Learner-Oriented Teaching and Assessment in Youth Sport

This book provides sport educators with a comprehensive, learner-centred instructional toolkit to empower children and young people in collaborative, independent learning of sport and games (SGs). The book is unique in bringing together the various pedagogical dimensions inherent to the teaching-learning process of SGs: the instructional system (teaching strategies), the social system (interactional climate), the task system (learning tasks and activities), and the assessment (for learning) system. It also shows how to effectively involve learners as active agents in promoting more democratic learning environments and equitable interactions between sportspersons. Written by a team of experts with extensive experience of using student-centred approaches as teachers, youth coaches, teacher educators, researchers, and theorists, the book introduces key concepts and evidence-based examples of best practice, with practical instructional strategies, learning tasks, and activities included in every chapter. As the chapters of the book unfold, they teach the reader how to create game-based tasks that are suited to different learner skill levels, how to align tasks, learning goals and learner needs, and feel empowered to engage young people in creativity development activities. Covering key themes in contemporary sport pedagogy from the constraints-led approach and appropriateness to learner-designed games and the use of technology, this is essential reading for all trainee and in-service physical education teachers and sports coaches working with children or young people.

Cláudio Farias is Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Sport at the University of Porto (FADEUP), Portugal and a research member in the Centre of Research, Education, Innovation, and Intervention in Sport (CIFI2D). He lectures on the Doctoral Program, on the Master (hons) of PE and sports training, and on the Bachelor (hons) program in Sport Sciences. He has conducted research in sport pedagogy and sport coaching (physical education, teacher education, and coach education) with a principal focus on student-centred, model-based practice. Isabel Mesquita is Full Professor in the Faculty of Sport at the University of Porto (FADEUP), Portugal. She is Co-ordinator for research in the area of Sport, Education, and Culture in the Centre of Research, Education, Innovation, and Intervention in Sport (CIFI2D) and in the doctoral program in Sport Sciences at FADEUP. She is also Director of the Masters in sport training and has conducted extensive research in sport pedagogy and sport coaching.

Part I: Introduction to a Learner-Oriented Approach, 1. Pedagogical Principles of a Learner-Oriented Approach, 2. Guidelines for Navigating a Learning-Oriented Approach, Part II: Scaffolding Mediation of Instructional and Social Interactions in Sport and Games, 3. Scaffolding as a Pedagogical Toolkit for Learner-Oriented Instruction, 4. Strategies for the Gradual Instructional Mediation of Learner-Oriented Interactions, 5. Strategies for Mediating Democratic, Meaningful, and Collaborative Learning Environments: Engaging Sport Educators and Sport Learners as Transforming Social Agents, Part III: Designing Meaningful and Creative Learning Activities in Sport and Games, 6. Appropriateness-Based Activities: Reaching Out to Every Learner, 7. Constraints-Led Approach: Appropriately Modifying Learning Activities, 8. Creative Learning Activities: Thinking and Playing "Outside the Box", 9. Learner-Designed Games: The Ultimate Empowerment of Sport Learners, Part IV: Learner-Oriented Assessment, 10. Harmonizing the Teaching-Assessment-Learning Cycle, 11. Implementing Learner-Oriented Assessment Strategies, 12. Empowering Learners' Self-Assessment, Peer-Assessment, and Sport Learning Through Technology