Teaching processes in elementary physical education classes taught by specialists and nonspecialists

•Specialists provided skill practice, where nonspecialists provided game play.•Nonspecialists provided fewer tasks resulting in fewer practice opportunities.•Students of nonspecialists had approximately one third appropriate trials.•Physical education specialists offered twice as many practice trials.

The purpose of this study was to compare teaching processes in fourth grade elementary physical education classes taught by specialists and nonspecialists (N = 20). Physical education specialists exhibited higher levels of effective teaching behaviors. Differences were found for the total number of practice trials per minute, and for the mean number of appropriate and inappropriate practice trials per minute in classes of specialists and nonspecialists. Relationships also were found between the number of tasks and the number of appropriate practice trials and the total number of practice trials, indicating how teachers structure class influences practice and skill acquisition.