1. Game Sense
Approach (den
Duyn, 1997)
• What is the Game Sense approach and Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU)?
• What are the strengths of this approach?
• Why do I choose to use the Game Sense approach?
Miss Macfarlane - 3M

2. What is the Game Sense approach?
 An approach to physical education that places learning within modified games, and uses
questioning to make it student-centred (Light, 2012)
 A less-structured variation of TGfU (Bunker and Thorpe, 1982)
 Learning happens in and through games, not for games (Light, 2012)
 There is less emphasis on technique and more on playing the game
 Games can be modified to fit the students, the aim of the lesson and the learning outcomes
Miss Macfarlane - 3M

3. What is the Game Sense approach?
There are four main categories of games used:
 Invasion games (eg soccer, football, rugby)
 Striking games (eg cricket, softball, t-ball)
 Net/wall games (eg tennis, volleyball, squash)
 Target games (eg golf, archery, bowling)
(Light, 2012)
Miss Macfarlane – 3M
Game Sense aims to help students develop three
main skills:
 Decision making (what to do during play)
 Movement knowledge (how to do it)
 Movement capability (being able to do it)
(Pill & Hewitt, 2017, p. 10)

4. The Fundamental Movement Skills (FMS)
 Participating in modified games assists students in developing FMS.
The skills practiced in the 4 categories of games (invasion, striking,
net/wall, target) are FMS.
Miss Macfarlane - 3M (NSW Department of
Education & Training, 2000,
pp. 16-17).
The FMS with the are the ones that our current
modified games in 3M are most helpful for.
However, we are always learning new FMS and
practicing ones we already know!

5. Strengths and benefits of the Game Sense
Approach
Miss Macfarlane - 3M (Light, 2012)
 Student-centred (eg questioning rather than telling)
 Promotes holistic understanding of the game and enhances transferability of skills, ie it is about
understanding the game not just performing a skill in isolation
 Inclusive, as it can be modified to fit the needs of students and it promotes understanding of others
 Fosters social interaction, cooperation and positive relationships
 Constructivist
 Enquiry based
 Allows for problem solving, tactics and strategies, and decision making thus enhancing cognitive
aspects of games
 Targets the FMS relevant for each stage

6. Rationale: Why I choose to use the Game
Sense approach with your children
The Game Sense approach aligns with many of the central tenets of my teaching philosophy,
including in the following ways:
 It caters for all students and their individual needs. I can modify the games as I see a need arise
 There is less pressure/stress on performing and perfecting a skill, which I believe means less
anxiety for students
 It hopefully promotes enjoyment and fun for the students
 It assists students in becoming intrinsically motivated to maintain and improve their health
through enjoyable physical activity
Miss Macfarlane - 3M

7. How the Game Sense approach aligns with
the syllabus (BOS, NSW, 2014)
Game Sense assists students in meeting many stage 2 PDHPE
outcomes, including:
 Demonstrates a range of interpersonal skills that build and
enhance relationships and promote inclusion in various
situations (PD2-10)
 Explains how empathy, inclusion and respect can positively
influence relationships (PD2-3)
 Performs and refines movement skills in a variety of sequences
and situations (PD2-4)
 Applies strategies to solve movement challenges (PD2-5)
 Demonstrates a range of interpersonal skills that build and
enhance relationships and promote inclusion in various
situations (PD2-10)
 Combines movement skills and concepts to effectively create
and perform movement sequences (PD2-11)
Miss Macfarlane - 3M
(BOS, NSW, 2014, pp. 55-64)
Game Sense also aligns generally with the
syllabus’ aim and rationale to help students
in developing the knowledge, skills and
attitudes to participate confidently in
physical activity and to lead and promote
healthy and active lives.

8. References
Board of Studies, NSW. (2014). Personal Development, Health and Physical Education K-6
Syllabus.
den Duyn, N. (1997). Game sense: It’s time to play. Sports Coach, 20, 9-11.
Light, R. (2012). Game sense: Pedagogy for performance, participation and enjoyment. Retrieved
from http://lib.myilibrary.com
NSW Department of Education and Training. (2000). Get skilled: Get active. Retrieved from
https://www.healthykids.nsw.gov.au/downloads/file/teacherschildcare/Get_skilled_g
et_active_booklet.pdf
Pill, S., & Hewitt, M. (2017). Tennis coaching: Applying the game sense approach. A Journal for
Physical and Sport Educators, 30(2), 10-16. Retrieved from https://www- tandfonline-
com.ezproxy.uws.edu.au/doi/full/10.1080/08924562.2016.1273807
Miss Macfarlane - 3M