Juan Manuel Hernandez Hernandez

TOPIC 59: EA BASED ON RECEPTION.

REPRODUCTION OF MODELS
• ROLE OF TEACHERS AND STUDENTS IN THIS APPROACH
“Example is not the main way of influencing others; it is the only way” Albert Einstein

We are going to discuss a classic topic among the classics: the EA based on the reproduction
of models. It is a classic topic, but current at the same time, at least in real life for which we must
train. There are the ski courses or the success of the guided activities: fitness, spinning,
aerobics, ... classes that all end with applause and that paradoxically are called classes when we
still call ours sessions.

Although, because of Swedish gymnastics and the use made of it during the Franco regime, it
seems that the Reproduction of Models has, let's say, a "bad reputation", the truth is that there are
many occasions in which its use is essential. GD, without going any further, but to put it another
way: skipping ropes, or juggling.

Before starting with the topic, I want to clarify some previous ideas:
1. The methodological eclecticism of PE, the search for taking advantage of the good
aspects of different methods, strategies and styles. We must use all of them, adapting
them to our needs or those of the students.
2. The student needs a guide: Although the role of the students must be given
importance, the teacher must not remain silent, since he is the one who has the
knowledge and therefore, the one who has the ability to transmit it to the students.
3. It is not fair to be harsh with the reproduction of models because it has always been
an effective model for achieving results (leaving aside the recreational aspect),
although it focused on the most capable, leaving the rest, who should realize, that AF
was not their thing.
4. You do it, teacher! We have to be realistic, it is difficult to master all fields perfectly
and to serve as an example to our students in each and every one of the tasks we
require of them. However, thanks to technology, we have the ability to show them
models to look at and then reproduce them themselves.
Another idea that I would like to highlight is the importance of competencies, since we are
required that students acquire these capacities, which is why, as Annmarie Seybold shows us in
“Pedagogical Principles of PE” (1974): “The formative value that underlies the contemplation of
a model should not be disregarded”, for which, the model by reproduction, can be very valid
when it comes to getting students to acquire this knowledge of the competencies. Although it will
always be determined by the way in which the teacher deems appropriate to present the content
or skills to the students.

The points we are going to cover in this topic are:

• Didactic terminology, which has always been a challenge when it comes to

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understanding PE.
• We will dissect this approach to EA, analyzing the approach and objectives that this
method pursues, and we will discuss the strategies specific to this method.
• To conclude the topic, we will look at the role of the teacher and the student in this
method; starting with the elements of the Educational System (curriculum, motor
learning, teaching styles).

As for the bibliography, we will follow the following:

• Delgado Noguera, M.A.; Sicilia Camacho, A. (2002): Physical education and teaching styles.
IND. Saragossa.
• Delgado Noguera, M.A. (1991): Teaching styles in Physical Education. University of Granada.
Institute of Educational Sciences.
• Galera, A. D. (2001): Manual of didactics of PE. A moderate constructivist perspective.
Paidos. Barcelona
• Mosston, M. (1982): Teaching PE. Buenos Aires. Paidos
• Sanchez Bañuelos, F. (1984): Didactics of Physical Education and Sport. Gymnos. Madrid.

CLARIFICATION OF TERMS
It is Delgado Noguera who has fought the most to clarify with the article: " Towards a
conceptual clarification of the terms and didactics of PE and Sport" (EF Magazine 1991), and he
returns to the subject in 2002 in his book co-written with Álvaro Sicilia Camacho " PE and
teaching styles".

Method and strategy are often confused and treated as synonyms. Both refer to the procedures
followed to achieve objectives, now, let's explain their differences.

METHOD: (metho, goal, along, and odos, path) We refer to the general approach of the ea process
based on the nature of the objective, and to the strategy as the way of presenting the skill to the
student. This syllabus introduces two EA methods: one based on discovery and the other on
reproduction. They are general ways of teaching, the method always appears as the most open
and encompasses other elements.

STRATEGY: We said it was the way to present the skill to the student. For DN and Sicilia, it
is the way in which the teacher organizes the progression of the subject to be taught. We
distinguish between: Global Strategy when the skill is presented in its entirety (volleyball or
finger touch) or Analytical when the difficulties of the skill advise presenting it to the student in
parts (finger touch or arm work in finger touch).
As a general rule, we will say that the global strategy responds to the discovery method, and
analytics has more to do with the reproduction of models. Strategy is an essential aspect in Motor
Learning, in building the appropriate progression.

We also have teaching STYLES, which DN defined in 1991 as: “a peculiar way of
interacting with students that manifests itself in preactive decisions, during interactive decisions
and in postactive decisions.” Muska Mosston and DN highlight 3 useful functions of styles:

• Organize the class

• Share decisions between teacher and students

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• Involve different channels (motor, affective, social, cognitive)

Delgado Noguera in 1991 in “Teaching Styles in PE”, established the most accepted
classification of styles:

• Traditional EE: MD, MDM, Task Assignment

• EE that promote individualization: Indivi. by groups, Modular E., Individual
programs, Scheduled teaching.
• EE that enable participation: Reciprocal Teaching, GR and Microteaching
• EE that promote socialization: Socializing style, collaborative, interdisciplinary
work, role-playing games, simulations…
• Cognitively Involving EE: Guided Discovery and R. of problems
• EE that promote creativity: Creative Style

Styles in which the teacher monopolizes decision-making are more akin to reproduction, and
styles in which students direct much of their actions are more related to the discovery-based
method. Although, as with everything, you have to be eclectic, since many styles can be used for
both methods, depending on whether the teacher dictates what and how to do it, or without
saying how.

DN, together with Oña Sicilia, updated the definition of style and in 2002 defined it as: “the
relatively stable way in which the teacher reflectively adapts his teaching to the context,
objectives, content and students, interacting mutually and adapting decisions to the specific
moment of EA of his students”.

Antonio D Galera in “PE teaching manual”. (Paidós, 2001), defines style as: “a teacher's
personal way of transmitting the teaching message”, and in turn, distinguishes three types of
teachers:
a) Authoritarian: autocratic, manipulative, disciplinary and paternalistic
b) Resignative: demagogic, good-natured and helpless
c) Democratic: catalytic and cooperative
Other terms close to these are those indicated by DN:
• Models: ways of conceiving education (organicist, psychomotorist…)
• Didactic intervention: teacher actions in the EA process
• Teaching technique: Way of carrying out the communication and presentation of
content
• Teaching resource: “device” used in teaching (material, books, video, etc.)

TEACHING-LEARNING IN THE REPRODUCTION OF MODELS

A little reflection before getting into the subject. Throughout history, in our field, talking
about the EA of PE was talking exclusively about practice. The theory was included in 198 and
the attitudes at that time were taken for granted, a little further back, there was no other option
than obedience and effort. The “recent” comprehensive training is one of the flagships of the
LOGSE. Later in the topic, we will talk about the methodological possibilities with the LOE and
LOMCE.

To begin, let's deal with the definition of Reproduction, and we find two valid ones:

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• Salamanca Dictionary (1997): “to provide a person with theoretical or practical

knowledge about something.
• RAE (2014): “Flow of acquired knowledge”
EA based on direct instruction (ID), reception or reproduction (3 denominations), is inspired
by the behaviorist and neobehaviorist theories (Skinner and Thorndike) that explain AM as the
result of the repetition of stimuli so that the subject gives the expected response.
It is based on the technique of error-free learning, which is achieved through progressions,
increasing the difficulty.

In its purest form, the student is nothing more than a mere receiver and executor of what is
said, and receives the instructions through the ID. It was the protagonist of the beginnings of EF
(Swedish Gymnastics, PHLing), and in Spain it was used as a means to train, harden and
straighten, which is why it got its bad reputation, and in many cases, it has been extrapolated to
the present day.

There are many tasks in which the solution is well known (the most technical ones) and in
which biomechanics defines them even more. But finding that perfect “solution” is difficult and
expensive, if not impossible. Which makes us wonder, what is the importance of technique in our
classes? In my opinion, I think that a certain technique is necessary to be able to enjoy the game,
once they know the technique and “master” it, the game can be established as a recreational
activity for the student.
We then distinguish two models of sports learning:
a) the traditional one, which first develops the technique and then, or separately, the
tactics;
b) and the asset, which integrates everything, from the beginning.
Therefore, since our classes are heterogeneous, there will be students who need to first
acquire the technique in order to be able to “play”, and others who master the technique without
problems. We have to adapt to each situation.

Another field in which Model Reproduction is essential is in those tasks in which its
effectiveness and safety are only assured with exact positions: strength, flexibility, aerobics
(where you have to follow a teacher), etc. Another example can be seen in warm-ups, with the
“battery of exercises”.
To achieve success in this approach, it is necessary to ensure that the proposed model is
ideal, through a good demonstration (teacher, student or video), and that the student understands
it.

When the difficulty of the task is great, and it is well defined but requires a lot of precision
and is entirely complex, the option is to work through Strategies, and in the case of this method,
the analytical strategy is used, which, although it means moving away from the reality of the
movement, is it not the basis of good progression? Going from the simple to the complex, from
the easy to the difficult? It all comes down to breaking the skill down into parts, and doing it little
by little. The analytical strategy has three variants, which are:

• Pura: The parts are divided, and you start from + to – important, to end up doing
everything. B/C/A/D = A+B+C+D
• Sequential: It is divided into parts, and one is carried out, then another, and they are

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merged. A/B/C/D = A+B+C+B

• Progressive: You start with the first, and then you add the second, then the third, etc.
A – A+B – A+B+C – A+B+C+D
Great athletes use this strategy, like J. Cienfuegos, I remember that he explained to us in a
practical master class when I was studying for my degree in CAFYD in Salamanca, how we, for
example, divide the hammer throw (his specialty) into 4 phases (A/V/G/F), because he would
break it down into even smaller, more isolated moments to work on them in a more analytical
way, and to better work on the technique. However, we are talking about elite sport, let us not
forget that in our classes the global aspect must always be present.
SB says that the ideal is to divide it into the smallest number of parts possible and combine it
with global practice. In fact, this leads us to know that the most used sequence is GAG.

One of the biggest concerns for students is homework, and so too for teachers. In my
opinion, and without taking away the importance of programming, CC, objectives, standards,
etc., I think that the tasks carried out in class are vital, because if the tasks proposed are not
good... the students' attention will not be captured.

Another thing that I consider vital is time, and more so in PE, since, at the moment, no matter
how much we look for that extra hour that is intended in our subject (as they have implemented
in the Basque Country) it is quite scarce, so it seems reasonable to use this method as a means to
make the most of time, in Sports Initiation, leaving the discovery for contents where precision in
execution is not so important. F. Posada considers this as “learning without beating around the
bush.”

However, we cannot talk about tasks without mentioning Famose, which provides two
classifications of tasks:

• Depending on the nature of the task: Bioenergetic, Bioinformative, and

Bioexpressive.
• Information provided by the teacher: Definite, semi-definite and not defined.

Within the application, we must talk about highly organized tasks, since they are those in
which the execution mechanism predominates, and they are more prone to Model Reproduction,
since the quality of the execution is proportional to the performance.

However, although the current LOE/LOMCE with the CCBB/CL, requires methods,
strategies and styles in which the student does not depend on the teacher, in many situations it is
necessary to have the teacher as a model (e.g. warm-up, postural hygiene, etc.) or even for certain
content, such as if we want to teach CPR, or if we want to teach how to take HR, we must be an
example to follow for the students.

For security reasons, or for viewing accuracy, or for the time it saves, using the ID is useful
and safe. Pastor, Aguado and Brunicardi (2003) explain that education includes the development
of four basic processes:
1. Training
2. Instruction
3. Initiation
4. Induction

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They recognize that the first three constitute a necessary part of educational activity and give
way to instruction.

Daryl Siedentop does not talk about Reproduction, but about active teaching in which he
distinguishes two phases: guided practice (by the teacher) and independent practice.

Once we have analyzed the aspects that define this approach to EA as well as the tasks that
are most likely to be used with it, let us now look at the other two elements that, along with the
task, are protagonists in the EA process: the Teacher and the Students.

ROLE OF THE TEACHER AND THE STUDENT

We will start with the primary element of the current teaching curriculum, which is the Key
Competencies. Direct instruction can be very useful when acquiring these skills, such as, for
example, CSC, through the acquisition of rules (which can be agreed upon or imposed), in
classroom management, etc. CCL or CMCT appear in the use and development of applied sports
language, in the calculation of percentages/work ratios, etc. CD is increasingly present during the
development of PE sessions, as they appear, for example, the use of tablets as a recording
medium for creating content to be “assessed” by the teacher.

Another curricular element is the objectives, which, as we already know, the area objectives (and course
objectives), have disappeared with the current LOMCE, however, it establishes the Stage Objectives, of which we
can directly relate to Physical Education, the objective: k) Know and accept the functioning of one's own
body and that of others, respect differences, strengthen habits of body care and health and incorporate physical
education and the practice of sport to promote personal and social development. Know and value the human
dimension of sexuality in all its diversity. Critically assess social habits related to health, consumption, care of living
beings and the environment, contributing to their conservation and improvement. We can achieve/develop this
objective through RdM, applying the correct teaching techniques in our area.

As for the Contents, Muska Mosston created the styles; and in principle, he was in favour of
the evolution of managers to freelancers, being a product of the level of development of the
students, but in 1981, he rectified and said that the choice depended on the content to be taught
and on professional preferences.

Once we have seen this small adaptation of some curricular elements to RdM, we continue
with the characteristics of the Students and the Teacher before entering into AM and Styles.

Well, regarding the characteristics of the students, we distinguish two fundamental

variables: Aptitude (p) and Attitude (c). The lack or nonexistence of either of the two
recommends clear guidelines, Direct Instruction. In our classes, we find heterogeneous groups, in
which we will see students who are motorically good, and others who have difficulties in
developing certain activities. Direct instruction is good for helping students develop certain skills
to be able to “play” (APTITUDE).
However, it is also correct to use it when there is a bad attitude, e.g. In tasks where AdT is
used, such as Fza circuits, we encourage participation.

Although traditionally it is common to start with ID in the initial stages and evolve towards
searching, Ezequiel Martínez opts for the opposite: letting the youngest discover, and then

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introducing ID for improvement.

Now, what about the characteristics of the teacher? DN and Sicilia Camacho (2002)
recognize that in professional evolution, PE teachers go through different stages, but we all start
with reproduction methods, since they give us security, and from there on, we add discovery
methods. It's all a matter of experience.

If we talk about the roles that each one plays, the Professor gives the solution, transmits the
information and organizes the practice, and the student executes. But it is important to know what
it does and why. We are going to analyze the role of P and A in two fields, one in Motor
Learning and another in Teaching Styles.

Starting with AM, Fitts, Durand and Schnabel, they argue that the student goes through three
phases in his learning: Cognitive, Associative and Autonomous. In the first two, the student forms
a clear image of the movement, for which the teacher will transmit in a simple and clear way the
initial information about the objective, demonstrate (either by himself, by video or by a student-
expert), and the student will execute, focusing on a part of the movement. The teacher will offer
FB to the student in two ways: 1-on the result, 2-on the student's performance.

The student will execute and the teacher will add information about the movement. Once the
execution is optimal, it is possible to consider adapting the technique to changing situations, that
is, introducing a discovery-based EA.

Therefore, when teaching using RdM, the teacher must:

1. Know the model, be a good observer. Video
2. Measure the information according to the capacity for assimilation and execution.
3. Dose your practice to avoid saturation and deterioration of performance.
4. Build a very good progression.
5. Provide quality feedback and encourage students a lot
6. Positive Pygmalion effect: Expecting too much from students.
For their part, students must:

1. Carry out challenges at your level with will, motivation and perseverance: are you
capable of…? Could you do…?
2. Know the cause-effect relationships, effectiveness against technical errors and
relationships
3. Will strive to progress and apply FBs (own and external)
4. Expectations of success, and the attribution of this or failure to controllable variables.

Let's now talk about an important part of this topic: Teaching Styles. They make decisions
before, during and after class or exercise, and based on this, they involve more or less physically,
socially, emotionally and intellectually. A priori, talking about RdM only enables us to talk about
MD, MMD and AT; when this is not the case. Any of the convergent styles is ID. We can use the
MD for stretching, aerobics…, the MMD for a warm-up in waves. AT is the most common, and
the student makes many decisions.

Within the individualizing styles, from the individual program for an injured student who

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juggles, to group work, to modules, where they choose what to delve into, to reciprocal teaching,
or small groups, where they take turns in execution and advice. These styles are now called peer
learning and are the “be all and end all.” They are great transmitters of CC: CSC, AA and
emotional. Let's look at the types of decisions we can see:

• Pre-impact: (Planning) what to do, how to do it…

• Impact: (Execution) organization, duration, pace…
• Post-impact: (evaluation) FB, evaluation…
We will now see in each style, the decisions that correspond to the teacher and the student.
Many times these decisions have to be “earned” by the students, through their work,
responsibility and autonomy, in the same way the teacher has to educate them with increasingly
free styles.

The Styles within Reception Teaching are arranged on a continuous axis from more control to
less, involving one or more channels (cognitive, affective, motor or social), but always
reproducing a model, let's see them:

1) Direct Command: well known and stereotyped. The teacher makes each and every
decision (Pre, Imp, Post); places the students and orders when to start and finish, and
sets the pace of execution (for example, by blowing the whistle).

2) Modified Direct Command: The difference with MD is that the pace of action is not
set, and it can be understood as a progression-evolution of MD, since there is more
“trust” in the students.

3) Task Assignment: It is one of the most used. The teacher proposes and the student has
X amount of time to complete it. He makes the vast majority of decisions, except for
those regarding organization and pace. Phases: initial training, execution, evaluation.
The student gets to experience independence. Posada distinguishes two modalities: a
list of tasks that students do one after the other, and a sequence of task-stations.

4) Groups: This is another of the common styles. It became popular with the
incorporation of games into physical education and with team sports. Heterogeneous
groups; the ideal is that there is collaboration in the group, that the most skilled and the
less skilled work together. The tendency, if left free to create them, is towards grouping
by sex or exclusions, therefore, it is important that the teacher intervenes in the creation
of these.

5) Level groups: Each group works on its own level of progression and what may seem
discriminatory is actually personalised teaching. It starts with an initial and continuous
evaluation, and requires giving continuous and different FB to each of the students. To
avoid discrimination, it is combined with heterogeneous groups.

Let us now move on to those styles where students have important responsibilities:

6) Microteaching: 5-6 students per group, where the most talented one is the instructor.
Very common when teaching something where there are students who have mastered it.
The P only relates to the student-teacher.
7) Small Groups: 3 students, one executes, another observes and another takes notes and
evaluates.

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8) Reciprocal Teaching: In pairs, one executes and the other observes, helps, corrects.

Here, although the teacher continues to give the solution to the students, they have more
responsibility, even having to evaluate.

9) Individual Program: The student organizes his/her practice, becoming his/her own
teacher or monitor. It is the highest degree of autonomy. The teacher gives the last
instructions. “Training contract”.

10) Modules: These are groups united by interests regarding the activity, which involves
the teacher offering various activities.

11) Self-teaching: Self-teaching, assumption by the student of all decisions except those of
the model. Posada highlights the following benefits: 1-the student develops kinesthetic
awareness, 2-is freed from external FBs, 3-honesty and objectivity of execution are
worked on, 4-the student demonstrates knowledge of the technique and its limitations.

Now that we have seen the styles most associated with RdM, let us delve into something that
is considered key and very current: “class management”, of which 4 guidelines are established:
1. Clear Instructions: Clear, Concise and Accurate Information. It is important to
know that we have the students' attention, and that the acoustics of the place where
we are going to explain are good. We must also be clear about the instructions.
2. Lots of practice: Analytical and Applied. It is vital to make the most of your time
and motivate students to PSP (practice non-stop). Perseverance, not giving up, trying
with your head. That is why it is important that the instructions are clear, as well as
the organization. To optimize practice time as much as possible.
3. Explanation of cause-effect relationship: The student must be involved in the
process of what he must do and why he does it (logical cause-effect relationship). In
this way we eliminate rote learning, activating the student's cognition.
4. Feedbacks. Corrections: Teachers must correct and encourage. Students can correct
each other and view each other's work on their phones. If we talk about technique,
with the ID the FBs have to be specific, it is convenient to say first what is done well
and then what needs to be improved.

CONCLUSIONS