curb the sale of alcohol at events. 6. The overemphasis on winning at all cost can deter the development of values in sport. 7. “Burning out” at an early age has led to attempts to curtail the playing schedules of young athletes and to establish minimum age requirements for players to join the tour.

 

2.5. Use the sentence below into Present Indefinite Active Voice. Give its

negative and interrogative forms.