Game Sense Presentation

1. GGaammee SSeennssee
BByy MMrr LLeemmaann
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2. What Is Game Sense?
• The Game sense approach involves
coaching techniques that are designed to
put the participants in situations that
require problem solving in order to achieve
the end goal. Game sense The Game Sense
approach became prominent in Australia as
Rod Thorpe worked with the Australian
Sports Commission (ASC) in the 1990’s.
The game sense approach is a variation on
the Teaching Games for Understanding
model.
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3. Details
• The main difference with Game Sense and
traditional coaching techniques is the use
of questioning to get the participant
actively thinking about the game instead of
just learning and applying certain skills.
Games are paused regularly and
participants challenged to reflect on their
participation in the certain section of the
game as to become better understand the
game and develop their problem solving
skills.
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4. Previous Techniques
Previous coaching techniques have
certainly developed very skilled
participants but have ignored the holistic
approach which meant that participants
haven’t learned how to ‘read’ the game, or
make the correct decisions about when or
how to use their developed skills. These
techniques have neglected important skills
such as having tactical and spatial
awareness.
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5. What’s involved?
Game sense uses many different techniques to develop
intelligent participants. Some of these techniques include:
• Playing small sided games- For example in a game of soccer,
when you are playing a small sided game, you have fewer
options of who to pass to. This makes the player develop the
ability to make the correct decision as they can simply not
‘take the easy option’.
• Playing modified games: Modified games can be used to put
the emphasis on the decision making process rather than
just the skills involved. For example, something as simple as
adding an extra ball in some games may make the participant
make a quicker decision as well as have to problem solve as
he may have not only less options to pass to, but his options
to pass to may be constantly changing.
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6. What’s involved?
• Allowing learners to try out and then evaluate their
solutions: Pausing games and asking participants to reflect
upon the decision they have made. Taking the play back to
the position they were in asking how they could have done it
differently. Then, playing out the sequence of play before
stopping and evaluating the success of the play as well as
why or why it didn’t work.
• Providing positive feedback: Feedback is very important in
Game Sense because it gives students encouragement but
also reasoning as how or why they were or weren't
successful as opposed to just ‘good’ or ‘bad’.
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7. Questioning
Questioning in the Game Sense Approach is very important.
The Five Categories include:
• 1. Skill and movement execution……. “How do you…”
This gets students thinking about the movement skill that they will use to execute
the play or action.
• 2. Tactical Awareness………………... “What did you…”
The refers to elements of the game such as the best way to be successful, which
type of play will be most effective.
• 3. Time………………………………….. “When is the best time to….”
This develops children's ability to think about when to initiate the play, when to move,
or when to shoot or score etc.
• 4. Space………………………………… “Where is/can…”
The use of space in children's game are very important as children has a tendency to
‘follow the ball’. This develops children's spatial awareness. For example, getting them
in good position to receive the ball and pass it on.
• 5. Risk…………………………………… “Which choice…”
This gets the students thinking about their decision making. Which play to make as it
will be the best ‘percentage play’ or least risky.
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8. References
• 21st Century Learning,. (2011). Using the Game Sense approach to deliver
Quality Teaching in Physical Education. Retrieved 11 October 2014,
from http://learning21c.wordpress.com/2011/11/27/using-the-game-
sense-approach-to-deliver-quality-teaching-in-physical- education/
• Ausport.gov.au,. (2014). Sports Coach :: Teaching games for understanding.
Retrieved 7 October 2014, from
http://www.ausport.gov.au/sportscoachmag/coaching_processes/tea
ching_ga mes_for_understanding
• Personal Development, Health and Physical Education K-6 Syllabus. (2007)
(1st ed.). Sydney.
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