Improving Teaching and Learning in Physical Education

The text is a wonderful reflective approach for physical education trainees in the areas of planning, instruction, management, assessment, and feedback. The content is aligned with current international research and UK thinking for the national curriculum. It also promotes highly accepted pedagogical practices through the training scenarios and reader questions in each chapter to assist trainee comprehension. Moreover, it is pertinent that the text focuses on teacher improvement so as to engage student learning progression with an inclusive philosophy. Web prompts, technology learning aid suggestions, and teacher self-observation notes are helpful professional preparation modes. I highly recommend the text for physical education trainee curriculum/pedagogy programs and also existing practitioner reflection.
Allan Sander, University of North Florida Coordinator of Physical Education, United States

Improving Teaching and Learning in Physical Education is a very useful text for initial teacher trainers and their trainees alike. It deals with key issues facing todays professional, is well set out making it easy to follow and as a result a useful resource for ITT. I particularly like the way it refers to the QTS standards highlighting each topics relevance in gaining qualified teachers status. But the highlight for me is the way the authors relate the topic to possible interview questions that trainees could feasibly expect to encounter when applying for their first post.
Julie Armstrong, PGCE PE Course Leader, Durham University

“The main strength of the book is that it is an easy to read, practical text that relates direct to classroom practice. The excerpts from practising physical education teachers at the beginning of each chapter provide a useful introduction to the theme that is to be explored. There are links to the National Curriculum and other current strategies, which supports the strong focus on teaching and learning in current physical education climate that is evident throughout the book.

The format of the book with opportunities for reflection, case studies, clear links to practice, exemplar lesson plans and signposted further readings makes the book suitable for anyone training as a secondary school physical education teacher.”
Paul Carney, Programme Director BA/BSc Physical Education and Sport & Exercise Science Canterbury Christ Church University

“The authors are to be congratulated on achieving a consistency of style, content and rigour across the chapters with a number of contributors. Their reward is a book that will be extremely helpful for use by trainee teachers in their journey towards qualified teacher status and entry to the teaching profession.”
Mick Abrahams, afPE Lead Regional Physical Education Subject Adviser

• Do you want to know more about the key aspects of teaching PE?
• Would you like help in planning effective PE lessons?
• Would you like to begin to develop your own personal teaching philosophy?

Then this is the essential guide for you!

This book will support you in your initial teacher training programme and beyond, taking you through the wide range of issues that you need to consider in order to become a successful teacher and develop successful learners.

Each chapter looks at important aspects of PE teaching and relates it directly to the PE lesson and how pupils learn. It covers key areas, including::

• Planning
• Assessment
• Lesson organization
• Managing pupil behaviour
• Health and safety
• ICT

There is a sample lesson plan at the end of every chapter which shows the reader how to incorporate aspects of the PE National Curriculum into each lesson. Reflection tasks are included throughout to encourage trainee teachers to critically analyze their own practice. This is supported with real life examples of teacher and trainee experiences of teaching PE in secondary schools.

The book also provides guidance to the trainee teacher applying for their first post in a school. The authors offer common interview questions to help the reader formulate and justify a personal philosophy of teaching PE which will be vital to their personal and professional development, as well as the interview process itself.

This book is essential reading for all trainee and practising secondary school PE teachers.