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New
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Year 11
AQA

Classification of skills continua

I can classify skills based on their characteristics and place them on the basic/complex and open/closed continua.

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New
New
Year 11
AQA

Classification of skills continua

I can classify skills based on their characteristics and place them on the basic/complex and open/closed continua.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Skills can be classified along continua based on their charactersitics.
  2. Skills classification between basic and complex is based on how difficult they are to perform.
  3. Skills classification between open and closed is based on how stable the environment is.

Keywords

  • Basic skill - a skill which is quickly learned as there are very few decisions to be made when performing the skill

  • Complex skill - a skill which requires a lot of decision making, requiring a high level of coordination and thinking

  • Open skill - a skill which is performed in a certain way to deal with a changing or unstable environment, e.g. to outwit an opponent

  • Closed skill - a skill which is not affected by the environment or performers within it

Common misconception

A very common mistake made when classifying skills is to name a sport without the skill. For example, trying to classify 'rugby' rather than one of the many different skills within rugby.

Ensure pupils understand that specific skills are required and that they can name multiple examples of skills from different sports.


To help you plan your year 11 physical education lesson on: Classification of skills continua, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

The exam board practical assessment guides include a useful, ready-made list of skills which can be performed in each assessed activity. These lists can be used by pupils to give examples from their favourite sports.
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This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of these best defines a skill?
knowledge and understanding
natural talent
Correct answer: learned actions or behaviours
measurements
Q2.
Which of the following makes you a skillful performer?
performing an action successfully on one occasion
Correct answer: repeating an action successfully almost every time
being naturally good at something
Q3.
Match these skills to their sport.
Correct Answer:scrummaging,rugby
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rugby

Correct Answer:cover drive,cricket
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cricket

Correct Answer:gybing,sailing
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sailing

Correct Answer:underarm serve,volleyball
tick

volleyball

Correct Answer:twizzle,figure skating
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figure skating

Q4.
What does the word classify mean?
to randomly assign something to a category without any reason
to make something more complicated by adding unnecessary details
to eliminate something from a group entirely
Correct answer: to categorise something based on its characteristics
Q5.
Which order would most people learn the following skills in?
1 - walking
2 - running
3 - kicking a ball and chasing after it
4 - running with a ball close to their feet
5 - dribbling a ball around other people without losing it
Q6.
The word environment means ...
the weather conditions in a specific area at a given time.
a set of laws and regulations governing human activities and behaviours.
Correct answer: everything that surrounds us and influences our lives.
a collection of buildings and infrastructure that make up a city or town.

6 Questions

Q1.
Which of these are not skills?
passing in handball
serving in badminton
Correct answer: rugby
stopping in snowboarding
Correct answer: gymnastics
Q2.
Put these skills in order from the most closed to most open in terms of environmental factors.
1 - a solo dance routine
2 - swimming in a freestyle race
3 - a table tennis serve
4 - receiving a pass in netball
Q3.
Match the classification to its description.
Correct Answer:basic skill,quickly learned as there are very few decisions to be made
tick

quickly learned as there are very few decisions to be made

Correct Answer:complex skill,requires a lot of decision making and high levels of coordination
tick

requires a lot of decision making and high levels of coordination

Correct Answer:open skill,performed in a certain way to deal with changing/unstable environment
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performed in a certain way to deal with changing/unstable environment

Correct Answer:closed skill,not affected by the environment or performers within it
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not affected by the environment or performers within it

Q4.
Put these skills in order from most basic to most complex.
1 - jogging
2 - long jump
3 - cricket bowling
4 - lay up in basketball
Q5.
A skill which is complex is likely to have which of these characteristics?
Correct answer: lots of information to process
no decisions to make
Correct answer: requires lots of concentration
is learned easily
Q6.
Open skills are performed in environments which are unstable and are ...
Correct Answer: unpredictable