Emotional physical education through games in primary education. Helping teachers to make decisions

Abstract

This research addresses one of the emerging themes of modern physical education, i.e. the way to achieve an emotional physical education. The study is grounded in the motor praxeology theoretical framework and the main theoretical contributions of emotional education. Motor games experiences, divided into four domains of motor action (psychomotricity, cooperation, opposition, and cooperation - opposition), with or without competition, generate different emotions in pupils. The study focuses on the emotional impact of these motor experiences on pupils. Among the most considerable results, cooperation games, especially those without competition, triggered the most positive emotions. In conclusion, our outcomes allow us to provide a helpful guidance for physical education professionals to take founded and proper decisions while discerning what games are more suitable according to the situation, and also to fully implement these games in the classroom.