Praxis PE 5091 key terms

The domain covering motor, cognitive, social, and emotional development of learners and the physical education subject matter teachers must know to plan appropriate experiences.

The progressive, age-related change in a person's ability to move and control the body, moving from reflexive and rudimentary movements toward specialized sport skills.

Basic movement patterns such as running, hopping, skipping, throwing, catching, kicking, and striking that form the foundation for later, more complex sport-specific skills.

Movement patterns that transport the body from one place to another, including walking, running, jumping, hopping, skipping, galloping, sliding, and leaping.

Movement patterns performed in place without traveling, such as bending, twisting, turning, stretching, swinging, pushing, pulling, and balancing.

Motor patterns that involve sending, receiving, or traveling with an object, such as throwing, catching, kicking, dribbling, striking, and volleying.

The relatively permanent change in a person's capability to perform a motor skill resulting from practice or experience, distinguished from temporary performance fluctuations.

Matching instruction, equipment, and expectations to a learner's current physical, cognitive, and social maturity so tasks are challenging but achievable.

The motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge, and understanding needed to value and take responsibility for lifelong engagement in physical activity.

The components of fitness associated with good health: cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and body composition.

The fitness components that support athletic performance: agility, balance, coordination, power, reaction time, and speed.

A framework for designing exercise programs that specifies Frequency, Intensity, Time, and Type of activity to meet fitness goals safely and effectively.

The principle that fitness improves when the body is gradually subjected to greater demands than it is accustomed to, applied through increased frequency, intensity, time, or difficulty.

The study of mechanical principles, such as force, leverage, and balance, that govern human movement and can be used to improve technique and reduce injury risk.

Systematically observing and breaking down a movement into its key components so a teacher can diagnose errors and give targeted corrective feedback.

The strategies a teacher uses to organize space, time, equipment, and student behavior so that instruction proceeds safely and with maximum time on task.

Established, predictable ways of handling recurring tasks such as entering the gym, forming groups, retrieving equipment, and transitioning, which reduce lost instructional time.

The movement from one activity, location, or task to another; efficient transitions are brief, clearly signaled, and practiced to maximize engaged learning time.

Continuously moving through and scanning the instructional space while positioned so all students are visible, allowing prompt correction and reinforcement of behavior.

A low-key management technique in which the teacher moves physically closer to a student or group to redirect off-task behavior without interrupting the lesson.

A proactive approach that teaches and reinforces expected behaviors, uses clear expectations, and structures the environment to prevent misbehavior rather than only reacting to it.

The internal or external forces that energize, direct, and sustain a student's effort and persistence in physical activity and learning tasks.

Engagement in an activity for its own inherent satisfaction, enjoyment, or challenge rather than for external rewards or to avoid punishment.

A learner's belief in their own capability to succeed at a specific task, which strongly influences effort, persistence, and choice of challenging activities.

Information given to a learner about their performance; in physical education it may be descriptive or prescriptive and should be specific, timely, and focused on correctable elements.

The exchange of information through verbal, nonverbal, and visual channels; effective teaching uses clear cues, demonstrations, and checks for understanding.

A visual instructional technique in which the teacher or a student models a skill so learners can form a correct mental picture of the movement.

Deliberately adapting content, process, equipment, or environment to varied readiness, interests, and learning needs so all students can participate successfully.

Designing instruction so students with disabilities or diverse needs learn alongside peers with appropriate modifications, supports, and equitable access to activities.

Individually designed physical education programming, including modified equipment, rules, or tasks, that meets the needs of students with disabilities.

The process of setting objectives, selecting activities, sequencing instruction, and planning assessment so that each class has clear purpose and coherent structure.

A specific, measurable statement of what students should know or be able to do by the end of a lesson or unit, typically naming an observable performance and condition.

A curriculum plan that specifies what content is taught (scope) and the order in which it is taught across grade levels (sequence).

Ongoing checks during instruction, such as observation, questioning, or peer feedback, used to adjust teaching and guide student learning before final evaluation.

Evaluation conducted at the end of a unit or term to judge student achievement against standards, often through skill tests, written exams, or fitness measures.

A scoring guide that lists criteria and describes levels of performance quality, making evaluation of skills or projects more consistent and transparent to students.

Organizing instruction so students spend the greatest possible proportion of class time actively engaged in meaningful physical activity rather than waiting or listening.

A teacher's systematic examination of their own instruction and student outcomes to identify strengths and plan improvements over time.

Ongoing learning activities, such as workshops, conferences, coursework, and collaboration, that deepen a teacher's knowledge and improve instructional practice.

Working jointly with colleagues, families, and community partners to plan instruction, share resources, and support student learning and well-being.

Purposefully using tools such as video, apps, wearables, and learning management systems to enhance instruction, feedback, and assessment of physical activity.