Coaching and Skill Classification

What Coaching and Skill Classification covers

Coaching and Skill Classification is examined in Component 2, Psychological and social principles of physical education. It covers Mosston's coaching styles, tactics and strategies in competition, analysing a skill in phases, Classifying skills on continuums and transfer of skills.

The 5 subtopics

Each one has its own page.

• Mosston's coaching stylesThe command, reciprocal, guided discovery and problem-solving styles with their uses and drawbacks, who makes the decisions in each, the elite performer refining tactics, and moving a gymnast from command to guided discovery.Open →
• Tactics and strategies in competitionStrategies and tactics in football, the 1500 m runner, gathering information, adapting during play, cricket conditions, training tactics, the weak backhand, the golfer in wind, communication, and performance analysis.Open →
• Analysing a skill in phasesThe preparation, execution and recovery phases in a tennis serve and a basketball set shot, finding strengths and weaknesses, observation checklists, viewing angles, video, comparison with elite performers and acting on weaknesses.Open →
• Classifying skills on continuumsWhy skills sit on continuums, gross and fine, internally and externally paced, discrete, serial and continuous, and open and closed skills, decision making, practice, and classifying a tennis serve, a rugby tackle and front crawl.Open →
• Transfer of skillsPositive, negative, zero and bilateral transfer, proactive and retroactive transfer, promoting positive transfer, realistic practice, reducing negative transfer, fundamental movement skills and the basketball player's weaker hand.Open →

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Take Coaching and Skill Classification further

The same content, four other ways.

Commonly confused

Pairs that lose marks when they are blurred together.

• Command style vs Problem-solving style

  Command style: the coach making every decision while learners follow instructions. Problem-solving style: learners finding their own answer to a task the coach sets.

• Reciprocal style vs Guided discovery

  Reciprocal style: learners working in pairs, one performing and one observing with criteria. Guided discovery: a coach leading learners through questions towards a set answer.

• Strategy vs Tactic

  Strategy: an overall plan made before a competition. Tactic: a specific action chosen during play to carry out the plan.

Questions from this topic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1. 1

   What is the command style of coaching?

   Model answer

   The command style leaves every decision to the coach, and the performer simply follows instructions. The learner has little or no input.

2. 2

   When is the command style most appropriate?

   Model answer

   The command style suits beginners, large groups and dangerous activities where safety comes first. Teaching a novice to tackle safely in rugby is an example.

3. 3

   Evaluate the command style of coaching.

   Model answer

   The command style gives control, safety and quick, consistent learning of simple skills. The performer takes no ownership and has little chance to be creative. Experienced learners may lose motivation.

4. 4

   Describe the reciprocal style of coaching.

   Model answer

   Learners work in pairs, one performing and one observing and giving feedback against criteria set by the coach. The roles are then swapped.

5. 5

   What are the advantages of the reciprocal style?

   Model answer

   The reciprocal style develops communication and social skills and gives each learner frequent feedback. The observer also learns by analysing technique against the coach's criteria.

6. 6

   What are the drawbacks of the reciprocal style?

   Model answer

   The feedback may be inaccurate if the observer lacks knowledge of the skill. Some learners dislike being judged by a peer, and the coach has less control.

What is inside Levo

Six ways to work the same material.

Coaching and Skill Classification revision questions

What does Coaching and Skill Classification cover in Edexcel A-Level Physical Education?

5 subtopics: mosston's coaching styles, tactics and strategies in competition, analysing a skill in phases, classifying skills on continuums and transfer of skills. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.

How is Coaching and Skill Classification organised?

By the Edexcel 9PE0 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.