Practical Performance

Practical Performance Overview

• Practical performance in PE involves the application of key principles to actual sporting scenarios.
• The objective is to illustrate physical prowess, tactical thinking, and grasp of the sport’s rules.
• Individual sports, team sports, and performing/creative activities all fall within the scope of practical performance.

Key Skills for Practical Performance

• Physical skills and techniques: Ability to effectively employ techniques specific to a sport, indicating control, accuracy, and adaptability.
• Tactical understanding: Demonstration of strategic foresight in manoeuvres, choices, and an understanding of the opponent’s game.
• Rule compliance: Strict adherence to the sport’s rules and displaying a comprehensible understanding.
• Positioning and Timing: Knowledge of one’s ideal position on the playing field, ability to maintain it or move strategically, and timing actions to optimize outcomes.
• Cooperative and leadership skills: Depending upon the nature of the sport, a display of effective teamwork or prominent leadership may be necessary.

Performance Assessment Criteria

• Marks are often awarded based on the precision, accuracy, and fluency of an individual’s actions and movements.
• The ability to respond appropriately to changing situations in a sporting context is critical.
• Consistency in performance, the application of learnt techniques, and rule adherence is evaluated.
• The ability to identify and correct performance faults will also come under scrutiny.

Preparation for a Practical Performance

• Regular, structured practice sessions are imperative to build muscle memory of techniques and movements.
• Develop a reliable warm-up routine to prepare both physically and mentally before performance.
• Learning from feedback and corrections to continually perfect performance is a vital aspect.
• Understanding opponent strategy can help when preparing for competitive scenarios.
• Regular performance reviews can help identify weaknesses and areas for improvement.

Performance Review and Improvement

• Performance review is a cyclic and essential part of the learning process.
• Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely (SMART) goals can guide improvement.
• Personal reflection on each performance can provoke insight into strengths and weaknesses.
• Constantly updating a self-improvement plan enables steady progress and skill development.
• Prioritising areas of improvement based on importance and room for progress is beneficial.