Developing Hot Executive Functioning Skills and Autonomous Motivation in Soccer Through a Nonlinear Pedagogical Approach in Secondary Physical Education

The traditional linear skill and drill approach prominent in secondary physical education programs may be leaving some students behind. Critics have argued that this approach fails to meet students’ basic psychological needs, while separating the requisite skills from the game itself. Nonlinear pedagogy is an alternative model to teaching motor skills where the student is placed at the center of the learning environment. By promoting the design principles of nonlinear pedagogy in soccer, teachers can foster learning that leads to a shift toward hot executive functioning skills (i.e., self-management skills in emotional situations) and autonomous motivation.