Nonspecialist Preservice Primary-School Teachers: Predicting Intent to Teach Physical Education

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to establish the utility of the Theory of Planned Behavior in predicting nonspecialist, preservice primary-school teachers’ intentions to teach physical education for 2 hr per week. A questionnaire was developed, according to the recommended procedures, and was administered to 128 final-year teacher trainees in two Primary Teacher Training courses in England. A variety of predictors were identified, including beliefs of significant others, such as parents; a positive assessment of control over difficult barriers; and experiences of past (teaching) behavior. The most significant predictor in discriminating between intenders and nonintenders, however, was personal exercise behavior. Helping preservice primary-school teachers become more physically active themselves might positively influence their intent to teach physical education 2 hr per week more than alleviating barriers to teaching physical education.