Mentoring and Coaching of Future Physical Education Teachers and Sports Specialists in the Context of Neuropedagogy

This article demonstrates that mentoring and coaching serve as methods of targeted counselling for mentors in training future physical education teachers and sports specialists. These methods, which support young teachers, can help address the complex challenges that frequently arise in the teaching profession while recognising the student as an individual with specific needs. In school practice, however, the terms “mentoring” and “coaching” are often used interchangeably in the context of supporting and counselling young professionals. While these terms share similarities, they also have distinct differences. As part of a joint project, mentoring and coaching are considered counselling strategies used by mentors in the training of future physical education teachers and sports specialists. This article provides a theoretical foundation for both concepts, grounded in a review of current literature. It aims to scientifically explain the similarities and differences between the terms “mentoring” and “coaching” in the training of future physical education teachers and sports specialists. From a neuropedagogical perspective, learning emerges from the interaction of cognitive, emotional, and motor neural systems. This interaction is particularly important for future physical education teachers and sports specialists, whose professional activity combines intellectual, motor, and socio-emotional elements. Mentoring that emphasises modelling professional behaviour engages social learning mechanisms and mirror neurons. This approach helps students acquire pedagogical and motor skills effectively through observation, imitation, and reflection. In addition, neuropedagogy highlights the role of physical activity as a key factor in cognitive development.