Define the term learning.

Explain factors that a coach can change to increase the rate of learning in a youth soccer academy for children under the age of 11.

Using examples, describe two different types of practice.

learning is a relatively permanent change in performance <brought about by experience, excluding changes due to maturation and degeneration>;

coaching style:
coaches can adapt style to be appropriate to players;

difficulty of task:
need to differentiate tasks to be appropriate to the level of the players’ ability;

teaching environment:
small group environment may be suitable for many skills
OR
group to maximise knowledge/learning;

motivation:
use a range of strategies to develop intrinsic motivation, e.g. appropriate use of competition;

physical fitness:
responsible for integrating appropriate fitness into training to underpin core skills;

Award [1 max] per factor.

Note: accept appropriate explanation as long as it affects rate of learning.

Award [1 max] for a list of three factors with no explanation.

distributed practice: type of practice alternates periods of practice with periods of rest;
e.g. practice of a certain move 5 times in gymnastics while being filmed, reviewing the recording, adjusting and practising again;

massed practice: type of practice has little or no rest between simple skills;
e.g. practice of many different passes of a soccer ball during a drill;

fixed/drill practice: doing a drill repeating the skill/repetition of a task in a controlled way;
e.g. shooting basketball from the same spot many times without a break;

variable practice: mix of individual skills, group drills and minor games / practising a skill in a variety of contexts;
e.g. performing free-throws, three-pointers and mid-range shots in a 3 v 2 situation;

mental practice: imagining doing the skill;
e.g. visualization of them performing a volleyball serve/rehearsing the skill in their mind;

Award [1 max] for a list of two types of practice with no description.

Award [2 max] for examples with no description and vice versa.

Candidates can only be credited for two types of practice.

Candidates struggled with this question.

Candidates found this question challenging. Generally, candidates presented constraint-led approaches and therefore were only able to access MP2 linking to the difficulty of the task. Further review of this area is encouraged.

Many candidates were able to describe two types of practice and provide appropriate examples. However, many candidates were confused between types of presentation and types of practice.