Dr. Wyant (2013). Sport Pedagogy.

SYSTEMATIC OBSERVATIONS
Motor differences in higher & lower skilled students
School Site: Cleveland Elementary

Date: 11/12/14

Activity Observed: Dance-Thriller Line Dance

Grade/Age Level: 4th

DIRECTIONS: You will observe many children performing many different kinds of skills. Select 8 (or as
many as you can) different tasks and describe how the high skilled students and the low skilled students are
performing.

Task
1
Run to the field and back

Higher Skilled

Lower Skilled

Will run with high effort and

exhaust the full range of motion to
run faster

Students gave low effort and

jogged as opposed to running like
their other classmates. They did
not lift their knees as high and
were not able to extend their legs
as far
Students experienced trouble
counting the beats for rhythm and
displayed little interest in learning

Students were able to comprehend

the concept of rhythm and provide
Count the number of beats
examples of way to count number
for rhythm
of beats
Students were able to cognitively
3
process the steps of the dance and
The first 8 count to thriller
perform them using the correct
(swimming of the arms,
forward stepping, switch lead cues of the skill
foot and repeat

4
The 2nd 8 count to thriller.
Feet together, clap above
head, arms out, step to the
right, slide left foot over,
look forward, shrug, look
over left shoulder, look
forward

5
rd

The 3 8 count to thriller.

Right step, left step over,

Students needed more time to

digest the cues of the skill and
more practice trials to correctly
execute the skill

Higher skilled students were able

to quickly process the cues for the
2nd 8 count more quickly and put
them all together for a more fluid
performance of the skill

Students required more coaching

and needed to hear the cues of the
skill more repeatedly. There isnt a
big change in physical skill but
cognitive processing needed more
time.

Higher skilled students picked up

the steps quicker

Required more time to process the

cues. There was no physical
difference between students

Teacher Christopher Ngo

Observer Christopher Ngo

Time spent @ site 33:02

/

11/12/14
(Date)

Dr. Wyant (2013). Sport Pedagogy.

right step over, left knee up,
right foot down, right knee
up, left foot down, left knee
up.

performing the cues.

6
7
8

Teacher Christopher Ngo

Observer Christopher Ngo

Time spent @ site 33:02

/

11/12/14
(Date)