Classwork Date

1. Classwork Date • Lesson 6 – Lesson objective • Practice Types and presentation of skills • By the end of this lesson you should be able to: • Describe methods of practice. • Evaluate critically different types of practice methods and their application to the performance of movement skills. • Explain the appropriate use of practice methods to maximise effectiveness. • Explain the role of mental practice and rehearsal compared with physical practice.

2. Massed practice • Learners practice continuously without breaks or rest intervals. • Basketball players doing ten shots at each of six points around the ‘D’.

3. Massed practice advantages • Good for the grooving-in of habitual skills. • Good for experienced performers who are highly motivated with good fitness levels. • Most suited to simple discrete skills of short duration. • Can save on time as skills don’t have to be reintroduced after breaks between sessions. • Suitable when coach wants to simulate performance conditions where there is a fatigue element.

4. Massed practice disadvantages • Can cause fatigue and de-motivation, which can lead to poor performance and learning. • Can lead to boredom. • Beginners can be affected by lack of concentration and attention. • Not suitable for dangerous tasks.

5. Distributive practice • Practice sessions have rest intervals included. • E.g. Learner swims a width and then rests while they receive some feedback from the teacher.

6. Distributive practice — advantages • Good for most skill learning — particularly beginners and learners with low levels of motivation and fitness. • Good for learning continuous skills. • Rest intervals allow the learner time to recover physically and mentally. • Rest intervals allow opportunity to receive extrinsic feedback. • Research has shown this to be the most effective form of practice. • Helps maintain motivation. • Good for complex and potentially dangerous skills.

7. Distributive practice — disadvantages • More time-consuming than massed practice. • Skills may have to be re-introduced after each break. • May lead to frustration in discrete skills when rest intervals delay practice — de-motivation, e.g. pupils taking it in turn with only one ball!

8. Varied practice • The environment in which the skills are practised is constantly changing. • This practice is the most suitable method for OPEN skills. • e.g. 2v1 practice for passing.

9. Varied practice advantages • The performer learns to adapt the technique to the changing environment. • Adaptations are stored and increase schema. • Develops decision-making & perceptual skills. • Improves selective attention. • Improves detection of warning signals, making info processing (reaction time) faster and more efficient.

10. Varied practice disadvantages • Need to have already learned a grooved-in motor programme in a fixed environment. • Not suitable for closed skills.

11. Fixed practice • The environment in which the skill is practised remains constant. • The same movement is practised each time — the practice is repetitive. • Sometimes referred to as skill drills. • e.g. Shot putt.

12. Fixed practice advantages • The skill becomes grooved-in or over-learned. • Information processing demands are low. • Specific movement patterns can be over-learned and become habitual. • Allows learner’s attention to be directed elsewhere.

13. Fixed practice disadvantages • Not suitable for open skills. • Can be boring and de-motivating.

14. Mental rehearsal/practice • Performer goes through the movement in their mind without any movement occurring. • Sometimes referred to as imagery. • When mental practice takes place, muscular neurones fire as if the muscle is active.

15. Mental rehearsal uses/advantages • Useful in the cognitive/early stages of learning where learner builds up a mental picture. • Advanced performers use it to rehearse complex skills and go over strategies and tactics. • Used to reinforce successful movements. • Experienced performers use it for emotional control & establishing optimum levels of arousal. • Can be used to focus attention. • Can reduce anxiety and increase confidence.

16. Mental rehearsal uses/advantages • Used in conjunction with physical practice it can improve the speed of learning. • Effective with skills that have a high cognitive element e.g. team strategies.

17. Mental rehearsal — disadvantages • Used by itself it is not as effective as physical practice. • Not effective with simple skills, e.g. those that rely on strength.

18. Task • Discuss what type of practice is best suited to learning a potentially dangerous skill. • What type of performer would benefit from having massed practice? • What are the most appropriate forms of practice for open skills? • What are the most appropriate forms of practice for closed skills?