Sport

Newsletter Editor: Jennifer Brown

Welcome to your first BTEC in a Box newsletter

Inside you’ll find helpful information for you and your students written by experienced BTEC
teachers.

The newsletter is our way of keeping you up-to-date with the latest information on everything
BTEC, including resources and forthcoming specifications. We would also like your feedback on
your BTEC in a Box to ensure that these resources are exactly what you need. Please let us know
what you think by mailing: sportbox2@edexcel.org.uk

We hope you’ve had time to explore the first unit included in the box and looked at the additional
materials on the CD and DVD.

You will have noticed that one side of the box is empty. Why? Well, the BTEC in a Box is
designed to be personalised. It allows you to put your own teaching materials into the box so
you've got all your resources in one place. We've given you the space to make it your own!

It's a great place to keep:

• your BTEC specification
• training notes from a BTEC event
• your text book
• lesson plans
• any other item you'd like to put in there.

Your next instalment of units will be with you shortly. As you know, it takes time to write such
high quality materials, and they’re also all reviewed by BTEC subject experts to make sure we’re
providing you with the best assessment materials for your course.

Happy reading from the BTEC in a Box team!

What’s in this newsletter?

Getting to grips with the grading criteria Page 2
Textbook review Page 4
Links with sports providers Page 4
Useful web pages Page 4
Multimedia resources Page 5
What’s on/day trips Page 5
Questions and answers Page 6
Body in action worksheet Page 7

© Edexcel 2006 BTEC in a Box BTEC First Sport page 1 of 7

 Getting to grips with the grading criteria
This exercise is designed to help learners understand the verbs used in the grading
criteria.

Learner activity (60–90 mins)

1. Choose a unit. Photocopy the grading criteria for that unit, one for each
learner. Cut the grading criteria out (ensure that the specific grading criteria
part has been removed, e.g. P1, P2, etc.).
2. Give each learner the cut out parts of the whole of the grading criteria for that
unit.
3. Ask the learners to place each grading criteria into either the Pass, Merit or
Distinction category.
4. Compare class results.
5. Using an OHP, compare learners’ results to the actual grading criteria grid.
6. Using the ‘Getting to grips with grading criteria’ hand out, ask learners to write
a few sentences to explain what they think they will need to do in order to
attain each of the grading criteria.

© Edexcel 2006 BTEC in a Box BTEC First Sport page 2 of 7

 Getting to grips with the grading criteria

Verb Explanation of what you need to do

Analyse Explore the main ideas of the subject. Explain the importance
of each idea and how they are related.
Assess Give your judgement on the importance of something.
Compare/contrast Explain the similarities between the areas of interest and the
differences between the two.
Conclude After having written about a topic, give a reasoned judgement
stating what your overall opinion is.
Critically analyse Give your opinion of the subject of interest – consider all of the
evidence and then write about both the advantages and
disadvantages.
Demonstrate Give a number of related examples or details from a variety of
sources to support the argument you are making. In a practical
situation, this means that you must practically carry out the
activity/skill whilst being observed.
Describe Give a detailed account of something.
Discuss Examine the advantages and disadvantages of the subject of
interest and then try to complete the discussion with a
conclusion.
Distinguish Explain the differences.
Evaluate Give evidence to support the good and bad points of the topic
and then give your opinion based upon the evidence.
Examine Inspect something closely.
Explain Give a detailed account to give the meaning of something with
reasons. Include the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of the topic of interest.
Identify Point out (choose the right one), give a list of the main
features, or prove something as being certain.
Illustrate This usually means that you should draw, or use images, to
help answer the question.
Interpret Explain the meaning of something by giving examples, diagrams
and/or opinions.
Justify Give supported reasons for your view to explain how you have
arrived at these conclusions.
List A record that includes an item-by-item account of relevant
information.
Outline A brief description of something that really only concentrates
on the main topic or item.

© Edexcel 2006 BTEC in a Box BTEC First Sport page 3 of 7

 Textbook review
There are a range of books available for the BTEC First in Sport. One of the two books
endorsed by Edexcel is the BTEC First Sport published by Hodder Arnold.

BTEC First Sport – Hodder Arnold, Stafford-Brown, Rea, Janaway

and Manley – ISBN 978-034-0-92604-8, cost: £18.99

This textbook covers every unit on all of the three pathways. It is a colour textbook and
presented in a very user-friendly way. There are lots of photographs, drawings and
diagrams. Definition boxes and key learning points help the learners to understand the
content of each chapter. Lots of learner activities are included which give practical
and theoretical tasks for learners to do whilst in class and to generate data for
assignments. Each chapter closes with a set of review questions to help determine how
much of the chapter has been understood.
This book is accompanied by an Edexcel endorsed Teacher’s/Tutor’s CD-ROM, cost:
£70. Together with answers to the learner activities and review questions from the
textbook, the CD-ROM includes sample assignments for all grading criteria of every
unit, worksheets and hand outs.

Links with sports providers

When setting up a BTEC First in Sport course it is always a good idea to forge links with
sports providers in your local community. Try contacting local leisure centres, gyms,
fitness centres and sports clubs to make them aware that you a running the BTEC First
in Sport. You could then ask them if they would be willing to
ƒ come and speak to your learners about work opportunities in their centres
ƒ take learners on for work experience.
You should also make contact with your local council; their leisure and sports
departments can be useful sources of information.

Useful web pages

www.sportengland.co.uk – not only does it provide useful information but you can
request speakers to come and visit and deliver a presentation or talk to your learners.
www.nln.co.uk – National Learning Network. This site contains useful resources and
activities
www.skillsactive.com – centres can register for regular newsletters from this industry
lead body
www.bbc.co.uk/health – issues surrounding health, fitness, etc.

© Edexcel 2006 BTEC in a Box BTEC First Sport page 4 of 7

 Multimedia resources
Google PowerPoint presentations
Google will search for relevant PowerPoint presentations which you may find useful for
your lessons/lectures. In the Google search box, type in ‘ppt’ followed by the topic of
interest, e.g. ‘ppt anatomy’. This will then bring up a series of PowerPoint
presentations that you can look through and select accordingly.

Video clips
If you click on ‘more’ above the Google search bar it will bring up a page of services.
Click on the video icon. You can then search for relevant video clips. This may be
useful for watching sports players in action.

What’s on/day trips

Taking learners on day trips will help to motivate them and help to reinforce classroom
teaching.

National sports centres

Each centre provides elite athletes with a range of specialist facilities (equipment,
expertise and residential accommodation suitable for training and competition). These
centres will often permit visits and guided tours:
Lilleshall – Newport, Shropshire
Bisham Abbey – Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Home Pierrepont – Nottingham
Crystal Palace – London
Plas y Brenin – North Wales

Museums

Earls Court: Bodies Exhibition

This exhibition uses preserved, dissected, real human bodies to show what the human
body looks like on the inside. They are positioned in various poses including sporting
positions.
Opening April 2007

© Edexcel 2006 BTEC in a Box BTEC First Sport page 5 of 7

 Questions and answers
Why and when do I need to register my learners?
You must register all learners enrolled onto your BTEC First (Diploma, Certificate or
Award) with Edexcel by 1 November 2006. This information will then allow Edexcel to
provide Student Report Forms (SRFs) for each learner, allocate an External Verifier (EV)
to your course, and ensure that all eligible learners will receive their certificates on
completion of the course. If you have not registered your learners with Edexcel, we
will not be able to put all these processes in place, which may then result in a delay in
learners receiving certification. This delay may affect the progress of learners who
wish to go onto further study or who wish to pursue a career in the sports industry.

What is an SRF?
An SRF is a Student Report Form. At the completion of the course, centres must fill in
these forms for each learner and send them to Edexcel no later than 5 July 2007, so
that learners can be issued a certificate for the completion of the course.
Alternatively, learner results may be reported through Edexcel online instead.

What is the role of an External Verifier?

Once you have registered your learners with Edexcel, you will be allocated an External
Verifier (EV). If you registered your learners on time, your EV should make contact with
you between November and December 2006. Their role is to carry out National
Standards Sampling (NSS). This process is carried out to ensure you are assessing
learners accurately and providing fit-for-purpose assessment tools. This year, an EV will
request to see a sample of the work that your teachers/tutors have assessed at the
stated levels, assignment brief(s) and your internal verification documentation that
goes with that sample. They will arrange a convenient date within the NSS window for
you to send photocopied work to them. The exact quantity of work will be determined
by the course that is to be assessed; your EV will give you more details of this when
they contact you. Most samples will be requested during January and March 2007.

My centre is running the BTEC First in Sport for the first time
and we could really do with some help.
There is a range of textbooks and teacher/tutor support material that you can buy,
some of which have been reviewed in this letter. If you look on the Edexcel website
and find the page with your course specifications, there is also a wide range of
teacher/tutor support material there – this includes, schemes of work and sample
assignments (all free of charge). There will also be a free study guide for each learner
arriving at your centre shortly. This student handbook consists of an introduction to
BTEC Firsts, marked assignments, activities and case studies. Edexcel also run a variety
of training courses (see the website for dates and details) which you and your staff may
pay to go on. Alternatively, you may contact Edexcel and pay for a trainer to come to
your centre and deliver the training requirements you need.

© Edexcel 2006 BTEC in a Box BTEC First Sport page 6 of 7

 Body in Action Worksheet
Muscles and Muscle Movement

Triceps Biceps Quadriceps Hamstrings Deltoids

Gluteus Abdominals Erector Tibialis Gastrocnemius
maximus Spinae Anterior

Choose one muscle group from the table to answer each of the
questions below. Each word can only be used once.
This muscle flexes the spine. __________________
This muscle extends the elbow. __________________
This muscle extends the hip. __________________
This muscle flexes the knee. __________________
This muscle plantar flexes the ankle. __________________
This muscle abducts the shoulder. __________________
This muscle extends the spine. __________________
This muscle flexes the elbow. __________________
This is muscle dorsiflexes the ankle. __________________
This muscle extends the knee. __________________

All of these muscles work in pairs called ‘antagonistic pairs’; one flexes
the joint and the other extends the joint.

Copy out the table below, then place the following muscles into
their antagonistic pairs and name the joint at which they work.

Muscle Muscle Joint

Biceps Hamstrings Ankle
Quadriceps Abdominals Elbow
Tibialis Anterior Quadriceps Spine
Erector Spinae Triceps Knee

© Edexcel 2006 BTEC in a Box BTEC First Sport page 7 of 7