Teacher-student contact as a pedagogical tool in the physical-motor expression classroom and in the aquatic environment in a Portuguese school.

Contact is defined as a human need and its use in the educational field is justified against the moral panic that predominates in society. This article deepens into the reality of the use of contact as a pedagogical tool in relationships between the specialist in Physical Education and the student. Its objective is to analyse situations of intergenerational contact in the Physical-Motor Expression classroom and the aquatic environment at a school in Castelo Branco, Portugal. It was based on the bodily experience of a teacher who carried out her internship with 150 students in an Erasmus mobility. A professional from the school was involved as well. A qualitative method of research is adopted in order to detect the different pedagogical functions of touch, through the Teaching Body Journal and a semi-structured interview with a professional. We verified that the teacher-student contact has great value in the teaching and acquisition of body techniques, in emotional regulation and in auxiliary tasks. We conclude that contact can occur in multiple ways in the classroom and if it is used properly, its pedagogical value is high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]