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
Ashworths 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 selfefficacy. 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

Self Feedback

Jigsaw Learning

Teacher Feedback

Convergent Discovery

Student Teams Achievement Division

(STAD)

Peer Feedback

Divergent Discovery

Team Games Tournament (TGT)

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
Ashworths 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 selfefficacy. 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

Self Feedback

Jigsaw Learning

Teacher Feedback

Peer Feedback

Convergent Discovery

Divergent Discovery

Student Teams Achievement Division

(STAD)

Team Games Tournament (TGT)

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
Ashworths 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 selfefficacy. 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

Self Feedback

Jigsaw Learning

Teacher Feedback

Convergent Discovery

Student Teams Achievement Division

(STAD)

Peer Feedback

Divergent Discovery

Team Games Tournament (TGT)

Direct Teaching

Traditional method of teaching where the teacher leads the class through a task. Usually all students are performing the same ta

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
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
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 feed
each other.
Teacher's Role: To plan tasks and provide specific criteria for how to perform each skill; To observe partners' abilities to w
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 c

Self Feedback

Students are given a task with clear criteria and evaluate their own performance. The picture to the right is from an iPhone a
callediCoachview which records and plays back video and allows for annotation, slow motion, and more.
Advantages: Students learn to analyze their own movement; Students are more independent.
Disadvantages: Lower skilled students may not be able to correctly analyze themselves.
Teacher's Role: Same as partner feedback except the teacher must determine the students' abilities to assess themselves.
Learners' Role: To do tasks that the teacher has planned and to evaluate their own performance of each skill.

Convergent Discovery

Students are given a problem that only has one solution and are allowed the opportunity to discover t
answer themselves (typically lower order skills). The teambuilding activity "One Way" is a great e
of convergent discovery.

Advantages: Promotes the use of critical thinking skills; Good for working on social skills.
Disadvantages: Students need to be self motivated; Grouping students is more important.
Teacher's Role: To design the problem and provide tasks that will help the students discover the sol
the problem.
Learners' Role: To do tasks the teacher has prepared while working cooperatively to find the one so
to the problem.

Divergent Discovery

Students are given a problem that has multiple solutions and are encouraged to discover their own answer (typically higher or
skills). For example, have students create a routine using dance moves they have learned throughout the unit.

Advantages: Promotes student creativity; Great for authentic assessments; Good for working on social skills.
Disadvantages: Students need to be self motivated; Grouping students is more important.
Teacher's Role: To design the problem and provide tasks that will help the students discover different solutions to the problem
Learners' Role: To do tasks the teacher has prepared while working cooperatively to find a solution to the problem.

Jigsaw Learning

Students are placed into groups that are assigned to learn a specific skill. Once they have learned their skill, their group then
another group. So on and so forth. More information on jigsaw learning can be found here.

Advantages: Teacher is free to circulate the class; Students teaching others is an effective learning tool; Good for working o
social skills.
Disadvantages: Students need to be self motivated; May be difficult for lower skilled students.
Teacher's Role: To create tasks for each group and be available for feedback.
Learners' Role: To be willing to learn from their peers and teach others.

Student Teams Achievement Divisions (STAD)

Students are placed in teams and are as

learning task along with the necessary
resources. At the end of the specified ti
limit, students in each team are assessed
their scores are averaged to get a team s
Groups then participate in a discussion
to improve, are given feedback, and the
the task. At the end of the task, assessm
given again and team averages are com
see if there are improvements.

Advantages: Focuses on cooperation a

improvement; Students teaching others
effective learning tool; Good for workin
social skills.
Disadvantages: Students must be
developmentally ready for the responsi
Focuses on the product rather than the p
Specific students may dominate while o
become bystanders.
Teacher's Role: Create tasks that requi
cooperation; Provide necessary resourc
complete the task; Facilitate discussion
first task; Observe student interactions;
Provide feedback.
Learners' Role: Work cooperatively; F
on team improvement; Work independe
teacher.

Team Games Tournament

Similar to STAD except that the scores fr

team members are not added together. In
each score in the group is given a rank (h
to lowest) and these scores are then comp
against the same rank from other groups
highest score vs highest score, 2nd highe
vs 2nd highest score, etc.). Teams earn po
each winning comparison.

Advantages: Focuses on cooperation an

improvement; Students teaching others is
effective learning tool; Good for working
social skills.
Disadvantages: Students must be
developmentally ready for the responsibi
Focuses on the product rather than the pr
Specific students may dominate while oth
become bystanders.
Teacher's Role: Create tasks that require
cooperation; Provide necessary resources
complete the task; Facilitate discussion a
task; Observe student interactions; Provid
feedback.
Learners' Role: Work cooperatively; Fo
team improvement; Work independently
teacher.

Many of these teaching styles were modified from:

Himberg, C., Hutchinson, G., & Roussell, J. (2003). Teaching Secondary Physical Education: Preparing Adolescents to Be Active for Life.
Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Metzler, M. (2011). Instructional Models for Physical Education. Scottsdale, AZ: Holcomb Hathway, Publishers.