Effects of different teaching styles on the teacher behaviours that influence motivational climate and pupils' motivation in physical education

This study investigated the effects of different teaching styles on the teaching behaviours that influence motivational climate and pupils' cognitive and affective responses in physical education. Four (two male, two female) initial teacher education (ITE) students and 92 pupils (47 boys, 45 girls), from two schools in the UK, participated in the study. The student teachers were filmed teaching three lessons each, adopting a different teaching style for each. The teaching styles (command/practice, reciprocal and guided discovery) were selected from Mosston and Ashworth's (2002) spectrum. The teaching behaviours were measured using a computer-coding system devised for Ames's guidelines on how to create a mastery climate. Focus groups were conducted to examine the pupils' cognitive and affective responses. Results revealed that the reciprocal and guided discovery styles resulted in more mastery and less performance-focused teaching behaviours and more adaptive cognitive and affective responses than the command/practice style.