Breaks in primary schools and their influence on maintaining and promoting physical fitness and wellness at the level of middle schools

Abstract

Abstract Aim: This research was designed to rate the practical guidance of break-based schools on the levels of physical athletic performance in middle schools. Subjected by similar studies carried out in base schools this research aims at increasing physical activity in other parts of students’ lives, advocated in developing nations as benefits meant to improve the school-based physical education system. Methods: We recruited three teachers voluntarily involved in this study to carry out our protocol for two months (March-April). The study took place during academic years 2016-2017 in the academic sector of Naama Algeria and included 120 male scholars, aged 14.15 ± 1.33 years. They were divided in three homogenous groups, based on the type of break: group 1/GCB (using conversation games), group2 / GSPS (using singing games), group3/GRP (using role-playing games). Activities were conducted daily, 10 minutes each, twice per day in March and April. Data were collected using the alpha-fitness test battery. A statistical analysis was performed based on the SPSS program, using ANOVA one way, Levene’s Statistic, and Person's correlation coefficient in order to analyse the differences between the groups with a significance threshold of p <0.05. Results: Our outcomes revealed the benefits of the role-playing games during breaks for improving physical performance in middle schools. These results can be used as a recommended strategy that helps increasing physical activity among our scholars. Conclusion: Our results allow us to affirm that Algerian educational programs in middle schools have missed the integration of active breaks, estimated in this study as an additional physical activity for the well-being of our scholars.