ABSTRACT
Many terms have been used to describe what it is that the coaches actually do. Two terms that are often incorrectly used interchangeably are ‘styles’ and ‘methods’. When Lyle (2002: 156) discusses coaching styles he is referring to ‘the distinctive aggregations of behaviours that characterize coaching practice’ although he does recognize that they are ‘not simply about instructional behaviour’. Others refer to styles as ‘a manner of self-expression peculiar to the individual teacher [read coach]’ (Tinning et al. 1993: 118). Similarly, Siedentop and Tannehill (2000: 281) contend that style ‘refers to the instructional and managerial climate for learning; and is often most easily seen through the teacher’s [read coach’s] interactions’. In this chapter we do not focus on styles, rather we explore coaching methods, which Tinning et al. (1993: 118) call ‘principles in action’, to illustrate some of the practices that coaches could adopt, and examine the consequences of adopting particular methods.
