Understanding the Teaching-Learning Process (Ch. 2)

Q: What are the requirements for learning a motor skill? What do each of these requirements mean for the teacher of motor skills?

A: The requirements for learning a motor skill include prerequisites, clear idea of the task, implication for the teacher, motivational/attentional disposition to the skill, practice, and feedback.
         -Prerequisites: Do a task analysis to determine the prerequisites of the skill.
         -Clear Idea of the Task: Make sure directions are stated clearly
         -Implication for the Teacher: Make sure students have an accurate motor program from your communication.
         -Motivational/Attentional Disposition to the Skill: Eliminate repetitive drills, design tasks that capture the students attention, and require the students to process what they are doing.
         -Practice: Practice is necessary for students to use information on how to do the skill and to develop consistency of performance.
         -Feedback: Teachers can help students utilize feedback on knowledge of results and performance inherent in a skill and can use teacher feedback to maintain students focus and motivation to continue practice.

Q: What is the difference between the way closed skills, open skills, discrete skills, and serial skills should be taught?

A: Skills that are self-paced and closed require the development of consistency in stable movement conditions. Skills that are externally paced and open require that the individual be able to perform in complex external environments. The teacher will not want to practice closed skills in variable elements and vice versa. Teaching serial skills will want to be taught in groups of skills as opposed to one at a time as if it were a discrete skill.