Classifying Skills (OCR GCSE Physical Education (PE)): Revision Note

Classification of skills 

• A skill is a learned action or learned behaviour with the intention of bringing about predetermined results, with maximum certainty and minimum outlay of time and energy

  • An effectively mastered skill will consistently result in a successful outcome with minimal effort 

  • Skills in sport are usually physical, e.g. passing the ball successfully in netball, or an efficient forehand shot in tennis 

• An ability is an inherited, stable trait that determines an individual’s potential to learn or acquire a skill

  • Examples of traits for which innate ability plays an important role include: Coordination, balance, agility and muscular endurance 

• Skills can be classified as follows: 

  • Basic/complex 

  • Open/closed 

• Each category exists on a continuum which helps group the skill according to its key characteristics 

  • E.g. skills are not all either basic or complex, but fall continuum between these two levels

Difficulty continuum: basic to complex

• The more judgements and decisions a performer has to make to perform the skill, then the more complex it becomes 

• A basic skill requires few decisions to be made that affect the skill so can be learned quickly and require a low level of coordination or concentration to complete 

  • E.g. Running, jumping, a forward roll 

• A complex skill requires lots of decisions to be made to be successful and requires a high level of coordination and can take a considerable amount of time to master 

  • E.g. A pole vault, a triple jump, a somersault  

Environmental continuum: Open to closed

• This is about the extent to which the surrounding environment affects the success of the skill 

• The presence or absence of other people is an important environmental factor, e.g. 

  • Teammates 

  • An opponent 

  • An opposition team 

• An open skill is performed in a certain way to deal with an unstable or unpredictable environment therefore you may decide to perform the skill differently to normal because of the environment for example what your opponent is doing  

  • E.g. a rugby, tackle, a pass in football, a corner in hockey 

• A closed skill is one which is not affected by the environment or performers within it. The skill tends to be done the same way each time 

  • E.g. platform dive, gymnastics vault, javelin throw