chapter 7 Motivating Children to Practice

Three Keys to Motivating Children 1.Success oriented –Connection between practice and success –Designing tasks to ensure a high success rate Self-adjusting target throwing example Slanty rope example Varied basketball goal heights –Analyzing practice opportunities and success rate (continued)

Three Keys to Motivating Children (continued) 2.Mastery learning –Helping to develop intrinsic motivation –Helping children focus on their own improvement Provide a variety of tasks. Provide opportunities to make decisions about the tasks. Provide feedback. Provide self-paced instruction and choices of tasks. Provide ways to measure personal improvement and avoid social comparisons. (continued)

Three Keys to Motivating Children (continued) 3.Developmentally appropriate –Develop tasks based on age, skill, intellectual, and social developmental differences. –Consult Developmentally Appropriate Physical Education Practices (NASPE, 2008)

Slanty Rope

Eight Techniques for Motivating Children 1.Teaching by invitation –Provides two or more tasks and allows choice –Allows for differences; shows alternatives are equally acceptable –Examples: striking with paddles and “Teaching by Invitation” DVD clips 2.Intratask variation –Teacher makes task easier or harder –Based on observations, knowledge of children’s ability and interest –Examples: dribbling and “Intra-Task Variation” DVD clips 3.Task sheets –Written list of simple to complex tasks. –Example: striking with paddles task sheet (fig. 7.2 on p. 109) (continued)

Eight Techniques for Motivating Children (continued) 4.Peer tutors and cooperative learning –Peer tutors—students taught how to help other classmates –Criteria for selecting peer tutors –Cooperative learning—students help each other by serving as both tutors and students 5.Stations or learning centers –Use teacher-designed and -organized activities. –Students rotate from one activity to another. –Examples: box 7.1 on p. 111, fig. 7.3 on p. 112, and “Instant Activity” DVD clips. (continued)

Eight Techniques for Motivating Children (continued) 6.Child-designed activities –Small groups working to design their own games, dances, or gymnastics sequences –Work with peers to solve problems 7.Videoing 8.Homework practice –Homework task card –Example: box 7.2 on p. 115

Teaching by Invitation

Other Approaches for Motivating Children Developing realistic expectations –Learning equals instruction plus practice. –How many practice tries does it take to become an excellent thrower? Teacher as cheerleader