Introduction

Physical activity education during early childhood holds great significance for the overall development of young children. At this stage, children perceive the world through their senses and develop a positive understanding of their physical abilities by engaging in various body movements and experiences (Whitehead, 2013). This is also a critical period for fostering their ability to regulate and control their bodies while developing fundamental motor skills (Ministry of Education & Ministry of Health and Welfare, 2019). Physical activity provides young children with various bodily movements to support physical growth and development, as well as aiding in the development of fundamental motor skills and physical fitness (Capio & Eguia, 2021; Preedy et al., 2022). Furthermore, physical activity stimulates the growth of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and activates the secretion of neurotransmitters by using the body as a learning tool, thereby enhancing young children’s memory, attention, and problem-solving skills, while also promoting concepts such as space, direction, distance, and height (Ferreira Vorkapic et al., 2021). Moreover, through physical activity, young children gain confidence, self-concept, and a sense of achievement as they move freely according to their intentions, and engage in cooperative movements with peers, thereby promoting prosocial behaviors (Liu et al., 2015; Welk & Eklund, 2005). In this context, early childhood physical education (ECPE) plays a central role in various aspects of young children’s physical, cognitive, and socioemotional development.

Recognizing the importance of ECPE, South Korea implemented the Nuri Curriculum, a national-level curriculum, for over two decades. The curriculum’s objectives include promoting active participation in physical activities, fostering a positive body image, and instilling in young children a healthy and safe lifestyle. However, challenges exist in the actual implementation of ECPE in early childhood education settings (Ministry of Education & Ministry of Health and Welfare, 2019).

In Korean early childhood education settings, sedentary learning activities and indoor programs have become increasingly prevalent due to safety concerns (Lee, 2018). Inadequate facilities for physical activity and a lack of awareness, confidence, and efficacy among educators regarding physical activities are some of the reasons hindering the effective implementation of physical activity instruction (Joo & Sung, 2012; Kwak, 2015). In particular, it is challenging for early childhood teachers to cultivate expertise in ECPE due to the elective nature of physical activity-related subjects in pre-service early childhood teacher education programs and the focus on mere movement techniques or skills acquisition in in-service early childhood teacher education programs (Park & Lee, 2021). Consequently, in early childhood education settings, rather than being prominently integrated into the curriculum, ECPE is often conducted as special activities once or twice a week by external instructors (Lee, 2018). This reliance on external instructors for ECPE may lead early childhood teachers to perceive ECPE as not within their responsibilities, potentially exacerbating their lack of confidence and expertise in ECPE. This perception among early childhood teachers could deepen the existing issues of low confidence and lack of expertise in ECPE (Park, 2020). It can be argued that many early childhood teachers face difficulties in instructing ECPE and lack the required teaching expertise in this domain compared to other educational areas (Bigelow & Fenesi, 2022; Senol, 2021).

Early childhood teachers’ role in ECPE cannot be overstated (Martyniuk & Tucker, 2014; Vidoni et al., 2023). They play a vital role in translating a national-level curriculum into practical applications that consider young children’s developmental stages and interests. By providing opportunities for active participation in a wide range of physical activities, both indoors and outdoors, they create an environment that fosters engagement and learning. Early childhood teachers’ influence goes beyond just encouraging young children to participate in physical activities. They also play a critical role in instilling a lifelong commitment to active and healthy living (Senol, 2021). A lack of professional expertise among early childhood teachers in the field of ECPE is attributed to the insufficient training and knowledge necessary to develop well-structured lessons in actual ECPE settings (Lu & Montague, 2016; Min & Kim, 2012).

In taking the first step toward improving ECPE, it is necessary to identify teaching competency in this area. This process will contribute to enhancing the overall quality of pre-service and in-service teacher education programs, ultimately empowering early childhood teachers to promote vibrant and healthy lives among young children.

Recently, the concept of “teaching competency” has received attention as a concrete idea within “teacher professionalism,” a required qualification for educators. Teaching competency refers to “the totality of personal characteristics, knowledge, skills, attitudes, etc. that each teacher needs to have to achieve successful teaching in a specific teaching context” (Klaassen, 2002, p. 152; Varvel, 2007, p. 2). This concept is distinguished from the traditional notion of professionalism in terms of its comprehensiveness and practical orientation. While the concept of professionalism now includes knowledge as well as skills and attitudes as a whole, teaching competency is a specific concept that actively incorporates these perspectives. In particular, teaching competency is significant in that it is a practical qualification that considers various contexts and variables in educational situations. Considering current social and educational circumstances that require flexible and resilient competencies to address situations that are not fixed or rigid (Day & Gu, 2013), teaching competency should be the basis and ultimate goal of teacher education.

Scholars have argued that teaching competency should be structured to reflect the specificity of a particular teaching context, that is, the special characteristics of each subject and specific area (Barth et al., 2007; Lohmann et al., 2021). Diverse studies have also been conducted on teaching competency in the field of early childhood education, exploring various aspects of effective teaching, including the knowledge, skills, and disposition that teachers need to effectively support children’s learning and development. This research has identified a range of important competencies for early childhood teachers, such as content knowledge in child development and early learning (McCreay & Chen, 2012; Oppermann et al., 2016), the ability to create a positive and supportive learning environment (Shewark et al., 2018), the ability to develop and implement a developmentally appropriate curriculum (Brown & Lee, 2012), and the ability to effectively engage families and communities (Evans, 2013).

Meanwhile, research on teaching competency in the field of ECPE is scant. Soini et al. (2021) explored pre-service teachers’ perceptions of competence in ECPE and categorized teaching competency into areas such as ‘supporting a child’s physical activity, teaching physical education, and observing and assessing a child’s motor skills and physical activity. This research was conducted with pre-service early childhood teachers in Finland, so there are limitations in representing the ECPE competencies for early childhood teachers in Korea. In contrast, there is more research on teaching competency in the elementary or secondary physical education domains. Depending on the scholar and educational context, teachers’ competencies have been categorized in various ways, but they are generally summarized into three main categories: instructional competencies (e.g., setting appropriate educational goals and identifying effective teaching methods), implementation competencies (e.g., considering individual differences among students and communication skills), and personal and social competencies (e.g., developing students’ personalities, and teachers’ positive attitudes) (Al-Tawel & AlJa’afreh, 2017). While teaching competencies in the elementary or secondary physical education domains may be similar to those in the context of ECPE, there is a need to explore teaching competencies specifically suitable for ECPE, taking into account the context of preschool teachers and the unique characteristics of young children’s physical activities.

In this context, the purpose of this current study was to identify the structure of teaching competency in ECPE, encompassing a comprehensive understanding of the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and practices required for effective teaching in a practical and context-oriented manner. The findings of this study can aid in exploring specific educational strategies for both pre-service and in-service teacher education, ultimately contributing to the professional development of early childhood teachers.

Methods

Results

Discussion

The primary objective of this study to identify the essential components of the teaching competency required for ECPE through a Delphi survey approach. In general, the responses to the Delphi survey offer a comprehensive perspective on the diverse aspects of teaching competency required for ECPE. From content knowledge and class design to understanding children’s needs and ensuring a safe environment, these competencies play a crucial role in delivering meaningful, effective physical activity education to young children.

Building upon the research findings, the discussion on teaching competency in ECPE, which yielded significant implications, unfolded as follows. First, the identified teaching competency categories in this study represent a convergence of the competency categories typically associated with early childhood teachers and the specific competency category required for teaching ECPE.

While the categories of understanding learners, professional development, and environmental management align with the previously identified competency framework for early childhood teachers, the category of physical activity education represents a special competency required for teaching ECPE This indicates that while there are competency elements required for teaching physical activity in early childhood education, regardless of the curriculum, there are specialized competency elements specific to the physical activity domain that are distinct from other subjects and domains. This finding supports previous studies (Barth et al., 2007; Lohmann et al., 2021) suggesting that specific teaching competencies are required depending on the subject and area.

Second, the subcompetencies of physical activity education include designing, executing, and managing physical activity classes, encompassing the entire process of teaching physical education classes, including pre-class planning, in-class execution, and post-class management (Moston and Ashworth, 2002). In other words, teaching competency in the physical activity education category is not limited to the capacity to implement and conduct classes but is a comprehensive ability that governs all processes before and after a class. This suggests that the challenges early childhood education teachers face in teaching the physical–motor domain are not simply due to a lack of practical skills, such as excellent and precise demonstrations and explanations.

Rather, it can be inferred that a lack of comprehensive teaching abilities that encompass the entire instructional process, which is encouraged instead of relying solely on narrow competency that emphasizes knowledge transmission or instructional delivery, is a significant contributing factor. Therefore, it is necessary to cultivate a broad perspective of teaching abilities that includes all aspects of the instructional process rather than focusing narrowly on competency. The overall characteristics of physical activity education as a category of teaching competency in the field of early childhood education should also be considered.

Third, the Delphi survey indicated a strong consensus among the participants regarding all subcompetencies within the professional development category. This finding underscores the significance of critical reflection and continuous growth for educators involved in physical activity teaching. Educators should exhibit reflective professionalism by adopting a responsible, mission-driven approach as teachers, actively engaging in critical reflection and inquiry regarding their classes, and continuously acquiring knowledge and skills related to young children’s physical activity (Parker et al., 2022).

Reflective professionalism is a concept widely discussed in various academic fields, emphasizing the importance of both technical competency and personal qualities such as attitudes, values, and ethics in an individual’s professional practice (Pultorak, 2010). In the context of physical education, Pascual (2006) recognized the professional aspects of physical education teachers’ professionalism and highlighted the significance of personal aspects as well. Similarly, Hoffman (2009) proposed mechanical, market-driven professionalism and social trustee civic professionalism, demonstrating the importance of both the ability- and personality-based aspects of professionalism in physical education.

Teaching, unlike many other occupations, demands a sense of pride and responsibility. Early childhood teachers teaching young children should create an environment of respect and observation, adapting to children’s ever-changing playfulness and enabling them to joyfully participate in physical activity (Harwood et al., 2013). In this sense, preschool teachers’ professional development plays a crucial role in cultivating children’s interest in physical activity and enabling them to find enjoyment in it, even if they may initially be hesitant or uninterested.

Fourth, it is important to highlight that safety management competency within the environmental management category also received a high CVR (0.90), like all the subcompetencies in the professional development category. This underscores the significance of prioritizing safety in ECPE. Previous studies have indicated that identifying safety concerns is one of the challenges early childhood teachers face when implementing physical activity with young children (Min & Kim, 2012), and safety is a fundamental aspect of physical activity education.

It is crucial to ensure safety when conducting physical activity classes for young children who may have immature motor coordination or judgment, and it is essential to encourage them to behave safely (Mackintosh et al., 2011). Children naturally have curiosity but tend to overestimate their physical abilities (Klevberg & Anderson, 2002), making it challenging for them to recognize and adapt to potentially dangerous situations. Therefore, competency in creating a safe physical activity environment and providing accident-prevention guidance are essential when teaching safe physical activity to young children.

Conclusions

This study identified the elements of teaching competency required for ECPE, including physical activity education, understanding learners, professional development, and environmental management. The study concluded that teaching competency in ECPE encompasses both the competency associated with physical education and the integration of early childhood educational perspectives. While ECPE is ultimately a subfield of physical education, some sub-competencies overlap with those of elementary or secondary physical education, but several sub-competencies (e.g., parental communication and safety management) were identified as particularly emphasized in ECPE, with a high level of consensus among experts. This indicates that teaching competency in ECPE is comprehensive, practical, and follows a specific structure.

The findings of this study can serve as valuable foundational material for developing and evaluating teacher education and professional development programs aimed at enhancing the teaching competency of early childhood teachers. For instance, it is possible to design education programs focusing on each teaching competency and to provide educators with direct experiences by simulating real ECPE environments during the training process. Additionally, research can be conducted to assess the effectiveness of these programs by measuring improvements in teachers’ competencies and children’s learning outcomes. Through such efforts, it will be possible to delve deeply into how to effectively integrate teaching competencies in ECPE settings in the future.