By John Tzortzis

GAME SENSE
So what is Game Sense, and why
would a teacher want to use it as a
teaching approach?
A Game Sense approach allows students
to develop skills in a gaming context
(often modified); while the traditional
approach prefers training skills
separately from a game until proficient
(Light, 2013, p.51).
The uniqueness of Game Sense rests in
the idea that it incorporates skill
development in a gaming context, while
at the same time, still allowing for
enhancement of any one particular skill
(Pill, 2014, p. 49).

F o r E x a m p l e

Lets say a teacher wishes to develop or

introduce any particular set of skills

Using a Game Sense approach, the

teacher will select a sport/game

Next, the teacher may modify the way

the game is played in order to best
enhance the chosen skill or skills

As such, students are developing skills,

while participating in scenarios of the
actual game itself

Show mastery of
fundamental movement
skills in increasingly
competitive or complex
movement contexts
(Board of Studies, NSW,
2007, p. 46)

Develop and undertake
a program for
developing specific
games skills
(Board of Studies, NSW,
2007, p. 46).

PDHPE SYLLABUS
LINKS WITH

GAME SENSE

Plan and undertake
programs that prepare
the body for specific
events

Participate in
introductory Olympic
gymnastics
experiences

(Board of Studies, NSW,

2007, p. 46)

(Board of Studies, NSW,

2007, p. 46)

Strengths as a Teaching
Approach

Strengths as a
Teaching !
Approach

In
Context

Flexible
Learning

Because students
are training skills in
the context of the
actual game/sport

Fun

As students are not

conned to one
repeated training
procedure

Broad
Skills

For students are not

conned to one
repetitive and
meaningless
training procedure

Flexible
Teaching

Since students are

learning set skills,
while also learning
many others

Considering the
teacher can modify
both the learning
context and aims

Game Sense:
Summary
Game Sense then, is a unique
and innovative teaching
approach that benefits both the
teacher and the student in an
open learning environment that
facilitates both skill knowledge
and practice without negative
limitations

REFERENCES
Board of Studies, NSW. (2007). Personal
Development, Health and Physical Education
K- 6: Syllabus .
Board of Studies New South Wales. Sydney,
Australia.
Light, R. (2013). Game Sense: Pedagogy for
Performance, participation and Enjoyment.
Routledge. Taylor & Francis Group. Routledge
Studies in Physical Education and Youth
Sport. New York, NY. Richard Light.
Pill, S. (2014). Informing Game Sense
pedagogy with constraints led theory for
coaching in Australian football. Sports
Coaching Review , 3 (1), 46-62. Taylor &
Francis Online. DOI:
10.1080/21640629.2014.890778. Retrieved
from http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/
10.1080/21640629.2014.890778#.Vgfc5GAzn
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