Pedagogical qualification and its influence on teaching gymnastics in primary education

Background and purpose This study investigates the influence of pedagogical qualification on the teaching of gymnastics in primary education, focusing on Slovak teachers’ instructional practices, resource utilization, and perceptions of teaching difficulty. Gymnastics is a foundational component of physical education (PE), promoting critical motor skills such as coordination, balance, and strength. Despite its benefits, gymnastics is often perceived as a difficult subject to teach, largely due to gaps in teacher training. Material and methods An online survey was completed by 1 189 actively employed primary school teachers across Slovakia during the 2023/2024 school year. Respondents were grouped by pedagogical background: 52.23% held preschool/elementary education qualifications, while 47.77% had alternative pedagogical training such as PE specialization. Results Results showed that “Gymnastics/Dance” was rated as the second most challenging thematic unit by both groups, with 28.18% of preschool/elementary-qualified teachers and 34.54% of other-qualified teachers selecting it, following “Health/Fitness” (38.49% and 37.18%, respectively). Although differences were not statistically significant (χ ²(3) = 7.56, p = 0.055), they highlight widespread difficulty with gymnastics instruction. Apparatus use was similarly high in both groups, with 66.34% of preschool/elementary-trained and 66.20% of other-qualified teachers reporting use of traditional gymnastics equipment. However, significant differences were observed in broader equipment use (χ²(3) = 12.84, p = 0.005), where 23.35% of preschool/elementary-trained teachers reported using both traditional and non-traditional tools compared to 17.96% of other-qualified teachers. Perceptions of facility adequacy also varied significantly (χ²(3) = 9.86, p = 0.018), with more critical ratings from preschool/ elementary-trained respondents. Conclusions These findings suggest that pedagogical training influences teaching diversity, expectations, and perceived support in gymnastics education. The study highlights the need for more robust, practice-focused training in gymnastics during teacher preparation, as well as improved access to equipment and facilities to support high-quality instruction.