A Qualitative Investigation of Teachers’ Experiences of Life Skills Development in Physical Education

Abstract

Recent studies have highlighted physical education (PE) as a setting for life skills development, yet little is known about how teachers can promote the development and transfer of life skills through PE. Therefore, the broad objectives of this study were to explore teacher’s perceptions of what life skills are developed through PE, how these life skills are developed in practice, and whether these life skills transfer to other life domains. A qualitative methodological design consisting of in-depth semi-structured interviews was employed to obtain detailed insights from PE teachers. Audio-recorded interviews lasting an average of 43 minutes were conducted with 11 teachers (Mage = 37.9 years; teaching experience = 14.1 years) from the northwest of England. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. Five key themes were constructed during data analysis: 1) key life skills developed through PE (e.g., teamwork, communication, leadership, & resilience), 2) why life skills are needed and taught, 3) considering students’ individual needs when teaching life skills, 4) strategies for life skills development (e.g., explicit & implicit learning, teachable moments, & role modelling), and 5) the transferability of life skills to other domains (e.g., schoolwork & home life). The findings provide key insights into how teachers value life skills, support their development, and enable transfer to other areas of students’ lives.