The learning of a motor skill occurs in various stages : <br />Learning is process that involves time and practice As an individual move from the role of novice or beginner to that of a highly skilled performer , he progresses through several distinct stages . These have been described in models by Fitts and Posner and Adams. The former model presents three stages , each identified by the manner which the necessary responses are made . The cognitive stage involves a great deal of mental or intellecutal activity , as the beginner searches for answers related to the proper techniques and strategies . The associative stage is marked by a change in both the nature and the amount of cognitive activity involved in producing the responses . In the fianl stage, skills are learned to such a degree that the responses are made in an almost automatic manner . When learning reaches this level it is in the autonomous stage . The Adams' model describes the learning process as being characterized by two stages , the verbal-motor stage and the motor stage .These are similar in nature to those proposed by Fitts and Posner. It is important to understand thes stage of learning since they are involved in detemining the most appropriate instructional strategies wich should be used when teaching motor skills .