Making a good start: differential impacts of teaching methods for promoting motor performance and understanding among 6–7-year-old children in Kuwait

A good start and early success with motor skills are important features of primary education when promoting lifelong physical activity. Notably, however, empirical guidance on optimal teaching methods is limited, especially regarding gender differences. To address this, we compared early success across several teaching methods based on different skill acquisition approaches. Five groups of 14 Kuwaiti children (N = 70) practiced a bowling task under different teaching conditions, namely: Solo, Social learning, Demonstration, Questioning, and Verbal instruction. Performance outcome scores, questioning, and teacher observation were used to evaluate conditions' impact on participants’ immediate performance and understanding. ANOVA revealed significant effects for teaching method on outcome scores. Post-hoc analyses found verbal instruction yielded significantly better outcomes than solo and social learning methods. Analyses of near misses found significant differences for gender, with males outperforming females. Assessment of participants’ understanding revealed a higher level for males and those receiving verbal instruction compared with solo and social practice. Different teaching methods generate different practice outcomes and understanding levels in children. Offering more direct guidance can support desirable early developmental success.