Teaching Styles in Physical Education

Students vary in their levels of skill proficiency, maturity, independence,

responsibility, and other aspects that impact their ability to learn.
Teachers need to have a variety of tools in their “teaching belts" so
they can create lessons where all students learn.

The teaching styles we present here have been slightly modified (and
renamed to make them easier to remember) from Mosston and
Ashworth’s work. The main difference is that we promote the inclusion
concept for each of the teaching styles rather than treat inclusion as a
separate style. Using an inclusion approach in each style will allow all
students to experience success, tackle challenges, and improve self-
efficacy. Choosing a teaching style is based on your experience/ability,
what the lesson is trying to accomplish, and the needs of your students.
Both you and your students will enjoy having the variety.

Direct Teaching

Teacher Feedback

Peer Feedback

Self Feedback

Convergent Discovery

Divergent Discovery

Jigsaw Learning
Student Teams – Achievement Divisions (STAD)

Team Games Tournament (TGT)

Direct Teaching

Picture

Traditional method of teaching where the teacher leads the class

through a task. Usually all students are performing the same task at the
same time.

Advantages: Can be time efficient; Lots of practice opportunities; Good

for introducing new skills.

Disadvantages: Difficult to provide feedback and variations to all

students; Teacher centered.

Teacher's Role: To plan tasks, lead students through them, and provide
feedback.

Learners' Role: To follow the teacher's "commands."

Teacher Feedback

Picture

Students are assigned tasks (task sheets) with clear criteria and the
teacher is free to roam around and give feedback.

Advantages: Teacher can provide specific feedback to individual

students; Students can work independently.
Disadvantages: Difficult to provide feedback to all students

Teacher's Role: To plan tasks and provide feedback.

Learners' Role: To decide exactly how, when, and where to do task.

Peer Feedback

Picture

Students are placed into groups where students evaluate each other
performing a task with clear criteria.

Advantages: All students receive feedback; Students learn by observing

and analyzing other students' movements; Good for working on social
skills; Teacher is free to circulate through the class.

Disadvantages: Tasks must be clear enough for students to do on their

own; Students may not be able to provide good feedback to each other.

Teacher's Role: To plan tasks and provide specific criteria for how to
perform each skill; To observe partners' abilities to work together and
provide feedback to each other; To be available when needed.

Learners' Role: To take turns being the doer (performing the skill) and
the observer (providing feedback according to the criteria).