Mosston’s Spectrum of Teaching Styles (SOTS)

Benjamin TanMaster Teacher, Physical Education

Outline of Presentation

• History of SOTS

• Mosston’s SOTS & it’s applications

• Q & A

Objectives

• Highlight Mosston’s SOTS and it’s relevance to teaching/coaching

• Explore how different styles can be adopted in coaching

• Discuss some practical examples on how SOTS can be used in different contexts to promote learning and decision making.

Our Context…

Coaches,

Teachers, 。。。。。。。。。。

Students，Trainees, Athletes。。。

Use the same teaching/coaching style for all?

They all make the same decisions ?

“Different Strokes for Different folks”

Individual Sports Team Sports

BACKGROUND

Dr Muska MosstonMuska Mosston was a pioneer who discovered a new paradigm about teaching and learning. SOTS has been implemented in public and private school classrooms in all subject matters, all grade levels, and with varying levels of performance.

The Spectrum equips teachers with the fundamental knowledge for developing a repertoire of professional behaviors that embrace the objectives needed to connect with and to educate students.

Muska Mosston 1925-1994

Answered the Questions

A different Perspective that

Is teaching/coaching independent of

one’s idiosyncrasies? (We teach based on our own experiences and preferences)

Is there only one or more than one teaching/coaching approaches?

If there are multiple approaches to teaching/coaching, what differentiates one teaching approach from another?

Dr Sara Ashworth

"Historically, if Muska Mosston is the father of the Spectrum, Sara Ashworth is the mother. It

has been Sara who has singlehandedly nurtured and kept the Spectrum alive for the

past forty years."

Michael Goldberger

Pre-ambleMosston Spectrum of Teaching Styles is NOT a/an:

• Model

• Approach

• Strategy

• Frame

• Programme

It is a repertoire of styles (requisites) a teacher/coach should have to meet the learning needs of our students/athletes. Teaching is an action that results in learning.

https://spectrumofteachingstyles.org/index.php?id=45

TheStructure

of Teaching

Spectrum of Teaching Styles

Self-teaching (K)

Learner initiated (J)

Learner-designed individual programme (I)

Divergent discovery (H)

Convergent discovery (G)

Guided discovery(F)

--------------------------

The discovery threshold----------------------

Inclusion(E)

Self-check(D)

Reciprocal(C)

Practice (B)

Command (A)

Production

Reproduction

DECISIONS by COACHES & ATHLETES

COACH’s DECISIONS

ATHLETE’s DECISIONS

Maximum

MaximumMinimum

Minimum

Subject Matter remains constant

https://www.theperformancecorner.com/player-interventions/

COMMAND STYLE (A)

What comes to

your mind when

you watch this

clip?

How many

decisions should

the coach make?

When & why this style is used?

• Right on Cue (Timing)

• Commanding / Synchronised Performance

• Precision

• Safety

• Replication / Repeat

• Predictable Performance

• Immediate Feedback

• Efficient

• No decision by performer

It is not meant for DISCIPLINE or

MANAGEMENT

DECISIONS by COACHES & ATHLETES

COACH’s DECISIONS

ATHLETE’s DECISIONS

Maximum

MaximumMinimum

Minimum

Command Style Pitfalls

• Excessive instructions (talking), too little time for athletes to be active

• Not synchronised – examine the pace and rhythm speed (too fast or slow)

• Annoying or Overlapping command signals – unclear signals

• Excessive repetition – boredom, fatigue or both. Athletes need to feel challenged and satisfied that they have accomplished something (learnt)

• Stopping the whole team where only 1-2 athletes are having difficulty. Disrupts flow and diverts the team’s attention to the inadequacies of the individuals.

• Staying in one spot. Move about (using rhythm-support techniques other than counting). Allows coach to get near and give private feedback to individuals.

REFLECT & RECALL.

WHAT DECISIONS DO YOUR ATHLETES MAKE DURING TRAINING?

PRACTICE STYLE (B)

Practice (Individual) style is

the most prominent style

used by teachers, coaches

and even parents.

Widely considered as the

most effective style by

educators. (Approx – 70%)

Decisional making opportunities1. Location

2. Order of Tasks

3. Starting time per task

4. Pace and rhythm

5. Stopping time per task

6. Interval

7. Initiating questions for clarification

8. Attire and appearance

9. Posture

DECISIONS by

COACHES &

ATHLETESCOACH’s DECISIONS

ATHLETE’s DECISIONS

Maximum

MaximumMinimum

Minimum

RECIPROCAL STYLE (C) & SELF-CHECK STYLE (D)

Reciprocal Style • Promotes moral and social development (21st CC skills)

• Teacher: “I never expect teaching can be so liberating; I can now focus on helping those who needed my attention.”

• Students’/athletes’ make the intrinsic decision to learn and learn alongside their peers at their own pace.

• Three (3) main roles – Teacher/Coach, Performer and Peer Observer

• Main Tool – Criterion Worksheet with accurate instructions and success criteria clearly described and understood by the students/athletes.

• Teachers’/coaches’ main roles are to move around to assist the peer observers’ observational and feedback skills.

• Learners internalise the cues and observing performance. (research evidence)

• Never say this “ you are now the teacher / coach” why?

Self Check Style (D)

• Students/athletes take ownership of their own learning.

• Teachers/coaches transmit the content knowledge through a medium like criterion worksheet. The latter can be digitalised.

• Key to note is that the worksheet must provide accurate information and success criteria.

• Worksheets can be same with Style C (Reciprocal style)

INCLUSION STYLE (E)

SLANTING ROPE

Coach’s decisions

• Specific Content / Topic (i.e. dribbling, shooting, throwing)

• Design Practice Tasks

• Factor in Levels of performance (i.e. easy, medium, hard)

• *Performance criteria (i.e. if you make 3 out of 5 shots, you may proceed to the next level)

Students/Athlete’s decisions

• Where should I start?

• Levels of performance (i.e. easy, medium, hard)

• Performance criteria + Adherence

• “I have made only 1 out of 5 shots, I will try shooting at closer range.”

• “I have made 3 out of 5 shots, should I stay on to get all in or should I move to shoot from a further distance.”

“What if don’t want to move on to another level? Can I stay on to practice at this level?”

Criteria not met;

decision is to go

to next lower

level.

Criteria met;

decision is to go to

next upper level.

“ I made the decision

based on my own ability.”

Coach

Athlete

Min

Min

Max

Max

Who Makes the Decision

Discovery Threshold

Spectrum of Teaching StylesSelf-teaching (K)

Learner initiated (J)

Learner-designed individual programme (I)

Divergent discovery (H)

Convergent discovery (G)

Guided discovery(F)

--------------------------

The discovery threshold--------------------------

Inclusion(E)

Self-check(D)

Reciprocal(C)

Practice (B)

Command (A)

Production

Re-Production

GUIDED DISCOVERY STYLE (F)

Logical and sequential design of questions (and practice tasks) to lead an individual to discover a pre-determined response.

The role of the learner is to discover the answer/s on their own without help.

Potentially, one of the most difficult style to use in a large group.

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

6 steps needed for

discovery

3 steps

needed to

set the

scene

Q & A

CONVERGENT & DIVERGENT DISCOVERYSTYLE (G & H)

Convergent Discovery – Style G• Discover the correct (pre-determined) response using a

convergent process.

• Coach makes the subject matter decisions, including the target concept to be discovered, and to design the single question delivered to the learner(player). “Where is the area where you have the highest chance to score a basket? Why?”

• Learner/s (player/s) to engage in reasoning, questioning, and logic to sequentially make connections about the content to discover the answers (movement solutions)

Multiple responses to a single

question/situation, within a specific

cognitive operation.

Divergent Discovery – Player

discover multiple

designs/solution/responses

to a specific question.

LEARNER-DESIGNED INDIVIDUAL PROGRAM STYLE (I)

THE LEARNER-INITIATED STYLE (J)

Learner-designed individual programme (I)

• Independence to discover a structure that resolves an issue/problem – solutions/movements

• Investigate the general subject matter logistical decisions

Learner-initiated (J)

• Responsibility for designing the learning experience

• Initiated independently

• Create the criteria decisions

• Coach is to accept the learner’s readiness to make maximum decisions

• To be supportive, participate according to the learner’s requests.

THE SELF-TEACHING STYLE (K)

Self-teaching style is individual tenacity and the desire to learn. The

learner makes ALL the decisions and assumes the roles of a teacher

and a student. Does not have a precise designated set of objectives:

individual selects objectives.

Can we

then mix

up the

styles?

THE CANOPY

BETWEEN THE LANDMARK STYLES