Incorporation of the Vygotskian Approach into Physical Skills Acquisition

This article concerns the use of symbolic tools by junior school aged athletes in the motor skill's development. The study involved 42 young soccer players (aged 9–10), attending a soccer sport school in Moscow, Russia. Trying to incorporate the Vygotskian approach into practical sports problems’ solution, the authors used specifically designed mini-movies, which were short video clips employing different symbolic tools (schematic representation and metaphor) for mastering specific soccer skills. The results showed that symbolic tools for learning motor skills can be effective in working with young athletes regardless of their age.