Which approach is preferred when teaching a new skill?

The preferred approach when teaching a new skill is the whole method because it emphasizes teaching the skill as a complete action from the beginning. This approach allows students to gain an understanding of the skill in context, which enhances their ability to see how different components fit together and interact within the skill.

Teaching the whole skill helps learners recognize the goal and the flow of the movements involved, fostering a better mental representation of what they are trying to achieve. This can lead to more effective practice as students are not merely focusing on isolated components, but rather on the overall execution of the skill.

In many cases, starting with the whole skill can also build confidence and motivation in learners, as they can experience successful performance sooner. Furthermore, it allows for a more organic development of the skill, enabling students to develop a stronger sense of timing and rhythm.

While other methods like the part method focus on breaking down the skill into smaller sections for instruction, this can sometimes result in learners struggling to see how these parts integrate into the whole. The fractional method and random method also serve specific purposes in certain contexts but do not typically provide the same level of holistic understanding and application when first learning a new skill.