Introduction to Types of Guidance
In sport psychology, we look at how athletes learn and improve. One of the most important parts of learning a new skill is guidance. Guidance is the help or information given to a performer to help them learn a skill or improve their performance.
Think about when you first learned to ride a bike. Did someone show you how? Did they tell you what to do? Did they hold the back of the saddle? These are all different types of guidance. In the Edexcel GCSE PE course, you need to know four specific types: Visual, Verbal, Manual, and Mechanical. We will look at what they are, their pros and cons, and which performers they suit best.
1. Visual Guidance
Visual guidance is something the performer can see. This is often the first type of guidance used when someone is learning a brand-new skill.
Examples:
- A coach demonstrating a chest pass in netball.
- Watching a video of a professional sprinter’s start.
- Looking at posters or diagrams showing the correct foot placement for a football strike.
Advantages:
- It creates a clear mental image of what the skill should look like.
- It is great for beginners who have no idea how to perform the movement.
- It can be used to highlight specific small details of a complex skill.
Disadvantages:
- If the demonstration is poor or incorrect, the beginner will learn the wrong technique.
- A video might be too fast for a beginner to see exactly what is happening.
- Some skills are too complex to understand just by watching.
Key Takeaway: Visual guidance is best for beginners (cognitive learners) because they need to see what the "perfect model" looks like.
2. Verbal Guidance
Verbal guidance is something the performer hears. It involves a coach or teacher telling the performer what to do or giving them tips.
Examples:
- A coach shouting "keep your head down" to a golfer.
- A teammate telling a defender to "watch the player on your left."
- Detailed tactical instructions given to an elite athlete during a timeout.
Advantages:
- It can be given immediately during performance (e.g., shouting from the sidelines).
- It is useful for elite performers who already know the basics and just need small "tweak" instructions.
- It can be used to motivate the performer.
Disadvantages:
- Information overload: If a coach talks too much, the performer might get confused.
- Some movements are very hard to explain using only words.
- Beginners might not understand the technical jargon (sporty words) used by the coach.
Key Takeaway: Verbal guidance is often better for elite performers (autonomous learners) who can process technical information quickly. Beginners often find it confusing if used alone.
3. Manual Guidance
Manual guidance involves physical contact. A coach or teacher physically moves the performer's body into the correct position.
Examples:
- A gymnastics coach holding a performer’s waist to help them through a somersault.
- A golf pro standing behind a player and moving their arms through the swing path.
- A PE teacher holding a student's arm to show the correct angle for a javelin throw.
Advantages:
- It helps the performer develop kinesthesis (the "physical feeling" of the movement).
- It builds confidence and reduces fear in dangerous sports (like gymnastics).
- It ensures the performer is safe.
Disadvantages:
- The performer can become dependent on the coach (they can't do it without being held).
- It can feel intrusive or uncomfortable for some performers.
- It does not give the performer the "true" feeling of doing the skill for themselves.
Key Takeaway: Manual guidance is excellent for beginners and for safety, but it must be removed as soon as possible so the performer doesn't rely on it.
4. Mechanical Guidance
Mechanical guidance involves using equipment or "apparatus" to help the performer.
Examples:
- Using armbands or a "float" in swimming.
- Using a harness (a rig) in trampolining or gymnastics.
- Using a bowling machine in cricket to practice batting against consistent balls.
Advantages:
- It is very safe for high-risk skills.
- Like manual guidance, it helps the performer get the feeling (kinesthesis) of the move.
- It allows the performer to practice a specific part of a skill repeatedly (e.g., using a kickboard to practice just the leg kick in swimming).
Disadvantages:
- The equipment might not move exactly like the real thing (e.g., a bowling machine is different from a human bowler).
- Performers can become over-reliant on the gear.
- The equipment can be expensive or difficult to set up.
Key Takeaway: Mechanical guidance is perfect for dangerous skills and for beginners to build confidence.
Summary Table: Which Guidance for Whom?
When you sit your exam, you might be asked which type of guidance is best for a beginner vs. an expert. Use this guide:
Beginner (Cognitive Learner):
- Visual: Needs to see it to understand it.
- Manual/Mechanical: Needs to be safe and feel the movement.
- Avoid: Complex verbal guidance (it’s too confusing!).
Expert/Elite (Autonomous Learner):
- Verbal: Can understand technical, detailed instructions.
- Visual: Can use video analysis to look at tiny flaws in technique.
- Avoid: Manual/Mechanical (they already know the "feel" and don't need to be held!).
Quick Review: Don't Get Confused!
Common Mistake: Students often mix up Manual and Mechanical.
- If it’s a Human holding you = Manual.
- If it’s a Machine or Object holding you = Mechanical.
Memory Aid:
Manual = Man/Woman (Human support).
Mechanical = Machine (Equipment support).
Key Terms to Use in Your Exam:
- Kinesthesis: The internal sense or "feeling" of a physical movement.
- Information Overload: Receiving too much information at once, making it hard to process.
- Demonstration: A visual showing of how a skill is performed.