How are skills classified, and what makes a movement a skill rather than just an ability?
The classification of skills on continua (basic and complex, open and closed, and others), the difference between skill and ability, and the characteristics of a skilled performance.
A focused answer to the WJEC GCSE PE topic on skill classification, covering the continua used to classify skills (basic to complex, open to closed, and others), the difference between a skill and an ability, and the characteristics of a skilled performance.
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What this dot point is asking
WJEC wants you to classify skills on continua, explain the difference between a skill and an ability, and describe the characteristics of a skilled performance.
Skill and ability
The link is that abilities are the building blocks of skills: a performer uses their natural abilities to learn and carry out skills. High natural ability can help someone learn faster, but the skill itself still has to be practised.
Classifying skills on continua
Skills are not simply one type or another; they sit on a continuum (a sliding scale) between two extremes, because most skills have some features of both. The main continua are:
- Basic (simple) to complex. Basic skills need little thought or decision making (running, a forward roll). Complex skills need lots of decisions, coordination and concentration (a tennis serve in a rally).
- Open to closed. Open skills are affected by a changing environment and other performers, so they are unpredictable and must be adapted (a pass, a tackle). Closed skills take place in a stable, predictable environment with no interference, so they are repeated the same each time (a serve, a free throw, a vault).
- Gross to fine. Gross skills use large muscle groups and big movements (a shot put, a rugby tackle). Fine skills use small muscle groups and precise movements (a dart throw, a snooker shot).
Using a continuum recognises that a skill such as a basketball lay-up has elements of being complex, open and gross all at once.
Characteristics of a skilled performance
A skilled performance is:
- accurate (it achieves the intended goal),
- consistent (it can be repeated reliably),
- controlled and fluent (smooth, not rushed or clumsy),
- efficient (uses the least energy needed),
- and it often looks effortless and aesthetically pleasing.
Why this matters
Classifying a skill decides how it is best practised and taught: closed skills suit massed practice and a set routine, while open skills need varied practice to handle a changing environment. This links straight to the next topics on the stages of learning, practice and guidance.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of WJEC exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
WJEC style4 marksExplain the difference between an open skill and a closed skill, giving a sporting example of each.Show worked answer →
A 4-mark question: two marks for the difference and two for the examples.
An open skill is affected by the environment and other performers, so it is unpredictable and the performer must constantly adapt. An example is a pass in football or a tackle in rugby, where opponents and team-mates are always moving. A closed skill takes place in a stable, predictable environment with no interference, so it is the same each time and can be repeated as a set routine. An example is a tennis serve, a free throw in basketball or a gymnastics vault.
Markers reward the idea that open skills are affected by a changing environment while closed skills are in a fixed environment, with a clear example of each.
WJEC style4 marksDefine skill and ability, and explain how they are linked.Show worked answer →
A 4-mark question: a mark for each definition and marks for the link.
A skill is a learned action or movement performed with accuracy, control and efficiency to reach a goal, for example a well-executed lay-up. Ability is an inherited, stable quality that a person is born with and that underpins skilled performance, for example natural speed, coordination or reaction time.
The link is that abilities are the building blocks of skills: a performer uses their natural abilities (such as coordination and balance) to learn and carry out skills. So a performer with high natural ability can often learn a skill more quickly, but the skill itself still has to be learned through practice. Markers reward the idea that skill is learned while ability is innate, and that abilities support the learning of skills.
Related dot points
- The stages of learning (cognitive, associative and autonomous) and the types of practice (massed, distributed, whole and part) and when each is suitable.
A focused answer to the WJEC GCSE PE topic on learning and practice, covering the three stages of learning (cognitive, associative and autonomous), the four types of practice (massed, distributed, whole and part) and how to choose a practice method to suit the skill and the learner.
- The basic information processing model (input, decision making, output and feedback) and how a performer uses it to produce and refine a skill.
A focused answer to the WJEC GCSE PE topic on information processing, covering the basic model (input, decision making, output and feedback), the role of the senses and memory, and how a performer uses the model to produce and refine a skill in a game situation.
- The types of guidance (visual, verbal, manual and mechanical) and the types of feedback (positive and negative, intrinsic and extrinsic, knowledge of results and performance), and when each is most useful.
A focused answer to the WJEC GCSE PE topic on guidance and feedback, covering the four types of guidance (visual, verbal, manual and mechanical), the types of feedback (positive and negative, intrinsic and extrinsic, knowledge of results and knowledge of performance), and which suit a beginner or an experienced performer.
- The reasons for setting goals, the SMART principle for writing effective targets, and the difference between outcome and performance goals.
A focused answer to the WJEC GCSE PE topic on goal setting, covering why performers set goals, the SMART principle (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time-bound) for writing effective targets, and the difference between outcome and performance goals.
Sources & how we know this
- WJEC GCSE Physical Education specification (from 2016) — WJEC (2016)