Use of guidance and feedback — AQA A-Level Physical Education
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Use of guidance and feedback exam tips
Quick Revision Summary (Key Takeaway)
Guidance and feedback in AQA A-Level PE refers to the information given to performers before, during and after a skill or performance to improve learning and execution. Effective guidance (visual, verbal, manual, mechanical) and feedback (intrinsic, extrinsic, concurrent, terminal, knowledge of results, knowledge of performance) must match the learner's stage of learning and the type of skill being developed.
Topic Overview
Guidance and feedback are fundamental concepts in the acquisition of movement skills, forming a core part of the AQA A-Level Physical Education specification. Guidance refers to the information given to a performer to help them learn a skill, including visual, verbal, manual and mechanical methods. Feedback is the information a performer receives about their performance, which can be intrinsic or extrinsic, and further classified as concurrent, terminal, knowledge of results or knowledge of performance.
Understanding how to apply guidance and feedback effectively is essential for optimising learning and performance across all stages of learning: cognitive, associative and autonomous. This topic links closely to skill classification, stages of learning, and theories of learning such as operant conditioning and observational learning. Exam questions frequently require students to evaluate the appropriateness of different types of guidance and feedback for specific performers and sporting contexts.
Key Concepts
- →Guidance types: visual (demonstrations, videos), verbal (instructions, cues), manual (physical support), mechanical (equipment aids such as harnesses or floats).
- →Feedback types: intrinsic (from within the performer) and extrinsic (from outside, e.g. coach or crowd); concurrent (during performance) and terminal (after performance).
- →Knowledge of results (KR) is extrinsic feedback about the outcome of a movement, while knowledge of performance (KP) is extrinsic feedback about the quality of the movement.
- →The effectiveness of guidance and feedback depends on the learner's stage of learning: cognitive learners need clear, positive, extrinsic guidance and feedback; autonomous learners rely more on intrinsic feedback and fine-tuning.
- →Guidance and feedback must be matched to the skill classification (open/closed, basic/complex, low/high organisation) and the individual needs of the performer.
Examiner Tips
- 💡Always link the type of guidance or feedback to the specific stage of learning and the nature of the skill. Generic answers without application rarely achieve top band marks.
- 💡Use correct terminology consistently: intrinsic, extrinsic, concurrent, terminal, knowledge of results, knowledge of performance, visual, verbal, manual, mechanical.
- 💡When evaluating, provide both strengths and weaknesses of the guidance or feedback method, and suggest how it could be adapted for different performers or contexts.
Common Mistakes
- Students often think that knowledge of results (KR) is the same as knowledge of performance (KP). Correction: KR is about the outcome (e.g. whether a shot went in), while KP is about the technique or movement quality (e.g. the follow-through of the shot).
- Many students believe that manual guidance should be used for all beginners. Correction: manual guidance is best for dangerous or complex skills, but overuse can create dependency and hinder the development of kinaesthetic awareness.
- Students frequently assume that extrinsic feedback is always better than intrinsic feedback. Correction: as performers progress to the autonomous stage, intrinsic feedback becomes more important for self-correction and refinement.
Revision Plan
- 1Day 1-2: Create a table summarising each type of guidance (visual, verbal, manual, mechanical) with definitions, strengths, weaknesses, and sporting examples.
- 2Day 3-4: Do the same for feedback types (intrinsic, extrinsic, concurrent, terminal, KR, KP), ensuring you can distinguish KR from KP with clear examples.
- 3Day 5-6: Practise applying guidance and feedback to each stage of learning. Write short paragraphs explaining what you would use for a cognitive, associative and autonomous learner in a specific sport.
- 4Day 7-8: Complete past paper questions on this topic, focusing on 6-mark evaluate questions. Use mark schemes to identify where you lost marks and refine your structure.
- 5Day 9-10: Create flashcards for key terms and test yourself using active recall. Then attempt a timed essay question under exam conditions.
Exam Question Types
- 📋Definition and identification questions: e.g. 'Define knowledge of performance' or 'Identify two types of guidance a coach could use.' These require precise terminology and concise answers.
- 📋Application questions: e.g. 'Explain how a coach could use guidance and feedback to improve a beginner's tennis serve.' These require linking theory to a specific sporting context and stage of learning.
- 📋Evaluation questions (6 or 9 marks): e.g. 'Evaluate the use of manual guidance and extrinsic feedback for an elite gymnast.' These require balanced arguments, strengths and weaknesses, and a justified conclusion.
Command Word Expectations (AQA)
Define
Give the precise meaning of a term with no elaboration. For example, 'Define knowledge of results' requires: 'Extrinsic feedback about the outcome of a movement.' One mark is awarded for a correct, concise definition.
Explain
Make the relationship between points clear, showing cause and effect or how something works. For example, 'Explain how visual guidance can improve a beginner's performance' requires a demonstration creating a mental image, which helps form a correct motor programme. Typically 2-3 marks available.
Evaluate
Make a judgement based on the strengths and weaknesses of the guidance or feedback method, supported by evidence and applied to the performer. A conclusion is often required. For example, 'Evaluate the use of mechanical guidance for teaching a somersault' requires discussion of safety and support versus over-reliance and reduced kinaesthetic awareness. Typically 6-9 marks.
How Students Lose Marks (Examiner Pitfalls)
Pitfall: Students confuse knowledge of results (KR) with knowledge of performance (KP), or fail to link feedback type to the learner's stage of learning (cognitive, associative, autonomous).
❌ Weak Answer (Loses Marks):Feedback is when a coach tells you what you did wrong so you can improve. Knowledge of results is about how the skill looked.
Example improved answer:Knowledge of results (KR) is extrinsic feedback about the outcome of a movement, such as a basketball shot going in or missing. Knowledge of performance (KP) is extrinsic feedback about the quality of the movement itself, such as a coach explaining that a performer's elbow was too low during the shot. A cognitive stage learner benefits most from positive, extrinsic KP and simple KR to build a correct motor programme, whereas an autonomous stage learner relies more on intrinsic KP and KR to refine fine details.
Examiner Tip: Always name the feedback type, define it precisely, and then apply it to a specific stage of learning or skill classification to reach the top band.
Pitfall: Students describe guidance types in isolation without evaluating their strengths and weaknesses, or they fail to match guidance to the learner's needs and the nature of the skill.
❌ Weak Answer (Loses Marks):Visual guidance is good because you can see what to do. Verbal guidance is when the coach talks to you.
Example improved answer:Visual guidance (demonstrations, videos, diagrams) is effective for cognitive stage learners because it creates a clear mental image of the skill, but it can be limited if the demonstration is too fast or the model is not accurate. Verbal guidance is useful for advanced performers to refine tactics and technique, but it can cause information overload for beginners if too much detail is given at once. Manual and mechanical guidance provide physical support and safety for dangerous or complex skills, but they can create over-reliance and reduce the performer's ability to develop kinaesthetic awareness if withdrawn too quickly.
Examiner Tip: Use a comparative structure: define the guidance, give one strength, one weakness, and one specific sporting example. This consistently hits the analysis and evaluation marks.
Step-by-Step Worked Solutions
Question: A coach is teaching a 10-year-old beginner to perform a headstand in gymnastics. Explain the most appropriate types of guidance and feedback the coach should use during the early stages of learning. (6 marks)
- 1.Step 1: Identify the learner's stage of learning. The 10-year-old beginner is in the cognitive stage, so guidance must be clear, simple and supportive.
- 2.Step 2: Select and justify guidance types. Visual guidance (a demonstration of the headstand) creates a mental image. Manual guidance (the coach supporting the hips and legs) ensures safety and correct body positioning. Verbal guidance should be kept to simple key cues such as 'tuck your chin' and 'push through your arms'.
- 3.Step 3: Select and justify feedback types. Extrinsic feedback from the coach is essential. Knowledge of performance (KP) should focus on body position, and knowledge of results (KR) should confirm whether the headstand was held successfully. Positive feedback should be used to build confidence.
- 4.Step 4: Link to learning theory. This combination helps form a correct motor programme and reduces the risk of injury, which is vital for a cognitive stage learner.
Final Answer: The coach should use visual guidance (demonstration), manual guidance (physical support), and simple verbal guidance (key cues). Feedback should be predominantly extrinsic, with KP about body position and KR about success, delivered positively to build confidence and a correct motor programme.
Question: A rugby player is in the associative stage of learning and is practising a conversion kick. Analyse how the coach can use feedback to improve performance. (6 marks)
- 1.Step 1: Define the associative stage. The player has a basic motor programme but needs refinement and consistency.
- 2.Step 2: Identify appropriate feedback. The coach should use extrinsic feedback, particularly knowledge of performance (KP), to highlight technical flaws such as the angle of the run-up or the point of contact on the ball.
- 3.Step 3: Include knowledge of results (KR). The outcome of the kick (successful or unsuccessful) provides immediate KR, which the player can use to adjust their technique.
- 4.Step 4: Encourage intrinsic feedback. As the player develops, they should begin to feel their own errors (intrinsic KP) and make self-corrections, reducing reliance on the coach.
- 5.Step 5: Apply to performance. This blend of extrinsic and intrinsic feedback accelerates the transition to the autonomous stage by refining the motor programme.
Final Answer: The coach should provide extrinsic KP on technique and KR on the outcome, while encouraging the player to use intrinsic feedback to self-correct. This develops a more refined motor programme and supports progression to the autonomous stage.
Active Recall Memory Test
What is the difference between knowledge of results and knowledge of performance?
Key Fact: Knowledge of results (KR) is extrinsic feedback about the outcome of a movement (e.g. whether a goal was scored). Knowledge of performance (KP) is extrinsic feedback about the quality of the movement itself (e.g. the technique used).
Which type of guidance is most suitable for a cognitive stage learner and why?
Key Fact: Visual guidance is most suitable because it creates a clear mental image of the skill, which helps form a correct motor programme. It should be combined with simple verbal cues and, for dangerous skills, manual guidance.
Define concurrent feedback and give a sporting example.
Key Fact: Concurrent feedback is feedback given during the performance of a skill. For example, a coach shouting 'keep your head still' during a golf swing, or a swimmer feeling the water resistance as they pull.
Why might manual guidance be detrimental if used for too long?
Key Fact: Manual guidance can create over-reliance on the coach, preventing the performer from developing their own kinaesthetic awareness and intrinsic feedback mechanisms. It should be withdrawn gradually as the performer progresses.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between guidance and feedback in A-Level PE?
Guidance is the information or support given to a performer before or during a skill to help them learn it, such as a demonstration or physical support. Feedback is the information a performer receives about their performance, either during or after the skill, which they use to improve. Guidance is typically proactive and instructional, while feedback is reactive and evaluative.
How do I structure a 6-mark evaluate question on guidance and feedback?
Start by defining the guidance or feedback method you are evaluating. Then provide at least two strengths and two weaknesses, applying each to a specific sporting example and stage of learning. Use comparative language and link to theory where possible. Finish with a justified conclusion that weighs up the overall effectiveness for the given performer. This structure ensures you access the analysis and evaluation marks.
What are the four types of guidance in AQA A-Level PE?
The four types of guidance are visual (demonstrations, videos, diagrams), verbal (instructions, cues, feedback), manual (physical support from a coach), and mechanical (use of equipment such as floats, harnesses or guides). Each has specific strengths and weaknesses depending on the skill and the learner's stage.
Why is knowledge of performance important for elite athletes?
Elite athletes already have well-developed motor programmes and rely heavily on intrinsic feedback. However, knowledge of performance from a coach provides detailed, objective information about technical execution that the athlete may not detect themselves. This allows for fine-tuning of technique, which can be the difference between winning and losing at the highest level.
Can you give an example of mechanical guidance in sport?
Mechanical guidance involves using equipment to support or guide a performer. Examples include using armbands or floats in swimming to support a beginner, a gymnastics harness to support a performer learning a somersault, or a batting tee in cricket to help a beginner practise their swing. It is useful for safety and building confidence but should be withdrawn gradually.
How does feedback change as a performer moves from cognitive to autonomous stage?
In the cognitive stage, performers rely heavily on extrinsic feedback, particularly positive reinforcement and KP from the coach, to build a correct motor programme. In the associative stage, they begin to use intrinsic feedback alongside extrinsic KP to refine technique. By the autonomous stage, performers rely predominantly on intrinsic feedback and KR, using extrinsic feedback only for fine-tuning or tactical adjustments.