Part A: Self Evaluation

Overall, the feedback received for the basketball session was good and saw that the

session was effective in student participation and enjoyment of the activities. The only thing

that would need to be changed is the transitioning between activities to create more

opportunities for student participation. A suggestion provided was to have the warmup

performed of the grass area to allow for the next activity to be set up and ready for the

students to move to into straight after the warmup activity. In decreasing transition times, it

will allow for implementing more activities or game play at the end of the session. With

decreasing the transition times and having students participating in activities for longer

periods, assist in behaviour management (Dawson-Rodriques et al., 1997). To also

implement efficient time management effectively between each activity, activities that had

the same or similar set up could have been utilised.

With the goal of skill development and participation in each activity, the strategy of

grouping students prior to the class was effective. By grouping the students in two teams

prior to the class, it ensured that the two groups were evenly matched based on their skill

levels. With the competitive nature of the activities, it was effective in ensuring each student

had an opportunity to participate against someone of a similar skill level. The transition

between activities was easier with the two teams already set in place, as the process of

grouping students can be time consuming. It also assisted in the behaviour management as

grouping students together can become problematic (Lynn & Ratliffe, 1999).

Using modified games that incorporated the main skill components of basketball it

allowed for maximum participation in the activities. The games were specifically modified to
meet the needs of all participants skill levels whilst also including a competitive nature to

simulate game like play (Sawicki, 2000). The modification of games provides opportunities

for the teacher to change the game modification during the activities to either be less or

more challenging depending on the student’s skill progression (Sawicki, 2000). The

modification of an activity can be done by changing time limits, boundary areas, rules,

scoring systems and equipment use. This was done during the session by the changing of

the scoring system in the third activity. Modifications were also made to the boundary of

the first activity to increase the level of intensity to the game and develop a more

competitive environment. In the first activity a time limit could have been put in place to

ensure participation was continuous throughout the activity once the students got tagged

out. This is known has the inclusion style of the teaching techniques and is used to tailor

activities to the student’s skill level and develop their skills by increasing participation levels

(Hewitt, 2020). Guided discovery teaching style was also implemented when asking the

students how they believe the game could be modified to be more challenging (SueSee et

al., 2020). This approach allows the students to problem solve on their own which is an

essential skill when going into a competitive invasion game, as the objective of invasion

games it to make it harder for the opponent to score by invading their space (SueSee et al.,

2020).

Through the process of reflection and taking on board the feedback provided, it is

understood that providing students with feedback and teaching instructions during the

activities would be more effective as opposed to delivering student feedback and technique

corrections after the activity. As the students are at the autonomous stage of learning it is

effective to provide simple instructions during the game to allow the student to begin
correcting their performance in the moment. By implementing this teaching strategy, it

promotes more time on tasks and continues to challenge the learner. It is important to also

include positive reinforcement during the participation of the students, as it encourages

them to self-correct and multi-task during the game by making in the moment decisions. It

is noted that this does not necessarily need to be a verbal instruction or feedback this can

be done by simple clapping in approval to the students’ performance to develop their

confidence in their abilities (Jacaranda, 2017).

Part B: Reflection

The suitability for group, participant enjoyment/engagement

to the participants skill level. Participants can lack confidence if the skill level required for

the activity is above their ability. If participants deem the activity too hard for them to be

successful, they will disengage and be discouraged from participating. To ensure community

sport is accessible for all levels of participation, programs and sessions need to be designed

with games and activities that can be modified to accommodate a variety of skill level and

age groups. The designing of the sessions also needs to ensure that the activities are

promoting participates to have fun whilst learning something new or developing their

current skills. It is important that participants are enjoying the process at the community

level of sport, to promote ongoing participation in the sport or activity. This can be

implemented by the coach creating opportunities for all participates to experiences success.

Presenter’s position on oval/court when giving instructions, feedback or during students

practicing.

Positioning of the coach or teacher is very important in an both indoor and outdoor

settings. It is important for the entire sessions from greeting the participants, during

activities, between activities and the conclusion and feedback stage of the sessions. It is

important when delivering instructions to a large group that the coach is positioned in front

of the participants in a close enough proximity that all the participants can see and hear. If

in an outdoor setting ensure the participates you are addressing are not facing the sun, this

will help them to be able to pay attention to the delivery of instructions. This technique can

also be used to face participates away from other activities that may be occurring which can

cause distraction. When demonstrating a skill or movement the coach needs to be in a

coach to move the spaces to be able to provide coaching strategies on the go. When small

group activities are happening coaches should make sure they are moving between each

group to provide guidance to all participants. Ensuring constant movement between

activities will also help with behaviour management and ensuring the safety of the

participants.

Timings and transitions

Having the session planned in advanced with the timings of activities and allocated

water breaks helps with the flow of the lesson and the transitioning between activities. It is

also effective to set up equipment before the sessions starts to increase participants activity

time. For the very first session with the group, it is important to implement routines and

guidelines to follow, this will assist in the transition sequences in future sessions. Another

strategy that can be helpful in smooth transitions is getting the participants to assist in the

packing up or moving of equipment in-between activities. Timed water breaks are effective

to help with getting the participants back and ready for the next activity without delays. For

example, saying to the participants “you now have 60 seconds to get a drink of water, then

meet me back in the centre of the court ready for the next activity.” (Schembri, 2005).

Use of equipment and organisation of participants (groupings)

session. It is then important that the coaches they have all the equipment needed, enough

equipment for the number of participants and that all equipment is in working order and

safe to use. Equipment should also be of appropriateness for the age of participates for

example, using a smaller and softer ball for younger participants or having the right length

of hockey stick for taller or smaller participants. It is also beneficial to have the alternative

equipment readily available for example you may have all the small tennis racquets as it

says the age of participants are 6 and 7, however you may have participant who has

developed earlier than others and would benefit from using a larger racquet. Equipment

should also be suitable for the environment, if the activity involves the use of balloons yet

the area allocated is outdoors, the activity and equipment are not suitable in that situation.

Grouping the participants for activities can be very time consuming especially in a large

group, if it is a group, you regularly work with it is in good practice and time management to

have the groups of participants organised before the session and display the participants

name on a board in their groups so they can organise themselves. If the group of

participates are new to you then it is useful to design warm up or starter activities that do

not require groupings to gage an idea of participates skill and fitness level.

Instructional/teaching strategies

There are many teaching styles and strategies that have been categorised in 2

groups: Teacher-centred and Student-centred. The Teacher-centred approaches are

Command Style, Practice Style, Reciprocal Style, Self-Check, and Inclusion Style. The

Student-centred approaches are Guided Discovery, Convergent Discovery, Divergent

Production, Learner Designed, Learner Initiated, and Self Teach (The PE Project, 2020). It is
understood that lessons are not conducted with the use of one teaching style. It is

important to understand the different teaching styles and how they can be used effectively

to ultimately benefit the student’s success (The PE Project, 2020). At the beginning of a

student’s learning journey, they have yet to skills required to have session approached with

the student-centred styles of teaching. It is recommended that at the beginning of the

students learning phase that teachers develop and conduct physical activity session using

the teacher-centred styles. When students begin developing their skills to a point of being

able to learn independently and safely, then the teacher can guide them down the student-

centred styles (The Pe Project, 2020). For community sport and beginners to physical activity

it is recommended that the use of Command Style, Practice Style, and Inclusion Style as they

are focused on safety, skill development and participation and enjoyment of the activity.

Voice audibility/Communication techniques/feedback

Generally sporting environments can be very loud whether the activity is outdoor or

indoor. it is important that verbal communication is loud and clear for participants to hear

whilst being physically active. It is effective to use noise aides to assist in gaining attention or

prompting the start or ending of a physical movement for example, sirens and whistles.

When providing instruction for the students it is recommended to clear and concise in the

delivery with the use of non-verbal cues to strengthen the delivery to gain desired student

action. For example, directing the students where they will start the activity by verbally

saying “you will line up behind the red cones” whilst also point to where the red cones are.

Delivering instructions or demonstrations of an activity can also be supported by using the

students to assist, for example getting a student to run over to where the red cones are

displaying what is expected of the rest of the group (Schembri, 2005).

Being able to adapt to a situation that is unexpected is a skill a successful coach must

have. Sometimes things do not go to the session plan and coaches must be able to think on

their feet and make modifications to the activity in the moment. For example, modification

may need to be made to the area due to safety reason, or the changing of an activity as the

activity prepared requires more participants than how many showed up on the day

(Schembri, 2005). Coaches also need to be ready to adapt and modify the activity due to

diversity in learning needs and skill levels (Schembri, 2005). Modifications can be made to

equipment, area, time, scoring, and game rules (Schembri, 2005).

Developmentally appropriate activities for diverse levels of ability (inclusivity).

To promote the participation of diverse skill levels coaches will need to be prepared

prior to the session with appropriate equipment and appropriate activities that cater for a

range of participants. Effective coaching is described as the coach being able to provide the

participants with activities that cater to their abilities (Schembri, 2005). Coaches should

observe the participants during the activities to make note of participants who are

advancing their skills easily and of participants who are struggling to master the skills. In

recognising these things coaches should immediately change the activity by modifying

different aspects of the game to ensure students can develop at their pace (Schembri,

2005). In doing this, teachers, and coaches are encouraging student participation and

developing their confidence in their abilities.

Justification of effective coaching principles

participant engagement, the timings and transitions, the use of equipment and organisation

of participants, coaches’ position on the court when giving instructions, feedback or during

students practicing, and the communication techniques and feedback used. I believe these 5

principles are important in both the creating of lessons and in the actual coaching session.

Firstly, ensuring the lesson and activities are suitable for the group is important

because the participates need to have an opportunity to develop their skills. The lessons

need to be developed to be suitable for the skill level of the participants and should also be

age appropriate. This is important to maximise participation for students in physical activity,

by providing lessons that are suitable for the students age and skill, it develops their

confidence within their performance making it a fun an enjoyable process (Australian Sports

Commission, 2020). The basketball lesson I observed that had 25 students that were 10

years, and it was their first ever experience with the sport of Basketball. The coach used a

game of line tag as the warmup, as they were beginners this was a good activity to start

with as it required no equipment, and no specific basketball skill was required. The students

enjoyed this activity, and everyone was able to participate and seemed engaged. This

activity was used to encourage students to get moving with a game they already knew. By

providing a game that was suitable for the student’s skill level and knowledge of basketball

it allowed the students the ability to learn the area of the basketball court without having to

focus on specific basketball skills to begin with.

The timing and transitions between activity are important for a coach to consider

when developing a physical activity lesson. To effectively use this coaching principle, it is
best to plan out the expected time each activity will go for and to design suitable activities in

the required space to allow for easy transitions between activities. When allocating time to

an activity the participants skill level and fitness capabilities will need to be consider in

developing the lesson plan. When considering how long each activity should go for a coach

have a clear goal or outcome they want from the lesson, this will develop what skills are

important to focus on and how much focus is required to achieve desired outcome (Miles,

2022). However, it is beneficial in some instances to be flexible with the duration of

activities, if students begin to get disengage during and activity it is best to move on from it

(Miles, 2022). I did observe this in the rugby session I attended, the students were

participating in a passing game, during the game the players started to not focus on the

passing techniques and were intentionally throwing the ball to disrupt other students. When

the teacher noticed this, he made a quick decision to change the game and move on to a

different skill focus of kicking and catching high balls. The students responded well to this

and seemed to like learning a new game they had not done before.

Organising students can be very time consuming and can be a time where students

disengage from the activity and begin to show undesirable behaviours. It is suggested to not

use the strategy of team captains publicly choosing players to be on their team as this can

be time consuming but can also be detrimental to a student’s confidence. This strategy can

also see undesirable behaviours shown by students displaying bullying and discrimination to

others (Lynn & Ratliffe, 1999). A numbering system is common strategy that is used to pair

or group students, depending on the group size and the age of the participants this strategy

can be effective in quickly transitioning into game play. The use of the numbering system

can be ineffective when there is a large group of participants and confusion begins to occur
when participants forget their number (Lynn & Ratliffe, 1999). Having students group

themselves by directing them to find a partner to work with is time efficient and is a desired

technique for the students (Lynn & Ratliffe, 1999). This technique was displayed during the

netball session where I observed the teacher give the students a 5 second time limit to find

a partner they want to work with. This was used for the warmup activity, as the students

went through several rounds of this quick game the teacher then directed students on one

side of the line to move one step to their left which created new partnerships within the

same activity. By simply instruction half the students to move to their left to create new

partnerships created for a smooth transition and did not have students off task for long. The

organisation of equipment is also important in developing an effective learning session.

Strategies I learnt through my observation sessions were to ensure there is enough

equipment for the size of the group, that all equipment was in working order, have

equipment that can be used for multiple games and to have students assist in the process of

setting up and packing away of the equipment.

The teacher’s location during the coaching of participants in sport is vital part of

process to ensure participates are engaged, developing their skills and safe (Schembri,

2005). To ensure students are engaged in the learning process and are developing their skills

the teacher/coach needs to be continually moving between small groups during the

activities. When moving around to observe all student’s performance, coaches can take

note of how students are developing and whether the activity can be modified to suit their

skill level. By moving around the environment, the activity is happening it, the teacher can

ensure all students are safe in the designated area. When providing demonstrations and

instructions to the participants it is important that the coach is positioned so that all
students can clearly see and hear. Teachers and coaches also need to be aware of where

they are positioning their students, for example if the students are facing the sun or a facing

another activity that is being performed behind the coach whilst they are trying to deliver

instructions, students can be distracted and miss key inform.

Communication techniques are also key factor for the effectiveness of providing

students feedback and for delivering instructions throughout the lesson. Teachers and

coaches should be pair non-verbal ques with their verbal instruction to ensure students are

clear on what is being instruction. Non-verbal ques can also be used when providing positive

reinforcement to the students during a physical activity. When delivering feedback to

participates it is important to give a specific instruction rather than focusing on what the

what they did wrong. To develop the student’s confidence feedback should be given using

the sandwich technique by providing a specific correction followed by a positive

reinforcement (Schembri, 2005). Positive reinforcement is also a great technique for

managing behaviours by providing a positive comment to a student who is displaying the

correct behaviour rather than disciplining a student for a minor misbehaviour (Schembri,

2005). Getting students to model positive reinforcement with each other will also develop a

student’s confidence and promote participation. Observations of the teacher asking

students to high-fine their teammates before getting a drink were made during the

volleyball session I attended. I noticed the students started to develop positive relationships

with one another which seemed to encourage those students who were not very active in

participation in the beginning of the lesson.

References
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Dawson-rodriques, K., Lavay, B., Butt, K., & Lacourse. M. (1997). A Plan to Reduce Transition

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Hewitt, M. (2020). Considering the application of a range of teaching styles from The

Spectrum that promotes the holistic development of tennis players in a variety of

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Styles in Physical Education. (pp. 60-72). Taylor & Francis Group. https://ebookcentral-

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https://doi.org/10.1080/08924562.2000.10591477

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Styles in Physical Education. (pp. 73-84). Taylor & Francis Group. https://ebookcentral-

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