AUTHOR=Polevoy Georgiy , Cazan Florin , Padulo Johnny , Ardigò Luca Paolo TITLE=The effectiveness of one “physical education minute” during lessons to develop concentration in 8- to 10-year-old schoolchildren JOURNAL=Frontiers in Sports and Active Living VOLUME=5 YEAR=2023 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sports-and-active-living/articles/10.3389/fspor.2023.1283296 DOI=10.3389/fspor.2023.1283296 ISSN=2624-9367 ABSTRACT=
The demands of the school day, which includes multiple lessons, require sustained attention from students; this can be challenging, especially for young children. Concentration of attention is a critical cognitive function that impacts learning. This study involved 129 healthy schoolchildren aged 8–10 years (spanning grades 2 and 3) from a regular secondary school in Kirov, Russian Federation. A “physical education minute” (PEM), consisting of various physical exercises, was introduced during the middle of a regular lesson for the experimental group (EG), while the control group (CG) continued with their regular studies. Concentration and attention were assessed before and after the PEM using the Bourdon test. The Bourdon test results indicated a significant decrease in concentration during the lesson for the CG (