International research suggests that fundamental movement skill (FMS) proficiency amongst children has declined in the past 15 years, with more-children performing FMS at a low-mastery level (Burrows et al. 2014). Results from most recent Irish data have demonstrated that the majority of post-primary Irish youth are insufficiently active, and are failing to reach basic levels of fundamental, and functional movement proficiency (Belton et al. 2016; Inchley et al. 2016; Lester et al. 2017; O’ Brien et al. 2013; O’ Brien et al. 2016a; O’ Brien et al. 2016b; O’ Brien et al. 2018). The current research reports the rationale and study protocol for Project FLAME (Fundamental and Functional Literacy for Activity and Movement Efficiency), a multi-component, school-based motor competence intervention for adolescent youth in Ireland.

Using a non-randomized controlled trial, a target sample of 326 participants (57% male, mean age: 14.02+0.89 years old) were recruited in October 2017 from three mixed-gender, non-fee-paying, sub-urban post-primary schools (two intervention; one control) in Cork, Ireland, for baseline data collection, followed by a 13-week consecutive Project FLAME intervention roll out, and post-test data collection in March 2018.  This whole-school, weekly delivered multi-component approach to motor competence was underpinned by the developmental model of motor competence, and involved the following pillars: 1) student component, 2) specialist Physical Education (PE) teacher component, 3) digital component and 4) non-specialist PE teacher kinaesthetic classroom component. Primary outcome measures evaluating the efficacy of the programme included the assessment of fundamental movement skills (FMS), and the functional movement screen (FMS™).

The Project FLAME intervention is the first of its kind in Ireland targeting the improvement of fundamental, and functional movement for adolescents in post-primary school settings. Findings will provide future evidence regarding the effectiveness of motor competence interventions, utilising whole-school approaches, which include developmentally appropriate activities, and the concurrent involvement of specialist PE, and non-specialist PE teachers.

The 13-week multi-component, motor competence intervention targeted a convenience sample of adolescents, aged 12–16 years old, in Irish post-primary schools. Primary outcome measures evaluating the efficacy of the Project FLAME programme included the assessment of fundamental movement skills (FMS), and the functional movement screen (FMS™). Project FLAME included four specific methodological intervention components, comprising of the following: 1) Student Component: The student is the core component of the Project FLAME intervention, which sought to ensure that pedagogically informed PE-based activities were developmentally appropriate for all students. These pedagogical skill cards identified the required standards of movement in a clear and explicit manner using specific behavioural success criteria. Students were provided with a trajectory to measure and progressively achieve proficiency in each movement, whilst at the same time fostering independence in learning movement skills. 2) Specialist PE Teacher Component: The PE component encouraged specialist subject teachers to embed the prescribed Project FLAME activity in to each PE lesson for a duration of 15-20 minutes maximum – it was encouraged by the research team that these Project FLAME activities would be best suited at the beginning of each lesson.. Specific specialist PE teacher pedagogical strategies were therefore integral to the project rollout, and an emphasis was placed on the use of external movement-based cues for augmenting adolescent learning (Wulf 2007; Wulf 2013). 3) Digital Component: The digital component of Project FLAME provided students with unlimited access to all of the relevant movement-based activities of the intervention, through the use of quick response (QR) codes (Adkins et al. 2013; Chan et al., 2016; Baxter et al. 2018; Shumack et al. 2013). It was envisaged that the digital component would provide a platform for further self-regulated practice, and learning outside of the school context by allowing students to make improvements independently. 4) Kinaesthetic Classroom Component: The overall objective of the kinaesthetic classroom was to change the school culture from an individual, to a more cooperative culture (Duncan & Birch 2012; Eyre et al. 2016; McMullen et al. 2015). The Principal Investigators designed a series of seven movement breaks, each of 3 minutes duration, and these ran concurrent to the PE component of the intervention. The focus of each movement break for the non-specialist PE teacher was to reinforce the movement-based learning from the PE environment, with a clear emphasis on the quality, rather than the quantity of movement.

This research has reported the rationale and study protocol for Project FLAME, a multi-component, school-based motor competence intervention for adolescent youth in Ireland. While the intervention involved direct, and indirect pedagogically informative strategies, the key features of this programme include quality instruction, focussed practice opportunities for students, the provision of usable resources to support teachers’ ability in facilitating students movement vocabulary, the use of technology for heightening the process of teaching and learning, and the overall whole-school approach for improving mastery of movement among students. The reported study design offers a feasible, targeted whole-school approach to increasing movement proficiency, and by incorporating a number of novel strategies, the findings from the study may have important implications for the future teaching and learning of PE at post-primary level in Ireland, and internationally. Future research must examine the efficacy of this evidence-based intervention, prior to widespread dissemination.

Adkins, M., Wajciechowski, M.R. & Scantling, E., 2013. The mystery behind the code: Differentiated instruction with quick response codes in secondary physical education. Strategies, 26(6), pp.17–22. Baxter, D., Mcentyre, K. & Woodruff, E.A., 2018. Using QR codes to enhance the personalized system of instruction. Strategies, 31(1), pp.45–47. Belton, S. et al., 2016. Where does the time go? Patterns of physical activity in adolescent youth. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, pp.1–5. Burrows, E.J., Keats, M.R. & Kolen, A.M., 2014. Contributions of after school programs to the development of fundamental movement skills in children. International Journal of Exercise Science, 7(3), pp.236–249. Chan, C., Ha, A. & Ng, J.Y.Y., 2016. Improving fundamental movement skills in Hong Kong students through an assessment for learning intervention that emphasizes fun, mastery, and support: The A + FMS randomized controlled trial study protocol. SpringerPlus, 5(724). Duncan, M.J. & Birch, S.L., 2012. Efficacy of an integrated school curriculum pedometer intervention to enhance physical activity and to reduce weight status in children. European Physical Education Review, 18(3), pp.396–407. Eyre, E. et al., 2016. An integrated curriculum approach to increasing habitual physical activity in deprived South Asian children. European Journal of Sport Science, 16(3), pp.381–390. Inchley, J. et al., 2016. Growing up unequal: Gender and socioeconomic differences in young people’s health and well-being, Lester, D. et al., 2017. The age-related association of movement in Irish adolescent youth. Sports, 5(77), pp.1–16. McMullen, J. et al., 2015. International approaches to whole-of-school physical activity promotion. Quest, 67(4), pp.384–399. O’ Brien, W. et al., 2018. Do Irish adolescents have adequate functional movement skill and confidence? Journal of Motor Learning and Development, 6, pp.S301–S319. O’ Brien, W., Belton, S. & Issartel, J., 2016a. Fundamental movement skill proficiency amongst adolescent youth. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, pp.1–15. O’ Brien, W., Belton, S. & Issartel, J., 2016b. The relationship between adolescents’ physical activity, fundamental movement skills and weight status. Journal of Sports Sciences, 34(12), pp.1–9. O’ Brien, W., Issartel, J. & Belton, S., 2013. Evidence for the efficacy of the Youth-Physical Activity Towards Health (Y-PATH) intervention. Advances in Physical Education, 3(4), pp.145–153. Shumack, K.A., Reilly, E. & Chamberlain, N., 2013. QR code mania! Strategies, 26(3), pp.9–12. Wulf, G., 2007. Attention and motor skill learning, Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. Wulf, G., 2013. Attentional focus and motor learning: A review of 15 years. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 6(1), pp.77–104.