Issues Common to All Teaching Styles

Abstract

The Spectrum of Teaching Styles is a conceptual framework that has remained for 50 years a guiding tool in teaching and research in physical education. According to Mosston and Ashworth (2008), the Spectrum consists of a continuum of 11 landmark styles, each of which emerges as decisions shift between teacher and learner. This paper examines a variety of implementation and miscellaneous issues that are common to all Spectrum teaching–learning styles. Although each individual teaching behavior is unique in its objectives and implications, there are certain concepts, issues, and characteristics that apply to all teaching behaviors. Special emphasis is given to the implementation of Spectrum theory, to the concept of episodic teaching and how it can be incorporated into lesson planning as well as to the issue of consistency in the use of pedagogical terminology.