Learning Through Movement in Primary Education: Evidence from a Quasi-Experimental Study

Abstract Book of the 11th International Conference on New Trends in Teaching and Education

Year: 2026

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Learning Through Movement in Primary Education: Evidence from a Quasi-Experimental Study

Dr. Einat Yanovich, Nachlieli Niv, Erez Tamir, Malka Dvir, Marom Koren, Hillel Avraham Rachel, Moyal Avi

ABSTRACT:

There is growing recognition that learning is most effective when children are actively engaged in the learning process. Although a substantial body of research has demonstrated the cognitive and educational benefits of physical activity, classroom instruction in primary schools continues to rely largely on sedentary teaching. This study examined whether integrating movement into everyday classroom lessons could improve pupils’ academic achievement. The study involved 176 pupils from second and fourth grade classes in primary school. Using a quasi-experimental design, each class learned one instructional unit through movement-based activities and learning (MBL) and another through traditional classroom teaching. The intervention was implemented in mathematics and English lessons. At the end of each unit, pupils completed achievement tests, and differences between instructional approaches were analyzed using independent samples t-tests and two-way ANOVA.
The findings showed that pupils who learned through movement achieved significantly higher scores than those who learned through traditional instruction (73.3±28.9 vs. 63.4±32.5, p = .018). A significant main effect of instructional method was also found (F = 9.71, p = .002), while no interaction emerged between instructional method and subject area, indicating that the positive effect of MLB was similar in both mathematics and English. These findings suggest that integrating purposeful movement into everyday teaching can enhance academic learning without requiring substantial changes to the curriculum or additional resources. Learning Through Movement offers teachers a practical and accessible instructional approach that promotes active engagement while supporting pupils’ academic achievement across different subject areas.

Keywords: Active Learning; Primary Education; Academic Achievement; Physical Activity