Physical literacy as the foundation of sports development: a narrative review with contextualized guidelines for Colombia

10.22579/20114680.1322
Published 2026-03-27
Review article

Abstract

Physical Literacy (PL) is positioned as a fundamental approach to promote active lifestyles, sports participation, and comprehensive development from childhood. This study is a narrative review with a propositional approach, analyzing its applicability in Colombian educational and sports contexts. Based on academic literature and national regulations, the review identifies limitations in the explicit integration of PL within school curricula and sports programs, despite existing policies on physical activity and physical education. Strategic guidelines are proposed to articulate the education, health, and sports sectors, promote the design of culturally relevant assessment tools, and strengthen pedagogical practices that integrate both physical components (strength, coordination, agility, balance, and speed) and motivational and cognitive aspects (confidence, motivation, and movement understanding). The need to adapt these strategies to Colombia’s geographic and sociocultural diversity is also highlighted. This work aims to contribute to the construction of local or national PL models with a comprehensive vision that fosters inclusion, equity, and sports development. Moving towards a public policy centered on PL requires intersectoral commitment, continuous professional development, and the strengthening of school and community environments.

Keywords

Similar Articles

1-10 of 155

Authors

References

• Aguilera Eguía, R. (2014). ¿Revisión sistemática, revisión narrativa o metaanálisis? Revista de la Sociedad Española del Dolor, 21(6), 359–360. https://doi.org/10.4321/s1134-80462014000600010

• Asociación Internacional de Alfabetización Física. (2020). What is physical literacy? IPLA. https://www.physical-literacy.org.uk/

• Balyi, I., & Hamilton, A. (2004). Long-term athlete development: Trainability in childhood and adolescence. Olympic Coach, 16(1), 4–9.

• Balyi, I., Way, R., & Higgs, C. (2014). Long-Term Athlete Development. Human Kinetics.

• Behringer, M., Vom Heede, A., Matthews, M., & Mester, J. (2011). Effects of strength training on motor performance skills in children and adolescents: a meta-analysis. Pediatric Exercise Science, 23(2), 186–206. https://doi.org/10.1123/pes.23.2.186

• Cairney, J., Dudley, D., Kwan, M., Bulten, R., & Kriellaars, D. (2019). Physical literacy, physical activity and health: Toward an evidence-informed conceptual model. Sports Medicine, 49(3), 371–383. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-018-0988-y

• Carl, J., Barratt, J., Wanner, P., Töpfer, C., Cairney, J., & Pfeifer, K. (2022). The effectiveness of physical literacy interventions: A systematic review with meta-analysis. Sports Medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 52(12), 2965–2999. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-022-01738-4

• Carl, J., Sudeck, G., & Pfeifer, K. (2023). Physical literacy: A scoping review of definitions, theoretical frameworks, and contemporary practices. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 20(1), 45. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-023-01401-1

• Coldeportes. (2013). Plan Nacional de Educación Física Escolar. Instituto Colombiano del Deporte.

• Contreras-Zapata, K., Roa-Quintero, T., Vásquez-Muñoz, C., Castillo-Retamal, F., & Castillo-Retamal, M. (2023). Aproximación a la implementación de la alfabetización física en Chile: una revisión narrativa (Approach to physical literacy implementation in Chile: a narrative review). Retos, 47, 96–102. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v47.94922

• Côté, J., & Vierimaa, M. (2014). The developmental model of sport participation: 15 years after its first conceptualization. Science & Sports, 29(S1), S63–S69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scispo.2014.08.133

• Domínguez-Martín, G., Tárraga-López, P. J., & López-Gil, J. F. (2024). Exploring the link between perceived physical literacy and academic performance outcomes: insights from the EHDLA study. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 6, 1352114. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2024.1352114

• Donnelly, J. E., Hillman, C. H., Castelli, D. et al. (2016). Physical Activity, Fitness, Cognitive Function, and Academic Achievement in Children: A Systematic Review. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 48(6), 1197–1222. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000901

• Dudley, D. A., Cairney, J., Wainwright, N., Kriellaars, D., & Mitchell, D. (2016). Physical literacy of Canadian children aged 8 to 12 years: Descriptive and normative results from the RBC Learn to Play–CAPL project. BMC Public Health, 16, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-016-3242-0

• Ennis, C. D. (2015). Knowledge, transfer, and innovation in physical literacy curricula. Journal of Sport and Health Science, 4(2), 119–124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jshs.2015.03.001

• Ford, P. R., De Ste Croix, M. B. A., Lloyd, R. S., Meyers, R. W., Moosavi, M., Oliver, J. L., Till, K., & Williams, C. A. (2011). The long-term athlete development model: Physiological evidence and application. Journal of Sports Sciences, 29(4), 389–402. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2010.536849

• Higgs, C., Balyi, I., Way, R., Cardinal, C., Norris, S., & Bluechardt, M. (2015). Developing Physical Literacy: A Guide for Parents of Children Ages 0 to 12. Canadian Sport for Life.

• Houser, N., & Kriellaars, D. (2023). “Where was this when I was in Physical Education?” Physical literacy enriched pedagogy in a quality physical education context. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 5, 1185680. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2023.1185680

• Infobae. (2023). Ministerio de Educación busca alfabetizar a 800.000 personas para 2026. Infobae. https://www.infobae.com

• Inostroza-Mondaca, M., Ramírez-Campillo, R., García-Hermoso, A., Pardo Tamayo, C., & Muñoz-Hinrichsen, F. (2025). Validación del instrumento chileno de alfabetización física percibida (Ch-PPLI) en niñas, niños y adolescentes chilenos entre 10 y 18 años. Retos digital, 65, 875–883. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v65.110545

• Instituto Distrital de Recreación y Deporte. (2020). Muévete Escolar. IDRD. https://www.idrd.gov.co/recreacion/muevete-bogota

• Jayanthi, N. A., LaBella, C. R., Fischer, D., Pasulka, J., & Dugas, L. R. (2013). Sports-specialized intensive training and the risk of injury in young athletes: A clinical case-control study. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 43(4), 794–801. https://doi.org/10.1177/0363546514567298

• Lloyd, R. S., & Oliver, J. L. (2012). The youth physical development model: A new approach to long-term athletic development. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 34(3), 61–72. https://doi.org/10.1519/SSC.0b013e31825760ea

• Lloyd, R. S., Oliver, J. L., Hughes, M. G., & Williams, C. A. (2011). The influence of chronological age on periods of accelerated adaptation of stretch-shortening cycle performance in pre and postpubescent boys. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 25(7), 1889–1897. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181e7faa8

• Longmuir, P. E., Gunnell, K. E., Barnes, J. D., Belanger, K., Leduc, G., Woodruff, S. J., & Tremblay, M. S. (2018). Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy Second Edition: a streamlined assessment of the capacity for physical activity among children 8 to 12 years of age. BMC Public Health, 18(Suppl 2), 1047. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-5902-y

• Ministerio de Educación Nacional. (1998). Lineamientos Curriculares de Educación Física. MEN. https://www.mineducacion.gov.co/

• Ministerio de Educación Nacional. (2006). Estándares Básicos de Competencias en Educación Física. MEN. https://www.mineducacion.gov.co/

• Ministerio de Educación Nacional. (2016). Plan Nacional Decenal de Educación 2016–2026. MEN. https://www.plandecenal.edu.co/

• Ministerio del Deporte. (2020). Plan Nacional Decenal del Deporte, la Recreación, la Actividad Física y la Educación Física 2020–2029. Mindeporte.

• Ministerio de Salud & Coldeportes. (2012). Política Pública Nacional de Actividad Física. https://www.minsalud.gov.co/

• Myer, G. D., Jayanthi, N., Difiori, J. P., Faigenbaum, A. D., Kiefer, A. W., Logerstedt, D., & Micheli, L. J. (2015). Sport specialization, part I: Does early sports specialization increase negative outcomes and reduce the opportunity for success in young athletes? Sports Health, 7(5), 437–442. https://doi.org/10.1177/1941738115598747

• Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS). (2018). Global action plan on physical activity 2018–2030: More active people for a healthier world. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241514187

• Pastor-Cisneros, R., Mendoza-Muñoz, M., Carlos-Vivas, J., Adsuar-Sala, J. C., López-Gil, J. F., & SPLA-C expert committee. (2025). Developing the Spanish Physical Literacy Assessment for Children (SPLA-C): A Delphi-based model for assessing physical literacy in schoolchildren aged 6–12 years. European Journal of Pediatrics, 184(7), 402. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-025-06223-4

• Sánchez-Meca, J., & Botella, J. (2010). Revisiones sistemáticas y meta-análisis: Herramientas para la práctica basada en la evidencia. Revista de Psicología Clínica con Niños y Adolescentes, 31(1), 7–17.

• Shearer, C., Goss, H. R., Edwards, L. C., Keegan, R. J., Knowles, Z. R., Boddy, L. M., & Foweather, L. (2018). How is physical literacy defined? A contemporary update. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, 37(3), 237–245. https://doi.org/10.1123/jtpe.2018-0136

• Sport for Life. Developing Physical Literacy: A Guide for Parents of Children Ages 0 to 12. https://sportforlife.ca/portfolio-item/developing-physical-literacy-a-guide-for-parents-of-children-ages-0-to-12/

• UNESCO. (2015). Quality Physical Education: Guidelines for Policy-Makers. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000231101

• UNESCO. (2017). Education for Sustainable Development Goals: Learning Objectives. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000247444

• Whitehead, M. (2010). Physical Literacy: Throughout the Life Course. Routledge.

Statistics

Abstract
0
PDF accesses
0

Dimensions

PlumX

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.