Coaches of all sports use many different guidance methods. The two methods that are relevant to this investigation are visual guidance and verbal guidance although there are also other methods used by coaches. Within these two categories are also many different ways of using each method to teach skills to performers. This topic of the effectiveness of different guidance methods is particularly relevant to me as an under 13s Hockey coach and I am interested in how I might be able to teach skills more effectively. To provide a focus for the study the following null hypothesis will be tested:
There will be no significant difference between the performance of a reverse stick hit dependent on whether the performers received visual and verbal guidance or just verbal guidance. To evaluate the skills and whether they have been learnt/improved upon, qualitative analysis will be used. This will include observing the performance of the skill before the guidance methods are used, then identifying any discrepancies between the expected and actual performance. The skills will then be observed after coaching has taken place and the discrepancies noted again.
“The learned ability to bring about pre-determined results with maximum certainty and minimum outlay of time, energy or both. ” This is a definition of skill as stated by Knapp (1963). In this definition he states “The learned ability” which means that in order for the learner to be able to perform the skill they must first be taught it by a coach and then practise it individually. There are many different guidance methods that can be used. These different methods can be categorised into which senses are used to retrieve the information.
However, a mixture of senses is normally used by performers to receive and process information e. g. vision and audition, but they can also be used individually. Visual guidance is one of these categories. Harrison and Blakemore (1989) reference estimated that around 83% of all learning occurs from being shown what to do. Although this is only an estimated figure it supports the belief that visual sense is the most dominant way in which we communicate, and therefore it is one of the most common techniques used in teaching and coaching.
Shedden (1986) also supports this view: “One of the most important forms of information is visual information”. Shedden also outlines a number of different visual guidance methods, which can be put into three categories: Demonstrations, use of visual material and re-structuring of the display. reference Using demonstrations to teach a skill has a number of advantages. Firstly, they use the learning by imitation principle that has been proven to be very effective in learning. Demonstrations are also very time efficient and provide an immediate picture of the skill, saving the coach from expressing the task in words.
Also, for a beginner, using a visual demonstration can be a good motivator for them. For more elite performers, demonstrations can be used to highlight specific aspects of a skill being performed incorrectly. Another advantage is that another person other than the coach can perform the demonstration. This allows the coach to point out specific areas of the skill that are important. Demonstrations by learners with weaknesses can also be useful to highlight the differences between good and bad technique.