Coaching and Skill Classification | Edexcel A-Level Physical Education (9PE0)

Coaching and Skill Classification

  • 72 questions
  • 5 subtopics
  • Component 2: psychological and social principles of physical education
  • Component 2

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.

Sample questions from Coaching and Skill Classification

Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.

  1. Mosston's coaching styles

    What are the drawbacks of the reciprocal style?

    Show the 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.
  2. Mosston's coaching styles

    Evaluate the problem-solving style of coaching.

    Show the answer
    Problem solving encourages creativity, independence and decision making, which suit open skills and experienced performers. Solutions may be wrong or inefficient, and the process is slow.
  3. Tactics and strategies in competition

    How does a coach gather the information needed to develop a strategy?

    Show the answer
    The coach analyses opponents through video and match statistics, looking for patterns and weaknesses. The coach also assesses the team's own strengths, fitness and available players.
  4. Tactics and strategies in competition

    What role does communication play in carrying out tactics?

    Show the answer
    A captain or coach must communicate a change of tactics quickly and clearly. Time-outs, substitutions and half-time talks let a coach adjust the plan.
  5. Analysing a skill in phases

    Describe the three phases of a basketball set shot.

    Show the answer
    The preparation phase is a balanced stance with knees bent and the ball above the shooting shoulder. The execution phase is the extension of the legs and arm, with a flick of the wrist. The recovery phase is the follow-through before a balanced landing.
  6. Analysing a skill in phases

    Why is video useful when analysing a skill?

    Show the answer
    Video can be slowed, paused and replayed, so fast actions can be studied in detail. The performer can also see their own technique.
  7. Classifying skills on continuums

    What is a serial skill?

    Show the answer
    A serial skill links several discrete elements in a set order. A triple jump, with its hop, step and jump, is a serial skill.
  8. Classifying skills on continuums

    How does a skill's place on the open–closed continuum affect the way practice is structured?

    Show the answer
    Closed skills suit fixed practice that repeats the same movement in stable conditions. Open skills suit variable practice in changing, match-like conditions that demand decisions.

The 5 subtopics

One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.

Subtopic What it covers Questions
Mosston's coaching styles The 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. 15
Tactics and strategies in competition Strategies 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. 14
Analysing a skill in phases The 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. 14
Classifying skills on continuums Why 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. 15
Transfer of skills Positive, 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. 14
Coaching and Skill Classification is 72 of the 2,108 questions in the guide.Get the guide, £8

How the guide is worked

Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.

  1. Step 1 · Closed book

    Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.

  2. Step 2 · Open book

    Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.

  3. Step 3 · Closed book again

    Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.

Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.

Nearby topics

All 38 topics Guide overview

Edexcel A-Level Physical Education Active Recall Guide

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