Teaching Methods

This lesson covers the four teaching methods (also known as methods of presenting practice) as required by the Edexcel GCSE PE specification (1PE0 — Topic 3: Sports Psychology). Understanding the whole method, part method, whole-part-whole method and progressive part method — and knowing when each should be used — is essential. Like the types of practice, this content is unique to the Edexcel specification and is examined in a specific way.

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Overview of the Four Teaching Methods

graph TD
    T["Teaching Methods"] --> W["Whole Method"]
    T --> P["Part Method"]
    T --> WPW["Whole-Part-Whole Method"]
    T --> PP["Progressive Part Method"]

    W --> W1["Skill taught as a<br/>complete action"]
    P --> P1["Skill broken into<br/>sub-routines, taught<br/>separately"]
    WPW --> WPW1["Whole → isolate a<br/>weak part → reassemble<br/>the whole"]
    PP --> PP1["Parts added<br/>progressively:<br/>A, then A+B,<br/>then A+B+C"]

    style T fill:#2c3e50,color:#fff
    style W fill:#2980b9,color:#fff
    style P fill:#27ae60,color:#fff
    style WPW fill:#8e44ad,color:#fff
    style PP fill:#e67e22,color:#fff
    style W1 fill:#3498db,color:#fff
    style P1 fill:#2ecc71,color:#fff
    style WPW1 fill:#9b59b6,color:#fff
    style PP1 fill:#f39c12,color:#fff

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1. Whole Method

Definition: The whole method involves teaching a skill as a complete action from start to finish, without breaking it into parts.

How It Works

The performer attempts the entire skill in one go. The coach demonstrates or explains the whole skill, and the performer tries to replicate it as a complete movement.

Example

Teaching a forward roll in gymnastics — the performer attempts the full roll (crouch, tuck, roll, stand) as one continuous movement from the first attempt.

When to Use the Whole Method

Suitable When...	Reason
The skill is high organisation	High organisation skills cannot be broken into meaningful parts without distorting the skill
The skill is simple (basic)	Simple skills are easy enough to attempt as a whole from the start
The skill is fast	Fast actions (e.g. a sprint start) happen too quickly to be meaningfully separated into parts
The performer is experienced	Experienced performers can cope with the demands of performing the whole skill immediately

Advantages

• The performer experiences the whole movement and understands how the parts fit together from the beginning.
• Maintains the timing and fluency of the skill — the natural rhythm is preserved.
• Good for high organisation skills where breaking the skill apart would be meaningless.
• Develops a kinaesthetic feel for the complete movement early on.
• Time-efficient — no need to practise parts separately and then reassemble.

Disadvantages

• Can be overwhelming for beginners — the performer may not be able to cope with all the information at once.
• Not suitable for complex or dangerous skills — a beginner attempting a full vault without preparation could be injured.
• The performer may develop bad habits in one part of the skill without realising it, because there is no focused attention on individual sub-routines.
• Difficult to identify and correct specific weaknesses when the skill is always performed as a whole.

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2. Part Method

Definition: The part method involves breaking a skill into its sub-routines (separate parts) and teaching each part independently before combining them into the whole skill.

How It Works

The coach identifies the separate phases or parts of the skill. Each part is taught and practised individually until the performer is competent. Then the parts are joined together to form the complete skill.

Example

Teaching the front crawl in swimming:

1. Practise the leg kick in isolation (holding a float)
2. Practise the arm action in isolation (legs supported by a pull buoy)
3. Practise the breathing technique in isolation (standing at the poolside)
4. Combine all three into the full front crawl stroke

When to Use the Part Method

Suitable When...	Reason
The skill is low organisation	Low organisation skills have clearly identifiable sub-routines that can be separated
The skill is complex	Complex skills have many parts; teaching each separately reduces information overload
The skill is dangerous	Breaking it into parts allows the performer to develop competence safely before attempting the whole
The performer is a beginner	Beginners benefit from focusing on one element at a time

Advantages

• Reduces information overload — the performer can focus on one part at a time.
• Allows the coach to isolate weaknesses and work on specific parts.
• Builds confidence — the performer masters each part before moving on, providing a sense of achievement.
• Safer — the performer does not have to attempt a dangerous skill before they are ready.
• Good for complex skills with many sub-routines.

Disadvantages

• The performer may struggle to link the parts together when they are combined.
• Can lose the natural timing and flow of the skill — the parts may feel disjointed when reassembled.
• Not suitable for high organisation skills — breaking them apart distorts the skill.
• Can be time-consuming — practising each part separately and then combining takes longer than practising the whole.
• The performer may not understand how the parts relate to each other until they are combined.

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3. Whole-Part-Whole Method

Definition: The whole-part-whole method involves attempting the whole skill first, then isolating a specific part that needs improvement, practising that part in isolation, and then returning to the whole skill to integrate the improvement.

How It Works

1. Whole — the performer attempts the complete skill so the coach can observe the overall performance and identify weaknesses.
2. Part — the weak sub-routine is isolated and practised separately until it improves.
3. Whole — the performer returns to the complete skill, now integrating the improved part.

Example

Teaching a badminton serve:

1. Whole — the performer attempts the full serve. The coach notices the follow-through is weak.
2. Part — the performer practises just the follow-through action in isolation, focusing on a smooth, high follow-through.
3. Whole — the performer attempts the full serve again, now integrating the improved follow-through.

When to Use the Whole-Part-Whole Method