Skill Learning: Types of Practice

1. Skill Learning: Types of Practice 3.3 The Event

2. Four parts to teaching/learning a new skill: • Instructing - instructions must be given for them to complete the task or skill. These may be written or verbal. The teacher must ensure the student knows what is required of them • Demonstrating - The teacher may provide a demonstration of the skill or may get a peer to perform it. It is key that this is a good demonstration to allow the student to form a model in their memory and mentally rehearse the skill to be performed • Applying - The student then practises the skill in a planned situation to help them transfer the learning from practise to a competitive situation • Confirming - This centres on feedbackand providing information for the student about how successful they have been. Testing or assessing the skill allows the teacher and the student to evaluate performance.

3. Application Although this is the basis for teaching and learning of all skills but the coach/teacher must be able to apply this model appropriately to the learner they are working with:

4. There are Two key factors in determining types of practice in The session: • Nature of the skill being taught/learned • Performer’s position on the skill acquisition spectrum (cognitive, associative, autonomous)

5. Massed v Distributed practice Massed Distributed Continuous form of practice Best for simple skills or skills with low energy demands eg diving, turns, Good for highly motived athletes with high levels of concentration Can risk developing bad habits if performer receives no feedback Attempts at the skill are divided up with intervals in between. Best used in difficult, dangerous or fatiguing skills Good young/new learners or poorly motivated individuals Can use rest periods for extra feedback/ view video footage, reflection, mental rehearsal. Quality remains high as fatigue plays less of a role.

6. Whole v part learning Whole Part The skill is first demonstrated and then practised as a whole, from start to finish. It helps the learner to get a feel for the skill, timings and end product. It is best used for fast skills which cannot easily be separated into sub-routines, such as a javelin throw. It is unsuitable for people with low attention spans, complex or dangerous skills. The parts of the skill are practised in isolation which is useful for complicated and serial skills and is good for maintaining motivation and focusing on specific elements of the skill. It is possible, however, that the transfer of the skills from parts, to a whole may not be effective and it may also reduce the kinaesthetic awareness (feel) for the full skill.

7. Whole-Part-Whole Method • The whole skill is first demonstrated and practised, before being broken down into the constituent parts to practice the individual elements and improve on these, before putting the whole skill back together. • This can be very effective in skills which have easily distinguished parts, where the whole skill together is complex. A good example comes in swimming, where the learner would practice the whole stroke, then isolate a weak component, such as the kick and use a float in the hands to ensure using only the legs, before putting the whole stroke back together. • This gives the performer a sense of the whole skill before they break it down and improve on the weak aspects of the performance. • As with the part method this may affect the transfer of the skill from parts to the whole.

8. Progressive Part Method • This is sometimes also known as the chaining method, as the parts of a skill are practised individually, in order, before being linked together and expanded. • For example in the triple jump, the hop will be practised and learnt, before the skip is then practised and learnt. The two are then linked together. Finally the jump will be learnt individually and then tagged on the end of the skip. • This is slow process but allows weaknesses to be targeted and for the performer to understand the relationship of the sub-routines.

9. Drill v Problem Solving Drill (Fixed) Problem Solving (Variable) Involves repeatedly practising a whole skill until it has been learned. (strengthen the motor programme). Very similar to massed practice. This type of practice is best with closed skills Involves repeating a skill in varying situations. This is used best for open skillswhere decisions need to be made in a continually changing environment. For example a defending practice in basketball where the coach may set up drills and alter the starting position and involvement of attackers. This helps to build up schema(see motor learning theories) to use in game situations.

10. Physical v mental practice Physical Mental Time spent on developing skills physically using the recognised types of practice: Massed Distributed Whole Part Drill Problem Solving The use of sport psychology practices to enhance performance: Mental imagery Mental practice Visualisation Routines Self Talk Goal Setting

11. MENTAL REHEARSAL This is done by picturing a performance in one’s mind, and involves no physical practice. It consists of seeing the action in your mind, though it is sometimes regarded as also including viewing films, reading or listening to instructions. To obtain the maximum benefit …… • Mental rehearsal should take place in the performance environment • The action should be performed in it’s entirety where necessary • The performance should be successful • The performance should be practised immediately before a competition • The actions imagined should take place at the same rate as the performance • The athlete should imagine the feel of the action.

12. Visualisation • See hand out

13. ROUTINES • Routines are the rituals that competitors use in their preparation for an event, or in the game in their execution of a particular skill. • Routines may involve complex and detailed rituals that involve preparation, detailed dressing rules, or precisely executed warm-ups. Part of this practised routine might involve specific sports psychology skills such as imagery, positive thinking, mood control and distraction and stress management. • Experiment with developing a ritual that covers all points of preparation that you consider to be important. By practicing this ritual and keeping it standard in training, it will be automatic and complete when you face a potentially stressful competition. • Attention is enhanced by through the development of routines. Routines take up wasted time between action. The ability to consistently repeat the same action, and avoid external distractions, leads to consistent successful repetition of a skill.

14. SELF-TALK • Positive self-talk is the process of eliminating negative thoughts and promoting constructive ones. • Instead of dwelling on the negatives of an unfavorable situation, the athlete focuses on positives. "I don't swim well in 50m pools", is replaced by, "I have trained well and am prepared. Let's do it!".

15. GOAL Setting Discussed at start of this unit. What is your: • Outcome Goal? • Process Goal? • Performance Goal? Q. Is your training programme going to allow you to achieve these goals?

16. Task Refer to your personal training programme sessions. What types of practice have you used? What worked? What didn’t work? (Make your own specific and detailed notes on your session evaluations)