The use of TAGteach triangle leads the teacher to focus their attention on just one particular of practice allowing their students to improve effectively. We all know that. But that’s is not just a TAGteach feature Working, building one component skill is pivotal for building fluency.

In a study conducted in 1993, Ericsson examined a group of violinists. In the group were included both professional players and simple amateurs. The researchers have pointed out that for the same time dedicated to the music during the week (approximately 50 hours), the more experienced violinists: “were found to spend more time per week on activities that that had been specifically designed to improve performance“. These are the same words Theresa used to describe the training of her gymnasts. We have top work hard on specific features of our areas. There are no shortcuts for achieving true Mastery!

Furthermore, in 2006 paper Ericsson writes: “Research on deliberate practice in music and sports shows that continued attempts for mastery require that the performer always try, by stretching performance beyond its current capabilities, to correct some specific weakness while preserving other successful aspects of function. This type of deliberate practice requires full attention and concentration, but even with that extreme effort, some kind of failure is likely to arise, and gradual improvements with corrections and repetitions are necessary. With increased skill in monitoring, skilled performers in music focus on mastering new challenges by goal-directed deliberate practice involving problem solving and specialized training techniques.”

The TAGteach is exactly that: to gradually increase the skills of the students through goal oriented practice enhanced by the use of Focus Funnel and the tag point. If failure happens it is simply a good feedback for the teacher and a chance for getting a new tag point for the learner. Quoting Binder once again: “Fluency based approach merely acknowledges and provides a systematic methodology for practice Implementing effective strategies“.