Essential teaching skills

As part of teacher training, many educational psychologists believe people who instruct group classes must have essential teaching skills in order to promote learning. Although they are referring to classroom teaching skills, several of these skills also apply to group exercise instruction. As group exercise instructors, it is our responsibility to ensure participants learn the appropriate motor responses necessary for safe and effective exercise activities. In terms of group exercise instruction, instructor characteristics, monitoring and feedback are particularly important. Let's explore each of these separately, with the understanding that these attitudes, skills and strategies are interdependent in a group exercise setting.

INSTRUCTOR CHARACTERISTICS

Instructors set the emotional tone of the class. Therefore, they should approach group exercise instruction positively and proactively, conveying the message that all participants can learn the class routine and achieve their fitness goals through participation. This positive and proactive approach, called "active teaching" (Good 1983), includes four characteristics that promote a positive class climate and increase both motor learning and motivation to return to class. These characteristics are

* enthusiasm;

* modeling;

* warmth and empathy;

* Positive expectations.

Let's examine each of these.

Enthusiasm. One of the most common attributes among highly competent instructors is their ability to convey enthusiasm with their voices, eyes, hand gestures and body movements. Some examples include

* varying pitch and loudness when cueing;

* having "animated eyes" and making eye contact with students before, during and after class;

* gesturing frequently with hands and arms;

* having an energetic manner and "working the room" by moving from place to place;

* using descriptive language and "fading out" cues once participants have learned the movement pattern.

Evaluate your teaching style. Do you convey your enthusiasm by doing any of the things listed above? How do your participants respond? How can you tell they perceive your enthusiasm for the activity you're performing?

Modeling. Modeling occurs when people imitate behaviors they observe in others. Obviously then, modeling is at the very heart of group exercise instruction! Your attitude towards the activity you're performing, as well as fitness in general, is influential to your students. Therefore, it is impossible to be effective if you show distaste or lack of interest in any way. In contrast, positive behavior patterns and statements can dramatically increase motivation and motor learning. Consider this example:

"What's the matter with you people? Is this combo too tough for you?" versus "Yes, this is a challenging combination, but think of how we'll feel once we've mastered it!"

Which statement do you think will improve your participants' motivation and ability to learn the combination?

Warmth and empathy. Warmth refers to your ability to demonstrate you care about your participants. It is difficult to be an effective instructor without caring about your participants. Even young children can tell the difference between teachers who appear to care and those who don't. Empathy refers to your ability to understand your participants' perspectives--how they feel, what their points of view may be and where they're coming from. One of the best indicators of caring is giving your time; specifically, making time for your participants before and after class, even if only for five or 10 minutes. Get to know your participants and try to remember past discussions so you can engage them with previously discussed topics. For example, be sure to ask participants who have been on vacation, "So, how was Aruba? It looks like you got some sun."

Other ways of showing you care include addressing participants by name, using nonverbal communication such as a friendly smile, casual touch on the shoulder or occasionally treating your participants to something special, like home-baked cookies or a hand-made ornament during the holiday season.

Warmth, empathy and caring all contribute to how "connected" participants feel with their instructor.

Positive expectations. Believe it or not, your expectations of participants powerfully influence your ability to instruct. Expectations refer to the inferences you make about participants' skills, their ability to perform and adhere to continued participation in group exercise. Having high, positive expectations is a key variable that separates instructors who have devoted followings from those who don't. State your expectations at the beginning of class and reinforce progress as you move through your routine. For example, describe how many combos you're going to teach during your pre-class announcements and then acknowledge your participants accomplishment when they have mastered each combo.

Pre-class: "Today we're going to challenge ourselves with four complex combos. That's a pretty tough goal, but I know we can do it!"

During class: "We got it! That's both combos, one and two, linked together. Great job. Only two more combos to go, so let's get right into combo three."

Bear in mind that being treated differently affects the way your participants feel about themselves. According to psychologists, the expectations you have about people cause you to treat them in ways that make them respond just as you expected they would. Even if it is not your intention, your participants "learn" that they are less capable or worthy if you do not engage or interact with them in class or if those interactions are brief and superficial.

MONITORING

When leading a group exercise class, it is tempting to simply "perform" rather than teach, particularly if you teach facing a mirror instead of teaching "mirror-image." Highly competent instructors can effectively monitor participants' performance for evidence of learning, whether it's by watching participants directly or their images in the mirror. Monitoring refers to the ability to be flexible and responsive to your participants. Alert instructors immediately notice when a participant isn't "getting it" or is becoming inattentive. A sensitive instructor responds to participants' nonverbal behaviors, such as furrowed brows or crinkled eyes--both signs of frustration. Monitoring your class carefully and providing appropriate corrective cues strongly contributes to a positive class atmosphere while simultaneously demonstrating your performance expectations. It also reduces the chance of participant injury.

FEEDBACK

Research in a number of different fields suggests feedback is critical to improving learning. Participants need information about their performance (i.e., performing exercises correctly and safely) if the goal is improvement or exercise adherence (i.e., continued participation in group exercise).

Effective feedback is

* immediate;

* specific;

* informative;

* dependent on performance;

* positive.

I cannot stress the importance of positive emotional tone enough. Feedback perceived as criticism, sarcasm or ridicule destroys motivation and decreases learning (Murphy, Well and McGreal 1986). Safety cues or performance references must be stated positively if you expect your class to improve their skills and continue attending.

To summarize, effective group exercise instruction goes beyond your ability to memorize and deliver a choreographed sequence of movements. Your effectiveness as an instructor is equally, if not more, dependent on your ability to set a positive tone, monitor your class and deliver effective feedback. Implement some of these attitudes and skills. I guarantee your participants will notice and respond positively to the changes in your instructing skills. AF

REFERENCES

Bandura, A. Social Foundations of Thought and Action: A Social Cognitive Theory. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1986.

Eggen, P. and Kauchak, D. Educational Psychology." Classroom Connections, 2nd ed. Columbus: Merrill, 1994.

Eggen, P. and Kauchak, D. Strategies for Teachers'. Teaching Content and Thinking Skills, 3rd ed. Needham Heights: Allyn & Bacon, 1996.

Good, T. "Research on classroom teaching" in the Handbook of Teaching and Policy. Edited by L. Shulman and G. Sykes. New York: Longham, 1983.

Good, T. and Brophy, J. Looking in Classrooms, 6th ed. New York: HarperCollins, 1994.

Murphy, J., Weil, M. and McGreal, T. "The best practice model of instruction." The Elementary School Journal 87 (1986): 83-95.

Robinson, E., Wilson, E. and Robinson, S. "The effects of perceived levels of warmth and empathy on student achievement." Reading Improvement, 18 (1981): 313-8.

Linda Ross has a doctorate in psychology and is currently pursuing a second master's degree in kinesiology from the University of Texas of the Permian Basin. She has over 20 years of group exercise instruction as well as instructor training experience and is certified by AFAA, ACE and Can-Fit-Pro. Ross owns and operates Fit Mind-Body Concepts (www.fitmindbody.com), a consulting firm that develops exercise programs that combine physical and psychological skills training. She is based in the greater Seattle, Washington, area.

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