Use of guidance and feedback

Visual guidance

• any method where performance is the correct way to perform the skill

• Could be a demonstration coaching videos clips and social media websites or a coaching manual

• Effective for cognitive performance and should be readily used at this stage of learning

• Performer should focus on the key aspects of the skill; coach should highlight the key aspects of the skill

• Coach can also change or modify the display, e.g. placing a chalk square on the tennis court for performer to aim for during serves

Advantages of visual guidance

• Illustrates exactly what a skill should look like

• Helps to build a clear mental picture of how the skill should be performed

• Used effectively in conjunction with verbal guidance

• Highlight weaknesses

Disadvantages of visual guidance

• demonstration must be accurate

• Performer must be able to match the demonstration given

• Too much information given at once could induce overload

Verbal guidance

• coach instructs, explains and direct performer to the key points of the skill by telling them what to do and how to do it

• Useful for more advanced performers, autonomous stage of learning

• Used to give tactical, strategic or technical information that a cognitive performer may not understand

• Info should be kept brief and meaningful

Advantages of verbal guidance

• can be given immediately during performance

• Very useful for opening skills by performing needs to make decisions and adapt quickly

• Use effectively in conjunction with visual guidance

Disadvantages of verbal guidance

• maybe a chance of information overload if too many instructions are giving together

• Lengthy explanations may cause performer to lose concentration

• Cognitive performers may not understand specific technical instructions

Manual guidance

Coach uses their own body to physically support or manipulate performers, body or force a response

Advantages of manual guidance

• effective for cognitive performers

• Useful and dangerous tasks, as improves safety during performance

• Reduces fear/anxiety and therefore build confidence

• Whole skill can be attempted

• Allows performer to develop the kinaesthesis feel

Disadvantages of manual guidance

• performer may become too reliant on Support/aid

• It could create incorrect kinaesthetic feel

• Bad habits might be instilled

• Performing may become demotivated as they feel that they are not performing the skill by themselves

• Physical contact or proximity of coach may make the performer feel uncomfortable

Mechanical guidance

Any equipment, operators or device used to aid and shape movement

Advantages of mechanical guidance

• effective for cognitive performers

• Useful in dangerous tasks, as it improves safety during performance

• Reduces fear/anxiety and therefore build confidence

• Whole scale can be attempted

• Allows performer to develop the kinaesthetic feel

Disadvantages of mechanical guidance

• performer may become too reliant on Support/aid

• It could create incorrect kinaesthetic feel

• Bad habits might be instilled

• Performing may become demotivated as they feel that they are not performing the skill by themselves

What are the purposes of feedback?

• Reinforces correct actions

• Corrects errors

• Eliminate bad habits

• Act as a motivator

• Builds confidence

What are the type types of feedback?

• knowledge of performance

• Knowledge of results

• Positive

• Negative

• Intrinsic

• Extrinsic

Knowledge of performance

Information about why the skill was successful or unsuccessful, including technique and quality of action

Knowledge of results

Information about whether the skill was successful (if so, repeat) or unsuccessful (if so, adjust next time)

Positive feedback

Information about what was correct, so that it will be repeated in the future

Negative feedback

Information about incorrect actions, so that they are not repeated and errors are corrected

Intrinsic feedback

From within using kinaesthetic feel, if the action was correct or not, can be positive or negative

Extrinsic feedback

From an outside source, used to reinforce correct actions and correct errors; can be positive or negative