Benefits of health education in the Primary classroom : ways of integrating it across curricular subjects

Abstract

This research study aims to identify the benefits of including Health Education in the primary classroom. It focuses on how Health Education concepts can be integrated in Year 3 and Year 4 primary classrooms through innovative ways across various subjects. The interviews conducted with teachers established the teachers’ views on Health Education as being integrated in the curriculum. Findings demonstrate that all teachers included Health Education concepts spontaneously and incidentally, rather than planned. All teachers showed interest to increase their knowledge of Health Education. The interviews conducted with the Education Officer responsible for Home Economics, with the Education Officer responsible for Physical Education and with the Head of Project of the Learning Outcomes Framework determined what was intended and included in the learning area of Health and Physical Education in the Learning Outcomes Framework. They also established what has been attempted so far regarding the two subjects in the primary years. These interviews together with the researched literature review and the latest updates on certain health topics helped the researcher to develop a Health Education cross-curricular programme with a number of lesson plans. Such lesson plans will serve as recommendations for primary teachers. It is recommended that parents and guardians collaborate with schools to encourage children lead a healthy lifestyle, which will in turn mean healthy future adolescents.