Game Sense Approach

The new and improved teaching method

By your faithful yr4 PE Teacher
Mr Duckworth

What Is Game Sense Approach?
Game Sense pproach is an innovative way of teaching the student the important Game Sense pproach is an innovative way of teaching the student the important
aspects in practical PE! "hen PD#PE classes were taught several years ago most aspects in practical PE! "hen PD#PE classes were taught several years ago most
teachers$coaches used a %%traditional%& authoritarian techni'ue (ased approach& teachers$coaches used a %%traditional%& authoritarian techni'ue (ased approach&
where the lesson involved a center)(ased coach& drilling techni'ues into students where the lesson involved a center)(ased coach& drilling techni'ues into students
*+ight,-../0! This approach however gets the students more involved1 *+ight,-../0! This approach however gets the students more involved1
disregarding this out of date& oppressive pedagogy& and esta(lishing a more disregarding this out of date& oppressive pedagogy& and esta(lishing a more
en2oya(le form of learning! Game Sense approach practically e3plains itself using en2oya(le form of learning! Game Sense approach practically e3plains itself using
game)like activities to develop fundamental skills on all ranges according to each game)like activities to develop fundamental skills on all ranges according to each
development stage a growing child needs! development stage a growing child needs!

What makes this more enjoyable?
nother term for the approach is known as Teaching
Games for 4nderstanding *Tgf40 and what makes this
method more en2oya(le is the fact that it puts the needs and
a(ilities of the participants first over the importance of the
game *-..50! 6t removes this tendency of drilling or
pushing& and creates an environment that sparks
participation and innovative imagination!

Why its a great approach
7rom all the times 6 have heard this 'uestion pop up in my practical
lesson plans 8"hen do we get to play the game9:*-..50! Students
will find themselves that a fun e3perience is one that they will
cherish and remem(er and (y implementing this style of approach
which ties (ack with the sylla(us1 it provides efficient teaching
methods! The sylla(us supports this approach dividing the concept
into four categories& invasion& target& net$wall and striking games! ll
categories use tactical knowledge which get the students involved
and focused ;;< of the time! By approaching these categories from
a Game Sense the motivation and connection with the activity it the
ideal key that the theory aims for!

How its come about
The research that has gone into this development has (een
going on for decades (ut had only (een introduced in
usralia in =;;4 (y >od Thorpe! The (ackground on this
approach shows its strength telling us that this is not some
new approach that teachers are testing out on your children
(ut a well researched and innovative approach!
Developments in learning theory over the past few decades
in education and the rise of constructivism challenge this
conception to view learning to play sport as an active
process of interpretation! *+ight,-../0

Potential for improvement
6magine yourself in a scenario where your only ten years old and
your coach was spitting out instructions& telling you what to do! "ell
in my class instead of drilling instructions 6 would create lesson
plans that would involve applying movement skills to a variety of
familiar and new situations& get them to use a range of pro(lem
solving strategies and develop aspects of their active lifestyle
outcomes *M?S-!4& PSS-!@& +S-!/0! These are some of the key
outcomes that are essential for my students to learn in order for them
to (egin comple3& mental and physical health developments! These
outcomes wont (e addressed with full potential with older methods
of teaching which further e3presses the importance of a
transformative learning e3perience that these children need!

eference !ist
Board of Studies& AS"! *-..50!Personal development, health
and physical education K-6: Syllabus! Sydney& ustralia,
uthor
+ight& >! *-../0! Game sense, 6nnovation or 2ust good
coaching9Journal of Physical Education New ealand, !"*=0&
B)=;&C
Mandigo& D!& Butler& D!& E #opper& T! *-..50! "hat is teaching
games for understanding9 Fanadian perspective!Physical #
$ealth Education Journal, %!*-0& =4)-.!