feedback in sport
4 detailed 50-minute lessons with teaching scripts, worked examples, parent guides, and assessment criteria.
Lesson Overview
Total Lessons: 4
Tier: Foundation and Higher
Duration: 50 minutes per lesson (200 minutes total)
Exam Boards: AQA, Edexcel, OCR, Eduqas, CCEA
Tier: Foundation and Higher
Duration: 50 minutes per lesson (200 minutes total)
Exam Boards: AQA, Edexcel, OCR, Eduqas, CCEA
Learning Objectives
- Explain the key ideas of feedback in sport
- Apply feedback in sport to exam-style questions
- Develop independent study skills
- Build cross-topic connections
Prerequisites
- Read the revision notes for feedback in sport first (GCSE Revise summary)
- Key vocab to pre-teach: Feedback, Positive Feedback, Negative Feedback
- Basic skills: reading the summary notes and answering the practice questions there
Materials & Equipment
- Exercise book, coloured pens
- Ruler
- Printed revision notes (link below)
- Internet for videos (see Resources)
Lesson 1: Introduction: feedback in sport
Duration: 50 minutes
Starter Activity (5 minutes)
Quick Recall
Write down everything you already know about feedback in sport. Then check against the key terms: Feedback, Positive Feedback, Negative Feedback. Use a mini-whiteboard or paper.
Main Content (35 minutes)
Parent/Teacher Guide:
Before lesson: Read the script below. Pre-teach key vocab: Feedback, Positive Feedback, Negative Feedback.
If stuck: Re-read the revision notes (link above), then break the content into smaller steps.
Extension: See the Stretch & Challenge ideas in Lesson 4.
Before lesson: Read the script below. Pre-teach key vocab: Feedback, Positive Feedback, Negative Feedback.
If stuck: Re-read the revision notes (link above), then break the content into smaller steps.
Extension: See the Stretch & Challenge ideas in Lesson 4.
Teaching Script (35 mins):
Mins 0-5 - Hook: "Today: feedback in sport. By the end you will be able to answer exam questions on it unaided. It connects to the rest of Physical Education because the ideas here recur across the spec."
Mins 5-20 - Direct Instruction: Work through the core ideas below one at a time; after each, ask your student to explain it back in their own words.
Mins 20-30 - Guided Practice: Model the worked example together, then let your student attempt the first practice question with guidance.
Mins 30-35 - Independent Practice: 2-3 practice questions from Lesson 3 below, with immediate feedback.
Mins 0-5 - Hook: "Today: feedback in sport. By the end you will be able to answer exam questions on it unaided. It connects to the rest of Physical Education because the ideas here recur across the spec."
Mins 5-20 - Direct Instruction: Work through the core ideas below one at a time; after each, ask your student to explain it back in their own words.
Mins 20-30 - Guided Practice: Model the worked example together, then let your student attempt the first practice question with guidance.
Mins 30-35 - Independent Practice: 2-3 practice questions from Lesson 3 below, with immediate feedback.
First Look
Start with the revision notes summary, then attempt: Explain the difference between knowledge of results and knowledge of performance, using a sporting example.
Plenary (5 minutes)
Check Out
Your student states one thing they learned and one question they still have about feedback in sport.
Lesson 2: Core Concepts: feedback in sport
Duration: 50 minutes
Starter Activity (5 minutes)
Review Previous Lesson
Quick recap: write 3 key points from Lesson 1 on feedback in sport. Check them against the notes below.
Main Content (35 minutes)
Feedback: Information received by a performer about the outcome of their action or the quality of their performance. Feedback is essential for learning and improvement as it completes the information processing loop.
Positive Feedback: Feedback that focuses on what the performer did correctly. It reinforces good technique and encourages the performer to repeat successful actions.
Negative Feedback: Feedback that identifies what the performer did incorrectly. It highlights errors and suggests corrections to improve future performance. It is NOT criticism - it is constructive information about what went wrong.
Exam Tip: "Negative feedback" does NOT mean telling someone they are bad. It means identifying what went wrong and providing constructive correction. If a coach just says "that was terrible" without explaining how to improve, this is criticism, not negative feedback.
Knowledge of Results (KR): Feedback about the outcome of a performance. It tells the performer what happened as a result of their action - whether they were successful or not.
Knowledge of Performance (KP): Feedback about the quality and technique of a performance. It tells the performer how well they executed the movement, regardless of the outcome.
| Term | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | What was done correctly | What was done incorrectly |
| Effect | Motivates and encourages | Corrects and improves technique |
| Best for | Beginners (builds confidence) | Experienced performers (can process corrections) |
| Risk | May not address technical errors | Can demotivate if not constructive |
| Example | "Great pass - keep it up!" | "Your foot was over the line - step back further." |
| Focus | Outcome / result | Process / technique |
| What it tells you | Whether you succeeded | How well you performed |
| Source | Often external and objective | Often from coach or self |
Practice (10 minutes)
Q: Explain the difference between knowledge of results and knowledge of performance, using a sporting example.
Answer: Knowledge of results (KR) is feedback about the outcome of performance, while knowledge of performance (KP) is feedback about the quality of technique. Example: In golf, KR is knowing the ball landed in the bunker (the result), while KP is the coach telling the player their weight transfer was late and they came over the top of the ball (the technique). KR tells you what happened; KP tells you why it happened and how to fix it.
Plenary (5 minutes)
Explain Back
Your student teaches the key points back to you without looking. Fill any gaps immediately.
Lesson 3: Application: feedback in sport
Duration: 50 minutes
Starter Activity (5 minutes)
Quick Recall
Recall the key terms: Feedback, Positive Feedback, Negative Feedback. Define each in one sentence.
Main Content (35 minutes)
Parent/Teacher Guide: Let your student attempt each question alone first, then compare with the model answer. Award method marks for correct working even if the final answer is wrong.
Q1: Explain the difference between knowledge of results and knowledge of performance, using a sporting example.
Answer: Knowledge of results (KR) is feedback about the outcome of performance, while knowledge of performance (KP) is feedback about the quality of technique. Example: In golf, KR is knowing the ball landed in the bunker (the result), while KP is the coach telling the player their weight transfer was late and they came over the top of the ball (the technique). KR tells you what happened; KP tells you why it happened and how to fix it.
Q2: Why is positive feedback particularly important for beginners?
Answer: Positive feedback is important for beginners because it builds their confidence and motivation, which are fragile in the early stages of learning. When beginners receive encouragement for what they do correctly, they are more likely to persist and continue practising. Without positive feedback, beginners may become discouraged by their errors and give up. Positive reinforcement also helps establish correct motor programmes by encouraging repetition of successful technique.
Q3: Describe the difference between extrinsic and intrinsic feedback and explain when each is most effective.
Answer: Extrinsic feedback comes from outside the performer (coach, video, scoreboard), while intrinsic feedback comes from within the performer (kinaesthesia, proprioception, feel). Extrinsic feedback is most effective for beginners who lack the experience to self-assess, and during skill acquisition when the performer needs external information about their technique. Intrinsic feedback is most effective for experienced performers who can self-correct, and during competition when no coach input is available.
Q4: A basketball player misses a free throw. Give an example of negative feedback a coach could give. How does this differ from criticism?
Answer: Negative feedback: "Your elbow was flared out to the side - keep it tucked under the ball and aligned with the basket." This is constructive negative feedback because it identifies the specific error and provides a clear correction. Criticism would be "That was a terrible shot" - this tells the player nothing about what went wrong or how to improve.
Q5: Explain why an elite performer relies more on intrinsic feedback than extrinsic feedback during competition.
Answer: Elite performers rely more on intrinsic feedback during competition because: coaches cannot provide feedback during play; elite performers have highly developed kinaesthetic awareness and proprioception from years of practice; they can feel whether a technique was executed correctly and self-correct for the next attempt; they have well-established motor programmes that provide internal feedback about movement quality. Extrinsic feedback is more useful in training sessions for analysis.
Q6: A coach tells a swimmer "your hand entry was too wide on that lap." Identify the type(s) of feedback being used and explain why it is appropriate for this performer.
Answer: The coach's comment "your hand entry was too wide" is: (1) Knowledge of Performance - it addresses the technique/process, not the outcome; (2) Negative feedback - it identifies an error; (3) Extrinsic feedback - it comes from the coach, not the swimmer's own senses. This is appropriate because swimmers cannot easily see their own hand entry during a stroke, so extrinsic KP from a coach is essential for identifying and correcting technical faults that the performer cannot detect through intrinsic feedback alone.
Plenary (5 minutes)
Error Review
Review any questions answered incorrectly. Identify whether the error was knowledge, method, or reading the question.
Lesson 4: Exam Practice: feedback in sport
Duration: 50 minutes
Starter Activity (5 minutes)
Command Words
Review what these command words require: state (one point), describe (say what happens), explain (say why), compare (both sides), evaluate (judgement).
Main Content (35 minutes)
Exam-Style Question
Attempt a past-paper style question on feedback in sport from the exam board past paper finder (see Resources), then mark it against the scheme.
Exam Tips: Know all six types of feedback: positive, negative, KR, KP, extrinsic, intrinsic | Always use sporting examples to illustrate each type | Remember: negative feedback ≠ criticism. Negative feedback is constructive and corrective | KR = outcome/result; KP = technique/process - this is a very common exam distinction | Link feedback type to the stage of learning (beginner vs elite) | Feedback types can overlap - e.g. a comment can be both extrinsic AND negative AND KP
Common Errors: Watch Out! Students often confuse negative feedback with criticism. Wrong: "Negative feedback is when the coach tells you you're rubbish." Correct: "Negative feedback constructively identifies what went wrong and how to correct it, such as 'your elbow was out of position - tuck it in next time.'" Students often confuse KR and KP. Wrong: "KR is about your technique." Correct: "KR is about the result/outcome (did the ball go in?). KP is about the technique/process (was your foot placement correct?)."
Stretch & Challenge (Grade 8-9):
- Synoptic links: explain how feedback in sport connects to another Physical Education topic you have studied
- Real-world: research one real-world use or example of feedback in sport
- Critical: "What are the limitations of the models used in feedback in sport?"
Plenary (5 minutes)
Assessment Criteria
- Got it: Confident explanation + correct worked examples
- Getting there: Main points OK, needs support with detail
- Not yet: Confused on key concepts - re-run Lesson 2
Homework & Consolidation
- Consolidation: Re-answer any Lesson 3 practice questions answered incorrectly (20 mins)
- Retrieval: Write flashcards for the key terms: Feedback, Positive Feedback, Negative Feedback (10 mins)
- Exam practice: One past-paper question on feedback in sport from the board websites (15 mins)
- Extension: Explain feedback in sport to someone else in your own words (10 mins)