Sports practices and motivational dynamics: a contextualized reading of Saint Louis high school students in socio educational approach

Based on a field study carried out in four high schools in the commune of Saint-Louis (Senegal), this study proposes a socio-educational reading of the effects of sports practice on teenagers' academic motivation. Using a mixed methodology combining quantitative questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and direct observations, the analysis crosses statistical data and actor accounts to highlight the mechanisms of both personal and social transformation enabled by physical activity. The results show that sport promotes self-esteem, identity-building and emotional regulation, as well as rebuilding ties with school. The study shows that, in a context marked by disengagement from school and a crisis of meaning, the practice of sport can play a catalytic role, acting as an agent of secondary socialization, conveying norms, values and skills that can be transferred to the academic arena. In this way, sport appears to be a relevant lever for reinforcing educational commitment and combating student demotivation.

Pagina's: 52, Paperback, Our Knowledge Publishing