PE_Guidelines_english0

Organising the physical
education lesson
The physical education lesson needs to
be carefully planned to ensure effective
organisation. All lessons should be
organised to encourage maximum
participation by the child. This can be
achieved in some instances by carefully
planned whole-class activity, but very
often it is more effective to divide
children into groups. Some methods for
group work are outlined below.
Individual, pair, group and team
play
Teachers need to plan for children to
work alone or with others, cooperatively
and competitively. At infant
level, most activities will be undertaken
first by an individual child, and this can
then be developed into partner work.
Small groups may learn to work
together. Providing opportunities for
group work during first and second
classes should enhance co-operation in
preparation for the development of
team play in a games situation, for
instance. Team play is appropriate for
children from third to sixth class, but
team play should always suit the
individual needs of the child. Smallsided
games and mini versions of
games with modified rules are most
suitable. Larger groups of children
can work together in dance and
gymnastics lessons from third to sixth
class, developing from initial work
undertaken individually to work with a
partner and work as a member of a
small group.
‘Station’ teaching
The use of ‘stations’ is appropriate in
teaching games, gymnastics, outdoor
and adventure activities, athletics or
aquatics. This is a framework which
allows maximum numbers of children to
participate, providing opportunities for
continuous practice for groups working
on different tasks at the same time.
It is particularly useful where
equipment is limited.
Children work with specific equipment,
practising certain skills or playing
designated games. The class may
consist of six to eight groups. After a
given time (30 seconds to 5 minutes,
according to the activity being
completed) they move on to another
‘station’ or point to practise a different
set of skills or play different games.
Exemplar 3 illustrates this approach
being implemented in the athletics
lesson.
Organising the physical education lesson
Physical Education Teacher Guidelines
51