Now you’ve had a chance to look at some skill activities to try out (if not, have a look here), this short post covers a few fundamental principles to really MAXIMISE what your kids can get out of the lesson.
At elementary level, it is crucial that focus is placed on 🏀 enjoyment 🎾 individual effort 🏈 team co-operation 🏒 skill exploration. Naturally, kids may be drawn to competition, but never place the emphasis on the winners – always give praise and reward to those who put in the most effort no matter what the outcome.
Read the 6 tips below (or watch the video) – Perhaps try to put into practice 1 principle a lesson, and within 6 lessons your teaching technique and confidence will be greatly developed ›››
Always visually show the children what they need to do – it’s ok if you can’t do the skill properly yourself! Click to view our “How to teach the core PE skills” videos for a recap on what exactly to say when you are demonstrating skills to your class.
- Use a child to demonstrate where possible
- Show the action from the front and side
Ask for feedback with questions to check for understanding…
- “Look at my legs when I kick the ball, what are they doing?”
- “What is my non-throwing hand doing”
- “What can I do to get more power?”
Once a skill has been shown, get the students to copy you, without a ball, going through the motions of performing the skill so they can get an idea of what it feels like.
- Do this 3-4 times, then give plenty of opportunities to experience with a ball
Use unique phrases the children can relate with, making it fun and easier to grasp
- “Stand in your warrior pose holding your cannonball behind you, and point to the castle before firing.”
- ” Swing your golf club leg behind you before shooting the egg into the cave”
The less waiting around the better…whatever you can to maximise hands-on participation time.
- Where and when needed, create an additional line, group or extra team to if you have the space and kids are just standing around waiting
- If you have extra players, put them into 3’s instead of 2’s
Encourage personal achievement, trying to beat your personal best, or “one more than before”, for example:
- “See if you can score more than 4 goals”
- “See how many catches you can do in a row“
- “How many cones can you collect in 2 minutes“
High energy levels and excitement (from our awesome activities) sometimes needs management out on the field or in the sports hall:
› Get them to hold their balls still when you are talking/explaining
- “Sit on your ball like it’s a horse”
- “Squash the tomato with your foot”
› Get their attention and keep them quiet, educating them about different muscles
- “Hands on your biceps (arms)”
- “Touch your hamstrings (back of legs)”
- “Sit on your gluteus maximus (bottom)”
Award ‘player of the day’ as positive reinforcement of good behaviour.
Hopefully you will take some of these tips and put them into practice in your next lessons. We’d love for you to let us know in the comments of any other great ways you have managed to develop your kids skills out on the field. These tips are a great support to the complete K-2 PE games pack, which has HEAPS of content – lesson plans, games, skills, challenges and ideas to get your class loving your sport lessons ›››
Prime Coaching Sport 
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