Personal Education

Why Game Sense?

The concept of Game Sense is a new method
of teaching and coaching, which uses a game as
the center of a lesson. In doing so, students are
encouraged to build on their strategic and
tactical awareness, rather than focusing on
specific techniques or skills needed prior to a
game
While building upon their tactics and
strategies, students are simultaneously
learning to master the skill of decision
making (Towns, 2009). In other words, game
sense encourages the notion of students
developing skills in a hands-on approach,
rather than learning directly through the
teacher.

Game Sense Model
The game sense model devised by Bunker &
Thorpe (1982), indicates the stages in which a
student will undertake in order to develop a sense
of game. The first step is for the student to learn
the rules or point of the game, and then as a result
of this, step two is automatically executed as the
student has developed an appreciation for the
game. Following this step, the third step begins to
take place as the student is now building upon the
tactical awareness needed to play the game. As a
result of this, the student will be making the
appropiate decisions upon building these tactics
and strategies, thus moving on to the fourth step.
Once the student has made the appropriate
decisions, the execution of these skills takes place
as the student begins to perform within the game,
therefore reaching step five and six of the Game
Sense Model.
Strengths of Game Sense; A
teaching approach
The concept of Game Sense as a teaching
method, is thoroughly pivotal, in order for all
students to build upon their own learning. In
doing so, students are simultaneously
involving their bodies in physical movements,
and building upon their ability to make
decisions based on what tactics and strategies
to execute.
There are many strengths that surround the teaching
method of Game Sense. It is important to allow students
to experience actions such as, dirtying their knees, jumping
for a ball, tripping over another student, or even
occasionally hurting themselves. In doing so, the child will
build upon their confidence, as they realise that they can
pick themselves back up, and push forward with
determination within a game.
Using Game Sense within a lesson, will also work as a
strength for the students as they will begin to form
decisions within themselves, as to how they choose to play
and share the field with the rest of their teammates. By
working and playing atttentively with teammates,
sportsmanship and leadership is formed, and so the
students will begin to notice that a level of confidence and
determination within themselves is formed.
References:
Bunker, D., Thorpe, R., Werner, P. (1996). Teaching games for
understanding: Evolution of a model. ProQuest Education
Journals, 67(1) 28 -33 Retrieved from:
http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.uws.edu.au/docview/215770
101?accountid=36155
Towns, J. (2002) About Game Sense. University of Woolongong.
Retrieved from: https://vuws.uws.edu.au/bbcswebdav/pid-
1202164-dt-content-rid-
13887365_1/courses/101576_2014_2h/Games%20Sense%20Supple
mental%20Reading.pdf?target=blank