Quick Ways To Communicate In P.E. lessons? | Whistle Commands

We all know teachers who have lost their voice during their career, especially the HPE teachers. Generally having to project our voices so they can reach students on all ends of the field, court or playing areas.

One standard and highly recommended accessory for every HPE teacher is a good-quality whistle! In this article, we will discuss alternative ways to communicate in your P.E lesson, that is both efficient and effective in preserving your voice.

What does Whistle Language mean?

What I interpret to be whistle language is commands and instructions assigned to whistle blows or sounds.

Whilst I have been using a whilst in this way for years, the term ‘Whilst Language’ was one I heard only recently. I was fortunate enough to attend professional development sessions with the unbelievably engaging and insightful Kevin Grima (Technical Director of the Liverpool Academy, Australia). He briefly discussed some activities among many other things and during this presentation, he used the term ‘Whilst Language’. What a great way to describe whistle commands in physical activity lessons.

Creating Routines and Structures

In my ‘3 Tips for Teaching JP’ HPE article, I discuss the importance of routines and structures. This is not just important for Junior Primary students but all students from foundation years to senior years. Of course, the structures will be different and, in a sense, less as students get older but regardless they will need to be present. I will if I need to, spend many weeks ensuring that these structures are in place before undertaking many units of work. In my experience, trying to grind through physical education lessons that are not structured and have no firm boundaries will not only create a negative experience for both student and teacher but also eventually make these lessons ineffective.

One way I create these routines is through whistle language. Here is what my students practice at the start of each year and this is reinforced through the year.

1 Whistle: Give me your attention stop what you’re doing, freeze where you are. This is great for in-game instruction or reminders which allows you t support your learners without stopping the gameplay fully.
2 Whistles: Stop what your doing bring it in. This is when we stop the game play and give students an opportunity to come together and unpack our learning also an opportunity for toilet and drink breaks.
3-4 Whistles: Stop and put away any equipment you are using. I use this a lot for our warm up activities. In a majority of my lessons I allow students to warm up in a self-directed way. Allowing them to use the equipment available to be active with anyone of their choosing. When the whistle blows, they have to return the equipment straight away or place it in its original place prior to joining the group to get ready for some teaching instruction. If students arent able to do this in a timely manor they aren’t able to warm up in this way in the next lesson. Seeing their peers rush around to put equipment back encourages them to do the same and it turns into a bit of competitive fun. Ensuring that equipment is ready for the lesson and allows you to keep a clean teaching space.

These are some simple ways I use my whistle language. You can create a different language for different year levels or assign different meanings to different sounds that better suit your student’s learning needs. I have been using this for years and it works extremely well now and its just a much easier way for me to communicate mundane instructions to students in a much more effective way.

Simple, Yet Effective!

Why does this deserve an article? Well sometimes it’s the little things that we take for granted that are the things we don’t discuss. I find it’s the little tips and tricks such as the ‘Whistle Language’ that can have an instant impact on the effectiveness of your explicit instructions in your lessons and also provide some structure for your students in a non conventional way. Simple instructions are the best for many reasons and if you can provide this structure without the use or verbal direction this makes it better for both staff and students.

What is your whistle language?

What does the evidence say about whistles in education?

**Clear and Immediate Attention-Grabbing: **Whistles are highly effective at quickly gaining students’ attention due to their sharp and distinct sound, which stands out against background noise. This is particularly important in P.E. settings where activities can be loud and students are spread out over a large area. Research Support: Studies in classroom management and auditory cues indicate that loud, unique sounds such as whistles can immediately capture students’ attention and signal them to stop what they are doing and listen (AITSL)
Efficient Transition Management: Whistles help manage transitions between activities efficiently. The ability to quickly gather students together or signal the end of an activity can save valuable class time and keep lessons on schedule (National Centre for research and statistics). Research Support: Educational strategies highlight the importance of effective transition management to maximise active learning time. Whistles serve as a non-verbal cue that can quickly signal transitions, reducing downtime and maintaining the flow of the lesson (AITSL).
**Consistency and Reliability: **Whistles provide a consistent and reliable means of communication that students can easily recognise and respond to. This consistency helps establish a routine and clear expectations for behaviour during P.E. lessons. Research Support: Consistency in signals and commands is a key component of effective classroom management. When students understand what a whistle blow signifies, they are more likely to respond appropriately and promptly (240 Tutoring).