Transcript Lesson 1 Continuum

Skill Acquisition
Classwork
 Lesson
 By
1 –
Date
the end of this lesson you should be
able to:
 Understand the concepts of a continuum
 Knowledge of the 6 continua
 Understand the importance /
implications that a knowledge of
classification has for the structuring of
learning & practice.
What is a continuum?
 Is
an imagingnary scale between 2
extremes that shows a gradual
increase/ decrease in a number of
characteristics.
Points to note
1. It is not simple or precise.
2. Some skills have elements of all
characteristics to some extent.
3. Characteristics change depending on the
situation in which the skill is performed.
4. We always have to justify the
i) situation the skill is being performed in
ii) reasons why we have placed the skill at
that point on the continuum.
Muscular involvement continuum
 Gross
skills – those involving large
muscles movements e.g. running &
swimming
 Fine skills – those involving more
intricate movements using small muscle
groups e.g. Wrist / finger action of a
spin bowler in cricket.
 Fine
Gross
Environmental influences
continuum
 Open
skills – affected by the
environment; predominately perceptual;
movements must be adapted; mostly
externally paced e.g. pass in
rugby/netball
 Closed skills – not affected by the
environment; predominately habitual;
set movements; self paced e.g. tennis
serve
 Open
Closed
Continuity continuum
Discrete skills – Clear beginning/end; skill can
be repeated but performer starts again;
single specific skills e.g. catching a ball.
 Continuous – No obvious beginning / end;
continued for as long as performer wishes;
the end of one cycle is the beginning of the
next; repetition of the same skill or
movement; no clear sub routines e.g. cycling.
 Serial – Several discrete elements put
together to make integrated movements /
sequence; order of elements is important e.g.
triple jump.

 Discrete
Serial
Continuous
Pacing continuum
 Self
(internally) paced – the performer
has the rate in which the skill is carried
out under control; involves proactive
performance e.g. high jump.
 Externally paced – control over the rate
is not held by performer; often involves
the reaction of the performer e.g.
receiving a pass.
 Self
paced
Externally paced
Complexity continuum
 Simple
skill – Small amount of
information to be processed & few
decisions to be made e.g. swimming
 Highly complex skill – Large amounts of
information to be processed & a number
of decisions to be made quickly; high
number of sub – routines that are coordinated & performed quickly &
accurately e.g. tennis serve.
 Simple
Complex
Organisational continuum
 High
– organisational skills – Sub
routines are closely integrated and
difficult to separate in practice; best
practised as a whole e.g. cartwheel
 Low - organisational skills – Sub routines
tend to be discrete & may be practised
separately and then integrated into the
whole skill; can be leant / practised
using part method e.g. swimming strokes
 Low
High