Physical literacy development program (intervention part II)
The Grade 6/7 peer leaders delivered two 30-minute movement skill sessions per week for 10-weeks, at a convenient time for the schools (e.g., beginning of school, lunch, during younger students’ physical education classes). To provide further flexibility, lessons could occur in a gymnasium or on an outdoor sports field. The 10-week program provided a maximum of 600 minutes of program delivery to younger students. Within intervention schools, a class of peer leaders (~25–30 students) was divided into three groups. Thus, between 6–9 peer leaders were allocated to deliver movement skills sessions with one entire younger class (~20–25 students) for the duration of the 10-week movement skills program. Peer leaders remained with the same class throughout the 10-week period. Peer leaders worked in pairs to teach one section of each class (i.e., warm-up, demonstrate the movement skill, skill practice, and set-up and oversee the game). Thus, 2–3 leaders would be responsible for teaching the warm-up, then a different 2–3 leaders would teach skill practice, and then a different 2–3 leaders would teach the game. While lesson components were being completed all leaders were able to provide feedback to younger students as necessary. At the beginning of each week, peer leaders planned their respective lessons for which they were responsible. In addition to displaying leadership by teaching specific sections of the movement skills sessions, all peer leaders were encouraged to display effective leadership (e.g., act as effective role models) by taking part in the activities and games along with the Grade 3 and 4 students they taught.Each movement skill session focused on one of six object control skills (i.e., catching, overhand throwing, underhand throwing, kicking, dribbling, and a two-handed strike (with a baseball bat)). Each of these skills was taught between three (catch, overarm throw, two-handed strike, dribble) and four times (underarm throw, kick) throughout the duration of the 10-week program. While specific key teaching points were provided for all skills, as well as games that incorporated these skills, the leaders had the freedom to plan their lessons based on their own experiences. That is, a general lesson/structure was provided by the research team, but leaders could design the specific session plan.To further support the intervention schools in administering the movement skill program to Grade 3/4 students, during the first three weeks of the program, peer leaders were observed by trained research assistants and provided with feedback with regard to (a) the core components of each class (i.e., warm-up, skill development, skill application, and closure), and (b) their leadership behaviors over the course of the class based on the four dimensions of transformational leadership described above.