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.
Reviewed by: AI editorial process; not yet individually human-reviewed
Have a quick question? Jump to the Q&A page
Jump to a section
What this dot point is asking
Eduqas wants you to describe the four types of guidance, give their advantages and disadvantages, and explain how to match guidance to the performer, the task and the environment.
Visual and verbal guidance
Manual and mechanical guidance
Matching guidance to the situation
Guidance is selected by the performer's stage, the task and the environment. A beginner (cognitive stage) benefits most from visual guidance (to build the picture) plus manual and mechanical support on difficult skills, with simple verbal cues. An autonomous performer benefits most from verbal guidance (to refine tactics and fine detail) and relies on intrinsic feel, so physical guidance is rarely needed. A dangerous task (a somersault, a dive) requires manual or mechanical guidance for safety; a complex skill needs clear visual guidance. Crucially, manual and mechanical support must be gradually withdrawn as the skill develops, to avoid dependence and let the performer develop their own kinaesthetic feel.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of WJEC Eduqas exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
Eduqas 20194 marksExplain the difference between manual and mechanical guidance, giving a sporting example of each and one disadvantage they share.Show worked answer →
A Component 1 guidance question. Two marks for the distinction with examples, two for a shared disadvantage.
Manual guidance is physical support or movement of the performer by the coach (physically moving a gymnast's body through a vault, or supporting a swimmer's body position). Mechanical guidance uses a device or aid to support or shape the movement (a harness or belt to support a trampolinist learning a somersault, or armbands for a swimmer). A disadvantage they share is that they can create dependence on the support, so the performer relies on the coach or device rather than developing their own kinaesthetic feel; the feel of the movement is also altered, so the performer does not experience the true skill, and over-use can hinder the transfer to the real performance.
A common dropped mark is not giving a genuine shared disadvantage; dependence and altered kinaesthesis are the key points.
Eduqas 20216 marksExplain the four types of guidance and how a coach should select guidance for a beginner learning a complex, dangerous skill such as a trampolining somersault.Show worked answer →
A Component 1 guidance question. Markers reward the four types and a justified selection for the scenario.
Award marks for: visual guidance is showing the performer the skill (demonstrations, video, diagrams), useful for forming a mental picture, especially for beginners, but it must be clear and accurate and can overload a learner with too much detail. Verbal guidance is telling the performer (instructions, cues), useful for conveying tactics and for autonomous performers, but it is limited for beginners who cannot translate words into complex movements and can overload working memory. Manual guidance is physically supporting or moving the performer (a coach supporting the somersault), and mechanical guidance uses a device (a overhead rig and harness). For a beginner learning a dangerous somersault, the coach should combine clear visual guidance (a demonstration to build the picture) with manual and mechanical guidance (the support belt or rig), because these allow the learner to attempt the skill safely, build confidence and get the feel of the rotation without risk of injury; simple verbal cues support this. As the skill develops, the coach withdraws the manual and mechanical support to avoid dependence, moving toward verbal guidance and intrinsic feel.
A top answer matches visual plus manual and mechanical guidance to a beginner on a dangerous skill and explains withdrawing support to prevent dependence.
Related dot points
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Sources & how we know this
- Eduqas A Level Physical Education Specification — Eduqas (2016)