The sport education model
The sport education model offers ākonga the opportunity to experience and develop skills and social relationships through sport and being part of a team.
The sport education model has several distinctive characteristics:
- Seasons – A season involves a series of consecutive lessons (for example, 14 to 20), and involves pre-season activities, practice and competition.
- Team affiliation – Students become members of teams for the duration of the season and assume roles of coach, manager, and so on, as well as being players.
- Formal competition – The competition involves pre-season preparation, in-season competition, and a culminating event or festival that provides an appropriate climax to the end of the competitive season.
- Keeping records – Records may include outcomes of matches and player performance.
- Festivity – The festivity of sport can be encouraged through a sports notice board, team photos, uniforms, and honouring the rituals and traditions of the particular sport.
The sport education model provides students opportunities to:
- participate in a realistic context
- explore ideas in, through, and about sport
- develop knowledge and skills, team identity, and social interaction skills
- take ownership and responsibility for their learning
- plan and implement the programme
- be challenged through peer support, peer encouragement, and trust
- value their contribution to the team
- receive personal and specialised skill and behavioural learning programme due to the teacher being free from full class direct instruction.
Siedentop, D. (1994). Sport education: Quality physical education through positive sport experiences. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
This approach is incorporated in the sport studies units: