Extract from Chapter 15, Golder, G. (2010), 14–19 accredited qualifications, in S. Capel and M.
Whitehead (eds), Learning to Teach Physical Education in the Secondary School: A Companion
to School Experience, Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, pp. 234–251.
Teaching approaches used to support learning in the classroom
I never teach my pupils; I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn.
(Albert Einstein)
Your ability to teach effectively, to enhance pupils’ learning in the classroom and their ability to
apply theory to practice in both classroom and practical contexts is very important for their
theoretical, applied and experiential learning.
The principles of teaching and learning in these contexts are the same as in practical contexts.
However, it is important that teaching in a classroom does not become ‘chalk and talk’; rather
that it is active learning. This is covered in Unit 5.2 in Capel, Leask and Turner, 2013.
The Department for Education and Skills (DfES, 2007) defines pedagogy as the act of teaching and
the rationale that supports the actions that teachers take. What works in terms of pedagogical
approach is dependent on a range of factors. The breadth of content of 14–19 accredited
qualifications, not just subject specific (with their mix of practical, theory and applied learning)
but also generic, the range of young people likely to be following the 14–19 curriculum, their
motivation and previous experiences and what you are trying to achieve in any one lesson/part of
a lesson, support the notion that different approaches to teaching and learning are needed to
provide a challenging and simulating learning environment for all pupils.
As in planning practical lessons, from the aims and content of the larger scheme of work (the
curriculum of the qualification being studied), learning should be planned into units of work,
which form the basis from which individual lessons are planned. Within these, consideration
needs to be given to pupils’ previous learning, the intended learning outcomes (ILOs) of the
Learning to Teach Physical Education in the Secondary School, 4th Edition
© 2015 Susan Capel and Margaret Whitehead (eds)
1
particular session, the whole-class learning activities and how these are differentiated, the
learning (or teaching) points, the organisation and management and the teaching strategies to be
used. Learning should be active to engage pupils in their learning. A prerequisite of learning is
that challenges should be set at the appropriate level, enabling pupils to become more
independent learners. In addition, pupils should be engaged in the process of learning so that
they can see what they have achieved and how they have made progress.
The structure of classroom-based lessons should also follow the same general structure of
practical lessons, i.e. introduction and warm-up; main part and conclusion, although different
terminology may be used, e.g. starters and plenaries. Some starters and plenaries are considered
in the next section.
Starters and plenaries
As with the introduction and warm-up of a practical lesson, carefully planned starter activities are
important in teaching. These are used for a variety of reasons, but predominantly they develop
early levels of engagement and motivation by injecting a sense of pace and challenge and,
building on prior knowledge, provide a foundation for the introduction of new topics. Teachers
use a wide variety of starter activities to achieve this aim, but they all have certain aspects in
common: they should contribute directly to the lesson ILOs; take account of the range of
individual needs; show progression over time; have clear and concise instructions; and be
referred back to at the end of the lesson for consolidating learning.
An equally successful tool for enhancing learning is the plenary (as is the conclusion in a practical
lesson). It helps pupils crystallise, understand and remember what has been learned and provides
a signpost for future learning. As with starter activities, teachers use a wide range of plenary
activities. However, all plenary activities should be designed to suit the lesson and its ILOs and
encourage reflection on what has been learned and how. Figure 15.3 exemplifies different
starters and plenary activities for a range of ILOs and 14–19 qualifications. Task 15.4 asks you to
look at starters and plenary activities for your lessons.
Learning to Teach Physical Education in the Secondary School, 4th Edition
© 2015 Susan Capel and Margaret Whitehead (eds)
2
Intended Learning
Outcome
To be able to describe
strategies to improve both
short-term memory
storage (chunking) and
long-term memory storage
(OCR GCE Physical
Education section B)
Starter activity
Purpose of activity
Plenary activity
Purpose of activity
Play ‘Kim’s Game’: 15
every day items on a tray;
students study tray for 20
seconds. Remove tray,
students recall items
To start discussion on what
strategies people used to
remember items
Body Pegs activity. Attach
one strategy for improving
retention and retrieval to 7
different major body parts
attach a word and action to
it
Develop pupils’ strategies
to organise and remember
what they have learned
Describe nutrition,
including nutritional
requirements and common
terminology associated
with nutrition (Edexcel
Level 3 BTEC National in
Sport and Exercise Sciences
unit 12)
Supermarket ‘top trumps’ – To create a climate of
hand out a food packet
interaction and
with nutritional information involvement
on to each student. They
compare nutritional
information, scoring a point
for each item e.g. daily
saturated fats
Ready, steady, cook.
Provide groups with a
shopping bag of packeted
food with nutritional
information on, they have 5
minutes to decide what
they would include and
exclude to create a
balanced diet
Draw out application of
what has been learned
Develop an understanding
of specific exercise or
training programmes
including advantages and
disadvantages (AQA GCSE
Physical Education unit 3)
Pupils are asked to match
up cards carrying the name
of a piece of fitness training
equipment with the card
containing the main muscle
group it works
With a partner create one
circuit training card with
details of the exercise,the
muscle worked and the
repetition options to use in
a practical context next
lesson
Help pupils to change what
they have learned into a
form which they can
communicate
To develop subject specific
vocabulary to be used in
the lesson and
understanding of existing
knowledge of definitions
Figure 15.3 Examples of starter and plenary activities for three different qualifications.
Learning to Teach Physical Education in the Secondary School, 4th Edition
© 2015 Susan Capel and Margaret Whitehead (eds)
3
Task 15.4
Starter and plenary activities
Observe teachers working with classroom-based groups studying for one of the qualifications in
the 14–19 framework. Note down the ILOs set, the type and purpose of starter activity and the
type and purpose of plenary activity. Provide examples from three different qualifications, if
possible.
Plan your own starter and plenary activity to teach one aspect of one of the qualifications taught
at your placement school.
Put your findings into your PDP, use and evaluate when appropriate to develop these further.
Interactive activities
Getting pupils to engage in learning can be as simple as ensuring that the learning environment is
safe and conducive to learning and that physical and emotional needs are taken into
consideration. However, interactive teaching strategies and active learning facilitate learning by
involving pupils in thinking about, discussing and using ideas through a range of problem solving,
guided discovery or self-directed tasks rather than more teacher-directed activities. For
interactive teaching to impact most effectively on learning, the teacher needs to be
knowledgeable, enthusiastic, well resourced and progressive, e.g. know and understand the
specification requirements (curriculum), meet the needs of the pupils (know the pupils) and
create relevant resources to support their teaching and pupils’ learning (understand the nature of
learning). Interactive tasks need to be appropriate to the abilities and learning styles of the
pupils; thus, you should not always rely on one teaching strategy to impart knowledge, but
engage pupils in the learning process by varied and appropriate approaches. For example, for a
pupil-led approach you might set a class debate on different views of drugs in sport, asking pupils
to research and present their view, then defend their position; for a more guided-discovery
approach you may ask pupils to practise and perform a range of skills in different activities and
then decide where on the open–closed continuum each lies; for a teacher-directed approach you
Learning to Teach Physical Education in the Secondary School, 4th Edition
© 2015 Susan Capel and Margaret Whitehead (eds)
4
may lead pupils through a range of physiological tests to enable them to make links with the
anatomical systems.
Interactive learning comes in a variety of forms but can include some or all of the following:

Teaching methods ally closely with the aims of the 14–19 qualification being followed, the
objectives of the unit of work, ILO of the lesson/lesson episode and the nature of the pupils.

Lessons include a variety of learning opportunities for pupils and keep interest sustained
and the pace of the lesson moving.

Teaching applies theory to practice, e.g. make theory come to life by relating it to physical
activity that pupils do, or can observe, using role play and simulation.

Tasks are varied and able to attract and sustain the attention of pupils, e.g. look at
interactive approaches rather than the traditional ‘chalk and talk’, e.g. 1) Human model – in
teams of three write down the names of major bones, muscles or joints on sticky labels.
Have one as the model and stick labels to the correct part of the body; 2) Note taking – use
different frameworks to help pupils take notes, e.g. structure maps, explosion charts, flow
charts, lists, identifying key words (see, for example, Unit 5.2 in Capel, Leask and Turner,
2013).

Tasks are challenging and motivating, reinforcing prior learning, e.g. build on prior learning
by using ongoing assessment of pupils’ knowledge and understanding and use assessment
to develop challenging and motivating tasks.

Tasks are differentiated to suit the pace of learning, e.g. create supporting resources that
take into account the learning needs of pupils, their reading abilities, and their preferred
style of learning (e.g. task cards, visual representations, hands-on resources).

ICT is used to enhance and empower pupils’ learning, e.g. analysis software, multimedia
materials to develop critical enquiry.

Tasks provide opportunities for pupils to develop their functional skills (English,
mathematics, ICT), key skills (Working with Others, Improving Own Learning and
Performance and Problem Solving) and PLTS and can help pupils develop competencies for
other accredited qualifications.
Learning to Teach Physical Education in the Secondary School, 4th Edition
© 2015 Susan Capel and Margaret Whitehead (eds)
5

Learning is not restricted to formal lesson environments but is enriched, enhanced and
extended by learning outside the classroom, e.g. involvement in work-based learning,
leadership or volunteering activities.
Task 15.5 focuses on developing learning challenges.
Task 15.5
Designing learning challenges
Access http://content.yudu.com/A12ml1/16-19wboard/resources/index.htm?referrerUrl=%20.
Consider how a digital resource can be used to set challenging and interactive learning activities
that enable an ILO to be achieved, and which recognise the needs of the pupils and draw upon
some of the ideas noted above.
Plan a lesson or episode to achieve a specific ILO to use this or a similar type of resource.
Put your results into your PDP.
Although the focus of classroom-based lessons in this chapter is the 14–19 curriculum, it can be
applied when it is necessary to teach a core PE class in a classroom (e.g. when the weather is wet
and no indoor practical space is available).
Further guidance on classroom-based lessons, active learning, applied and experiential learning is
given in the further readings and in Unit 5.2 in Capel, Leask and Turner, 2013.
Learning to Teach Physical Education in the Secondary School, 4th Edition
© 2015 Susan Capel and Margaret Whitehead (eds)
6