Integrating Bilingual SPI in Physical Education to Strengthen English Literacy: Enhancing Writing, Speaking, Listening, and Reading

Abstract

This study investigates the effectiveness of integrating Bilingual Structured Play Inquiry (SPI) into Physical Education (PE) to enhance students’ English literacy skills—writing, speaking, listening, and reading—through movement-based learning. Grounded in previous research on bilingual pedagogy, microteaching innovations, and multimodal instruction, this study extends existing work by embedding structured bilingual literacy strategies within active play activities, a context rarely explored in English language learning. Using a mixed-methods design, data were collected through literacy assessments, classroom observations, and student–teacher perception surveys. Results indicate significant improvements across all four literacy domains, with students demonstrating higher accuracy, fluency, and comprehension when English prompts were integrated into inquiry-based physical tasks. Qualitative findings further reveal that active play reduces language anxiety, increases engagement, and promotes spontaneous English production. Teachers reported greater awareness and readiness to integrate bilingual strategies effectively. Overall, the findings suggest that Bilingual SPI in PE provides an authentic, enjoyable, and cognitively rich environment that strengthens English literacy holistically while maintaining PE learning goals. This model offers a practical pathway for schools seeking to foster bilingual competence through interdisciplinary approaches.