AQA · A-Level · Physical Education

    Course version: 7582 · Version from Sept 2016

    Methods of presenting practice.

    Full specification wording

    Impact of skill classification on structure of practice for learning: Methods of presenting practice.

    Methods of presenting practice describe how a coach organises a skill for learning.

    Checked against the AQA 7582 specification (opens in a new tab) on .

    • Point 1 of 10
    • 4 key terms

    Study notes

    From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.

    The idea

    Methods of presenting practice describe how a coach organises a skill for learning. Whole practice presents the skill in its entirety without breaking it down, which is suitable for discrete, fast or highly organised skills such as a golf swing. Part practice breaks the skill into subroutines, useful for serial or low-organisation skills like a tennis serve. Progressive part practice teaches subroutines separately and then links them cumulatively into a chain, ideal for complex serial skills like a gymnastics routine. Whole-part-whole practice begins with the whole skill, isolates a problematic part for focused practice, and then reintegrates it into the complete movement.

    What earns the marks

    • Describes whole practice: performing the skill in its complete form, suited to discrete and highly organised skills.
    • Describes part practice: breaking a skill into subroutines and practising them separately, suited to low-organisation skills.
    • Describes progressive part practice: teaching subroutines in isolation and gradually linking them together cumulatively.
    • Describes whole-part-whole practice: attempting the whole skill, isolating a weak part for improvement, then returning to the whole skill.
    • Links the choice of practice method to skill classification, for example discrete skills to whole practice and serial skills to part practice.

    Common mistakes and how to put them right

    • Assuming part practice is always best for complex skills.

      Put it right: Part practice suits low-organisation skills, but highly organised or fast discrete skills may be better learned as a whole.

    • Confusing progressive part practice with whole-part-whole.

      Put it right: Progressive part practice chains parts cumulatively, while whole-part-whole returns to the intact whole.

    • Believing whole-part-whole means practising only the whole skill.

      Put it right: It includes isolating a specific part before reintegrating it into the whole.

    Exam tips

    • Match the practice method to the skill classification given in the question, for example discrete, serial, high or low organisation.
    • Justify your choice by referring to the learner's stage of learning and the complexity of the skill.
    • Use precise terminology such as whole, part, progressive part and whole-part-whole rather than vague descriptions.

    Try the lesson

    The start of the Impact of skill classification on structure of practice for learning: Methods of presenting practice. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.

    Have a go first

    A gymnast practises a vault by performing the whole vault from run-up to landing each time without stopping. Which method of presenting practice is being used?

    Listen

    Methods of presenting practice describe how a coach organises a skill for learning. Whole practice presents the skill in its entirety without breaking it down, which is suitable for discrete, fast or highly organised skills such as a golf swing. Part practice breaks the skill into subroutines, useful for serial or low-organisation skills like a tennis serve. Progressive part practice teaches subroutines separately and then links them cumulatively into a chain, ideal for complex serial skills like a gymnastics routine. Whole-part-whole practice begins with the whole skill, isolates a problematic part for focused practice, and then reintegrates it into the complete movement. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Describes whole practice: performing the skill in its complete form, suited to discrete and highly organised skills. Describes part practice: breaking a skill into subroutines and practising them separately, suited to low-organisation skills. Describes progressive part practice: teaching subroutines in isolation and gradually linking them together cumulatively. Describes whole-part-whole practice: attempting the whole skill, isolating a weak part for improvement, then returning to the whole skill. A common slip: Assuming part practice is always best for complex skills. Instead, part practice suits low-organisation skills, but highly organised or fast discrete skills may be better learned as a whole. Exam tip: Match the practice method to the skill classification given in the question, for example discrete, serial, high or low organisation.

    See it

    A top-down flowchart with four separate branches. The first branch runs from Whole practice to Skill presented in its entirety. The second runs from Part practice to Skill broken into subroutines. The third runs from Progressive part practice to Subroutines taught separately, then to Linked cumulatively into a chain. The fourth runs from Whole-part-whole practice to Whole skill attempted, then to Problematic part isolated, then to Part reintegrated into whole movement.
    The four methods of presenting practice and how each organises the skill for learning.

    Key words

    Say what each word means before you turn the card.

    Whole practice

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Part practice

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Progressive part practice

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Whole-part-whole practice

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    See every definition
    Whole practice
    Presenting the skill in its entirety without breaking it down, which is suitable for discrete, fast or highly organised skills.
    Part practice
    Breaking the skill into subroutines and practising them separately, useful for serial or low-organisation skills.
    Progressive part practice
    Teaching subroutines separately and then linking them cumulatively into a chain, ideal for complex serial skills.
    Whole-part-whole practice
    Beginning with the whole skill, isolating a problematic part for focused practice, and then reintegrating it into the complete movement.

    Label the diagram

    Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.

    The diagram again, with 3 boxes numbered instead of named. A top-down flowchart with four separate branches. The first branch runs from Whole practice to Skill presented in its entirety. The second runs from Part practice to Skill broken into subroutines. The third runs from Progressive part practice to Subroutines taught separately, then to Linked cumulatively into a chain. The fourth runs from Whole-part-whole practice to Whole skill attempted, then to Problematic part isolated, then to Part reintegrated into whole movement.

    • 1Box 1

    • 2Box 2

    • 3Box 3

    0 of 3 labelled

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