Basketball Skills Focus

Overview

This 45-minute session is designed for 10 Year 10 students and will develop foundational basketball skills: passing and dribbling, with a strong emphasis on inclusivity and adaptation for students with Special Educational Needs (SEN). The lesson aligns with the National Curriculum for Physical Education (England (2014)) focusing on developing competence, creativity, and tactical understanding in games.

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National Curriculum Links

• Key Stage 4 (Years 9-11) PE Programme of Study, Games:
  • Develop and apply a range of tactical approaches and skills in competitive and adapted games.
  • Use and develop a range of techniques and skills in increasing challenging situations.
  • Recognise and evaluate strengths and weaknesses in performance and suggest ways to improve.
  • Develop communication, leadership, and teamwork skills.
• SEN Framework:
  • Provide physical education opportunities that are accessible and adaptable to different needs ensuring all pupils are included in active participation and feel successful.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate effective passing techniques, including chest pass and bounce pass, with control and accuracy.
2. Show controlled dribbling with the dominant and non-dominant hand through static and dynamic drills.
3. Apply passing and dribbling skills within modified small-sided games adapted for all abilities, including SEN pupils.
4. Reflect on personal skill development and identify one area of improvement.

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Equipment

• Size 5 basketballs (or softer, lightweight versions if required)
• Cones for dribbling lanes and boundaries
• Adapted equipment for SEN (e.g., larger or textured balls, lowered hoops if applicable)
• Bibs/pinnies

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Lesson Structure

1. Warm-up (7 minutes)

• Activity: Dynamic warm-up incorporating basketball-specific movements.
  • Jogging with high knees, heel flicks, lateral shuffles around cones.
  • Dribble walk: Students dribble a basketball slowly while moving around the court to tune hand-eye coordination.
• Adaptation: Provide larger balls and slower pace for SEN students; visual aids for movement sequences.

2. Skill Introduction & Practice: Passing (10 minutes)

• Explaining Skills:
  • Demonstrate chest pass and bounce pass technique with key cues: wrists flick, step forward, follow-through.
• Partner Passing Drill:
  • Students pair up 3m apart; practising chest and bounce passes.
  • Focus on accuracy and control, alternating roles of passer and receiver.
• Adaptation:
  • Use larger or softer balls for SEN students to increase grip and control.
  • Reduce distance between partners or allow catching with two hands first.

3. Skill Introduction & Practice: Dribbling (10 minutes)

• Explaining Skills:
  • Show basic dribbling technique focusing on finger pads, waist height dribble, and heads-up awareness.
• Dribbling Circuit:
  • Set up cones spaced 1.5m apart for students to dribble through using dominant hand, switch to non-dominant hand halfway.
  • Include ‘stop and go’ cues to practise control changing speed.
• Adaptation:
  • Allow walking pace dribble for SEN students with visual markers and one-on-one support.
  • Use tactile balls to improve grip awareness if needed.

4. Small-Sided Game with Adaptations (15 minutes)

• Game: "Pass & Dribble Challenge" (5v5 adapted game, or 4v4 + 1 float to manage SEN needs)
  • Objective: Emphasise passing and dribbling to move the ball and score in small goals/hoops.
  • Rules:
    • Players must complete 3 consecutive passes before shooting.
    • Encourage communication, movement off the ball.
• Adaptations:
  • Flexible team sizes or mixed ability pairs.
  • Use reduced court size to lower physical demand.
  • Introduce visual prompts (coloured zones indicating where to pass/dribble).
  • Allow assisted passes for SEN pupils where a teacher or peer helps catch and return the ball.

5. Cool-Down & Reflection (3 minutes)

• Gentle jogging slowing to walking, followed by light stretching.
• Circle discussion:
  • “What passing or dribbling skill did you improve today?”
  • “What could help you get even better?” (Encourage peer and self-feedback.)

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Assessment & Feedback

• Ongoing formative assessment: Teacher observes passing accuracy, dribbling control, and participation, giving immediate positive and corrective feedback.
• Peer assessment: During the small-sided game, students encourage each other and reinforce teamwork skills.
• Self-assessment: Students reflect verbally during cool-down.
• Specific SEN inclusion: Monitor engagement and adapt on-the-fly to ensure success for all students.

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Differentiation & Inclusion Strategy

• Use multisensory instructions (visual, auditory, kinaesthetic).
• Adapt equipment and environment to different physical and cognitive abilities.
• Employ peer mentoring where students support each other’s learning.
• Modify rules to reduce pressure but maintain challenge and enjoyment.

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Extension/Homework Suggestion

• Challenge students to practise passing and dribbling drills at home or during break times, using household items if no basketball is available, reinforcing kinaesthetic learning.
• Keep a simple skill diary to track progress and personal goals.

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This lesson plan fosters not only physical competence in basketball passing and dribbling but also supports the social and emotional development of Year 10 students, adhering strictly to the National Curriculum's emphasis on inclusivity, progression, and tactical understanding.