A COMPARISON BETWEEN EXPERIENCED PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHERS AND NEWLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS INTO WHAT TEACHING STYLES THEY USE TO PROMOTE PUPIL’S LEARNING

Abstract

This study compares teaching styles between newly qualified Physical Education Teachers (five years or less experience) and experienced Physical Education Teachers (over twenty five years of experience). Twelve (six newly qualified, six experienced) teachers participated in the study where a one-to-one semi structured interview was conducted. They were questioned on the adoption of teaching styles from Mosston and Ashworth’s Spectrum and what were their reasons for using those styles. All interviews were subsequently transcribed and analysed by the researcher. Results revealed that experienced teachers had more of a tendency to teach traditional activities (football, rugby, netball, hockey) in a more Command or Practice style, whereas, the newly qualified teachers were more included to use styles such as Reciprocal, Self-Check, Guided Discovery Convergent Discovery and Divergent Discovery. Furthermore there was no significant difference with other variables that influenced teaching styles, however the newly qualified Physical Education Teachers were more included to tailor their lessons towards the participants, whereas, the experienced teachers had a tendency to teach a specific activity in the same way.