Coaching Ireland Coaching Children Workshop Series: Child-Centered Coaching: Understanding Child Development & Learning & its Impact on how we Coach - Factsheet 2

COACHING CHILDREN SERIES: WORKSHOP 2 INTRODUCTION This factsheet aims to provide you as the coach with information on child development and to consider your own approach to coaching and coaching skills for the development of child appropriate sport and physical activity programmes. It aims to help you explore your coaching approach and values. Identify the key milestones in human development using the SPEC model (Social, Physical, Emotional, Cognitive). Identify how this development impacts on your coaching practice. Understand basic learning theories and learn how to apply them to your practice, and identify key coaching skills that will allow you and each child to enjoy and get the most from your sessions. We know that sport and physical activity, when delivered appropriately, can have a positive impact on children's physical, personal and social development. However, we have to strive to create the right conditions to enable this positive development to happen.