← Physical Education syllabus

EnglandPhysical Education

Skill acquisition (Area of study 4)

6 dot points across 6 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

How are skills classified, and how does learning one skill transfer to another?

Classification of skills and transfer of learning: the classification continua, using classification to design practice, and the types of transfer (positive, negative, zero, bilateral) and how to maximise positive transfer.
A focused answer to Eduqas A-Level PE on classification and transfer: the skill classification continua (open-closed, gross-fine, discrete-serial-continuous, self-paced-externally paced, high-low organisation), how classification informs practice design, and the types of transfer with ways to maximise positive transfer.
11 min answer →

What types of guidance can a coach use, and when is each most effective?

Guidance: the types of guidance (visual, verbal, manual, mechanical), their advantages and disadvantages, and the appropriate use of each depending on the performer, the task and the environment.
A focused answer to Eduqas A-Level PE on guidance: the four types of guidance (visual, verbal, manual, mechanical), the advantages and disadvantages of each, and how to match the type of guidance to the performer's stage, the task and the environment, including the dangers of over-guidance.
11 min answer →

How does a performer take in information, decide and respond, and what affects reaction time?

Information processing and decision-making: the stages of information processing (input, decision-making, output, feedback), Welford's model, selective attention, and the factors affecting reaction time including Hick's law and the psychological refractory period.
A focused answer to Eduqas A-Level PE on information processing: the input, decision-making, output and feedback stages, Welford's model, selective attention, simple and choice reaction time, Hick's law, the psychological refractory period and how performers improve response speed.
12 min answer →

How does memory store and retrieve skills, and how does feedback improve performance?

Memory and feedback: the multi-store memory model, strategies to aid retention and retrieval, and the types and use of feedback at different stages of learning.
A focused answer to Eduqas A-Level PE on memory and feedback: the multi-store memory model (sensory store, short-term and long-term memory), strategies to improve encoding, retention and retrieval, and the types of feedback (intrinsic, extrinsic, positive, negative, knowledge of results, knowledge of performance) and their use across the stages of learning.
11 min answer →

What is skill, how does it differ from ability, and how does a learner progress through the stages of learning?

Skill, ability and learning: the definitions of skill, ability and technique, the characteristics of skilled performance, the stages of learning (cognitive, associative, autonomous), and learning curves and the plateau.
A focused answer to Eduqas A-Level PE on skill, ability and learning: the definitions and difference between skill, ability and technique, the characteristics of skilled performance, the three stages of learning, and the shape of learning curves including the plateau and how to overcome it.
11 min answer →

How do theories of learning and methods of practice shape how a skill is taught?

Theories and methods of learning: operant conditioning, cognitive and observational learning theories, and the practice methods (massed, distributed, fixed, varied, whole, part, whole-part-whole, progressive part).
A focused answer to Eduqas A-Level PE on learning theories and practice methods: operant conditioning (Thorndike's laws), cognitive (insight) learning, observational (social) learning (Bandura), and the practice methods (massed, distributed, fixed, varied, whole, part, whole-part-whole, progressive part) and when to use each.
12 min answer →