Abstract
This chapter focuses on scholars’ perspectives regarding the proposal of competitive games during Physical Education (PE) classes and sport activities with children in the age group 6-11. After exploring etymology and current definitions of the terms competizione (‘competition’) and gioco (‘game/play’) from an Italian perspective, the chapter focuses on the ongoing debate on the benefits and risks that the proposal of such activities in the school context can bring about in the development of children and adolescents. Specifically, some scholars believe that they are a source of inequalities, exclusion, cheating and lack of motivation towards physical activity. Others, on the other hand, in addition to listing its numerous benefits from a psychomotor and moral point of view, state that Physical Education should include the teaching of sport as a competitive activity in order to fulfil its educational role (Aggerholm et al., 2018; Bergmann Drewe, 2000).
In the second part of the chapter, international (UNESCO, 2015a; 2015b; WHO, 2008; 2010) and national (MIUR, 2012; 2018) recommendations and guidelines have been examined and summarised to contextualise the role and suggested use of competitive activities in educational settings, especially referring to the Italian context.
The third part of the chapter goes beyond the arguments in favour and against the use of competitive games in PE and sport, it is believed that the negative effects of competition can be limited in favour of positive aspects if the teacher designs didactic paths appropriate to the age and characteristics of the students, as well as relating to moral education, respect for rules and for others (Bergmann Drewe, 1998). The central role of the teacher figure is highlighted in some research, mostly carried out in the American context, in which teachers’ perspectives regarding competition have been shown to influence their teaching actions (Gonçalves et al., 2019; Harvey & Odonovan, 2013). These studies indicate the need to discuss with teachers the meaning of competition in Physical Education, since their knowledge, skills and considerations, let alone their teaching action, can result in the promotion of numerous benefits from multiple points of view, but also the emergence of certain risks if not appropriately managed.
In the end, the chapter addresses several issues related to the use of competitive games in Physical Education, with the hope that understanding teachers and future teachers’ beliefs about competition in Physical Education will improve the experience of children and young people within the school context (Garrett & Wrench, 2007; Harvey & Odonovan, 2013). In fact, competition, if appropriately designed and managed, can be proposed as early as Primary School, serving as a meaningful context for the promotion of motor activities, for moral education and for the promotion of positive values (Carraro e Gobbi, 2016; Carraro et al., 2017; UNESCO et al., 2019).