FEEDBACK TO MOTIVATE STUDENTS IN PE LESSONS
Teachers play many important roles in facilitating students’ learning, one of which is to
observe student progress and provide appropriate feedback. What and how teachers
say when providing feedback has important implications for students’ learning.
In classroom and PE settings, positive relationships between perceived feedback
(positive general and specific feedback, as well as knowledge of performance) and
perceived competence, effort, enjoyment, and performance have been reported (Koka &
Hein, 2003; Schunk, 1982, 1989). The type of feedback teachers provide can also have
a significant impact on students’ intrinsic motivation (Ryan, Connell, & Deci, 1985).
Amorose and Horn (2000) explained that high frequencies of training and instruction,
positive and informational feedback, and low frequencies of punishment-oriented
feedback and ignoring behaviours would lead to more positive perceptions of
competence, which, in turn, would facilitate intrinsic motivation. The following are some
factors that teachers may wish to bear in mind when providing feedback during PE
lessons:

In a physical education setting, positive general feedback contributed significantly to
students’ intrinsic motivation, PE performance, enjoyment, effort and perceived
competence. Examples are, ‘‘Good play!’’, ‘‘Excellent work today!’’, and ‘‘That’s OK!
Keep working at it’’.

In terms of feedback received during PE lessons, Nicaise et al. (2007) found that
girls perceived a higher frequency of encouragement and technical information and
boys reported that their teacher criticized them more and were more likely to ignore
their errors. The use of encouragement and technical information may be
problematic because it can have a negative effect on competence perceptions. It is
suggested that teachers should pay attention to how they phrase their
encouragement and technical information feedback to avoid reducing perceived
competence.

Students who receive a high frequency of help may feel they are less able than
others who require less help. For example, by providing feedback in terms of
frequent encouragement and technical information may transmit an implicit message
to the class about who is less capable in PE.

If teachers wish to develop better attitudes among students, particularly girls,
towards PE, they should provide increased praise for good play or effort, provide
non-verbal support, spend more time with the girls when providing feedback, and be
empathetic to their needs.
KEY DEFINITIONS
Effort: Depict the student’s desire and capacity to invest the energy or effort demanded
e.g. exhibit a certain skill or behaviour.
Intrinsic Motivation: Refers to doing something because it is inherently interesting or
enjoyable
Perceived Competence: Extent that pupils perceive that their teachers allow them to
feel capable in controlling the environment or the activity.
REFERENCES
Amorose, A. J., & Horn, T. S. (2000). Intrinsic motivation: Relationships with collegiate athletes’
gender, scholarship status, and perceptions of their coaches’ behaviour. Journal of Sport
and Exercise Psychology, 22, 63 – 84.
Koka, A., & Hein, V. (2003). Perceptions of teachers’ feedback and learning environment as
predictors of intrinsic motivation in physical education. Psychology of Sport and
Exercise, 4, 333 – 346.
Nicaise, V., Bois, J.E., Fairclough, S.J., Amorose, A.J., Cogerino, G. (2007). Girls' and boys'
perceptions of physical education teachers' feedback: Effects on performance and
psychological responses. Journal of Sports Sciences, 25, 915-926.
Ryan, R. M., Connell, J. P., & Deci, E. L. (1985). A motivational analysis of self-determination
and self-regulation in education. In C. Ames & R. E. Ames (Eds.), Research on
motivation in education: The classroom milieu (pp. 13 – 51). New York: Academic Press.
Schunk, D. H. (1982). Effects of effort-attributional feedback on children’s achievement. Journal
of Educational Psychology, 74, 548 – 556.
Schunk, D. H. (1989). Self-efficacy and achievement behaviours. Educational Psychology
Review, 1, 173 – 207.