Description
Physical education vocational teachers instruct students in their specialised field of study, physical education, which is predominantly practical in nature. They provide theoretical instruction in service of the practical skills and techniques the students must subsequently master for a physical education-related profession, such as health specialist or outdoor activities organiser. They induce students in the convenient social frameworks of their field of study and teach the appropriate attitudes and values. Physical education vocational teachers monitor the students’ progress, assist individually when necessary, and evaluate their knowledge and performance on the subject of physical education through assignments, tests and examinations.
Other titles
The following job titles also refer to physical education vocational teacher:
vocational PE teacher
teacher of vocational physical education
vocational teacher in physical education
vocational teacher of physical education
vocational instructor in physical education
instructor in physical education
vocational PE instructor
vocational teacher of PE
Minimum qualifications
Associate’s degree is generally required to work as physical education vocational teacher. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.
ISCO skill level
ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:
- the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
- the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
- the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.
Physical education vocational teacher is a Skill level 4 occupation.
Physical education vocational teacher career path
Similar occupations
These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to physical education vocational teacher.
hospitality vocational teacher
physical education teacher secondary school
business administration vocational teacher
hairdressing vocational teacher
medical laboratory technology vocational teacher
Long term prospects
These occupations require some skills and knowledge of physical education vocational teacher. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of physical education vocational teacher with a significant experience and/or extensive training.
Essential knowledge and skills
Essential knowledge
This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of physical education vocational teacher.
Assessment processes: Various evaluation techniques, theories, and tools applicable in the assessment of students, participants in a programme, and employees. Different assessment strategies such as initial, formative, summative and self- assessment are used for varying purposes.
Sporting equipment usage: Have knowledge of the correct operation and maintenance of sporting equipment.
Learning difficulties: The learning disorders some students face in an academic context, especially Specific Learning Difficulties such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, and concentration deficit disorders.
Sports competition information: The information regarding latest results, competitions and events in the sporting industry.
Teamwork principles: The cooperation between people characterised by a unified commitment to achieving a given goal, participating equally, maintaining open communication, facilitating effective usage of ideas etc.
Sport games rules: The rules and regulations of sport games such as football, soccer, tennis, and others.
Curriculum objectives: The goals identified in curricula and defined learning outcomes.
Essential skills and competences
These skills are necessary for the role of physical education vocational teacher.
Guarantee students’ safety: Ensure all students falling under an instructor or other person’s supervision are safe and accounted for. Follow safety precautions in the learning situation.
Assign homework: Provide additional exercises and assignments that the students will prepare at home, explain them in a clear way, and determine the deadline and evaluation method.
Personalise sports programme: Observe and evaluate individual performance and determine personal needs and motivation to tailor programmes accordingly and in conjunction with the participant
Prepare lesson content: Prepare content to be taught in class in accordance with curriculum objectives by drafting exercises, researching up-to-date examples etc.
Facilitate teamwork between students: Encourage students to cooperate with others in their learning by working in teams, for example through group activities.
Observe student’s progress: Follow up on students’ learning progress and assess their achievements and needs.
Manage student relationships: Manage the relations between students and between student and teacher. Act as a just authority and create an environment of trust and stability.
Apply teaching strategies: Employ various approaches, learning styles, and channels to instruct students, such as communicating content in terms they can understand, organising talking points for clarity, and repeating arguments when necessary. Use a wide range of teaching devices and methodologies appropriate to the class content, the learners’ level, goals, and priorities.
Maintain students’ discipline: Make sure students follow the rules and code of behaviour established in the school and take the appropriate measures in case of violation or misbehaviour.
Assess students: Evaluate the students’ (academic) progress, achievements, course knowledge and skills through assignments, tests, and examinations. Diagnose their needs and track their progress, strengths, and weaknesses. Formulate a summative statement of the goals the student achieved.
Assist students with equipment: Provide assistance to students when working with (technical) equipment used in practice-based lessons and solve operational problems when necessary.
Adapt instruction to labour market: Identify developments in the labour market and recognise their relevance to the training of students.
Give constructive feedback: Provide founded feedback through both criticism and praise in a respectful, clear, and consistent manner. Highlight achievements as well as mistakes and set up methods of formative assessment to evaluate work.
Assist students in their learning: Support and coach students in their work, give learners practical support and encouragement.
Instruct in sport: Provide appropriate technical and tactical instruction related to the given sport using varied and sound pedagogical approaches to meet the needs of the participants and achieve the desired objectives. This requires skills such as communication, explanation, demonstration, modelling, feedback, questioning and correction.
Apply intercultural teaching strategies: Ensure that the content, methods, materials and the general learning experience is inclusive for all students and takes into account the expectations and experiences of learners from diverse cultural backgrounds. Explore individual and social stereotypes and develop cross-cultural teaching strategies.
Work in vocational school: Work in a vocational school that instructs students in practical courses.
Motivate in sports: Positively foster athletes and participants’ intrinsic desire to carry out the required tasks to fulfill their goals and to push themselves beyond their current levels of skill and understanding.
Develop course outline: Research and establish an outline of the course to be taught and calculate a time frame for the instructional plan in accordance with school regulations and curriculum objectives.
Optional knowledge and skills
Optional knowledge
This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of physical education vocational teacher. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.
Sport and exercise medicine: Prevention and treatement of injuries or conditions resulted from a physical activity or sport.
Biomechanics of sport performance: Have theoretical and experiential awareness of how the body works, biomechanical aspects of sport practice, typical movements, and terminology of technical movements to be able to process input from your artistic discipline.
Children’s physical development: Recognise and describe the development, observing the following criteria: weight, length, and head size, nutritional requirements, renal function, hormonal influences on development, response to stress, and infection.
Sports nutrition: Nutritional information such as vitamins and energy pills related to a specific sporting activity.
Disability types: The nature and types of disabilities affecting the human beings such as physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional or developmental and the specific needs and access requirements of disabled people.
Sport history: The background history of players and athletes and the history of sport events and games.
Human anatomy: The dynamic relationship of human structure and function and the muscosceletal, cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, endocrine, urinary, reproductive, integumentary and nervous systems; normal and altered anatomy and physiology throughout the human lifespan.
Sporting events: Possess an understanding of different sporting events and conditions that can affect a result.
Features of sporting equipment: Types of sporting, fitness and recreational equipment and sporting supplies and their characteristics.
Optional skills and competences
These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of physical education vocational teacher. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.
Identify talent in sport: Identify talents and involve them in a particular sport.
Apply latest sport science findings: Identify and apply the latest findings of sport science in the area.
Develop competitive strategies in sport: Create adequate competitive strategies to maximise chances of success in sport.
Work with different target groups: Work with a variety of target groups based on age, gender and disability.
Manage resources for educational purposes: Identify the necessary resources needed for learning purposes, such as materials in class or arranged transportation for a field trip. Apply for the corresponding budget and follow up on the orders.
Promote balance between rest and activity: Provide information about the role of rest and regeneration in the development of sport performance. Foster rest and regeneration by providing appropriate ratios of training, competition and rest.
Apply risk management in sports: Manage the environment and athletes or participants to minimise their chances of suffering any harm. This includes checking appropriateness of venue and equipment and gathering relevant sport and health history from athletes or participants. It also includes ensuring appropriate insurance cover is in place at all times
Follow trends in sporting equipment: Follow material developments and trends within a specific sport. Keep up-to-date about athletes, gear and equipment manufacturers.
Support athletes with the maintenance of their condition: Instruct and support athletes within the context of their general and sport-specific condition and fitness.
Work with virtual learning environments: Incorporate the use of online learning environments and platforms into the process of instruction.
Perform classroom management: Maintain discipline and engage students during instruction.
Provide lesson materials: Ensure that the necessary materials for teaching a class, such as visual aids, are prepared, up-to-date, and present in the instruction space.
Support the development of sport activities in education: Support sport and physical activity in an education context. Analyse the educational community in which the sport organisation will be working, establish effective working relationships with key stakeholders in that community and enable the educational community, through professional advice and expertise, to establish and sustain opportunities for participation and progression for children and young people.
Assess sportive performance: Assess performance following sports and athletic competition, identifying strengths and weaknesses and making adjustments to improve future performance.
ISCO group and title
2320 – Vocational education teachers
References