Teaching Handball in Elementary Physical Education: Opportunities and Challenges
Abstract
Handball serves as a powerful medium for developing fundamental motor skills, fostering teamwork, and enhancing cognitive engagement in elementary physical education (PE). Despite its potential, systematic evidence on its implementation at the primary school level remains limited. This systematic review examines empirical research on handball teaching in elementary PE, focusing on pedagogical approaches, student outcomes, and identified research gaps. A structured literature search was conducted using Publish or Perish software across Google Scholar, Scopus, and ERIC databases for articles published between 2013 and 2023. Inclusion criteria encompassed peer-reviewed journal articles addressing handball instruction within elementary school PE settings. A total of fourteen studies met the criteria. Findings reveal that handball instruction contributes positively to students' motor skill acquisition, cooperative behaviors, and tactical understanding. However, challenges persist in modifying handball to suit varied student abilities, achieving inclusive practice, and adopting innovative teaching models such as game-based learning. While handball demonstrates substantial pedagogical promise for elementary PE, its effective integration requires context-sensitive instructional models, enhanced teacher training, and further research on sustained skill development and inclusive implementation.
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.17509/tegar.v8i1.87882
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