Guidance and feedback
Types of guidance
is information given to help someone learn or improve a skill.
| Type | What it is | Advantage | Disadvantage | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seeing the skill: a demonstration, video or diagram | Creates a mental picture | The demonstration must be correct; no feel of the skill | Beginners | |
| Being told: instructions or explanations | Quick, and can point out fine details | Too much can overload | Experts | |
| Physically moved by the coach, such as guiding a golfer's arms | Gives the feel of the movement; builds confidence | Can rely on it too much; some dislike being held | Beginners | |
| Using equipment, such as a float or a trampoline harness | Makes risky skills safe | Over-reliance; feels different without it | Beginners; dangerous skills |
Key terms
Types of feedback
Feedback is information a performer receives about their performance.
- from within: the feel of the movement. A golfer feels a clean strike.
- from outside: a coach, teammates or a video. A coach tells a swimmer her turn was slow.
- about the quality of the movement or technique. 'Your elbow was high.'
- about the outcome. 'You scored 3 out of 5 penalties.'
- Positive: about what went well, often with praise.
- Negative: about what went wrong, so it can be put right.
Key terms
Beginners and experts
| Beginners | Experts | |
|---|---|---|
| Visual, manual and mechanical: they need to see and feel the skill | Verbal: they understand detailed instructions | |
| Feedback | Extrinsic, positive, and knowledge of results: they can't yet feel what's right, and need encouragement | Intrinsic, negative and knowledge of performance: they can feel their own mistakes and use detailed correction |
Common mistake
is about how you did it; is about what happened.