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How to apply the science of learning with your athletes (part 2)


How to apply the science of learning with your athletes (part 2)

We previously published part 1 of this blog, looking at key theories and strategies in the science of learning, and how to apply them in sport to help athletes learn better – read it here.

But there is a lot more to learning effectively, so here are some other strategies that can help coaches and athletes teach and learn more effectively…

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Ask psychologically rich questions

Asking lots of questions is one of the most powerful ways for a teacher to enhance learning and encourage them to explore the topic in more depth. It is a way of assessing learners and checking for understanding.

But that doesn’t mean just any question. In learning, we are primarily looking at three forms of questions:

  • Pre-questions are about what that athletes are going to learn. This gets them to start thinking and getting engaged with the material before it is taught.
  • Hinge questions are asked during teaching and allow to check for misunderstandings.
  • Elaborative interrogation, which is essentially “why” questions, can be used at the end of a session to get athletes to think more deeply about what they just learnt.

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Using these questions will help to increase curiosity and attention, highlight misconceptions and help learners make connections between new and existing knowledge.

How do you use this in sport?

  • At the start of the session, ask your athletes questions about the information you are about to teach them.
  • Check for understanding halfway through the session.
  • Use “why” follow-up questions to help athletes think in more depth about the information.

Get athletes to apply what they’ve learnt

Setting up practices that allow athletes to apply what they’ve learnt in different contexts will help consolidate their learning. This takes the players beyond surface-level understanding by getting them to actually think about how to use a new skill or strategy in real terms. It prompts them to think harder.

How do you use this in sport?

  • Create real match scenarios on the pitch where the players can practice using what they have learnt.
  • Use hypothetical situations. This ensures players don’t simply repeat information they have been told earlier.
  • Quiz players on the thought process behind the information, to help them apply it to a range of settings.
  • Remember: be aware of misconceptions being spread here as well.

Dual coding

Dual coding is the process of using both words and pictures together in learning material. Using two information formats gives athletes two different ways of retaining that information for when they need it later on.

It is related to avoiding cognitive overload and finding the best ways to present information, check out our coaches guide.

Having two representations of the same information cements it deeper into our long-term memory. One study found that people remembered twice as much information if it was presented with both words and pictures, compared to just with words.

How do you use this in sport?

  • Present visuals of how a drill or movement should be performed, along with words. You can do this on presentation slides, printed handouts, the screen of your devices, drawn on a whiteboard…
  • A timeline can help players better understand what needs to be done and when, as they will develop a stronger understanding of the relationship between the two.
  • Remember: the images and the words have to be closely linked. If they are not, the image is likely to be redundant information and have the opposite effect to what you need.

Final thoughts

If coaches can educate themselves about the way they can help their athletes learn effectively, sessions will have a greater impact on the athletes’ practice, with new skills and drills being learnt quicker and to a much better standard, allowing for the athletes to progress in their sport.

 

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