2. Overview According to Light (2013), the approach is
contingent on four main features:
Design and/or adaptation of games and activities;
Implementation of questioning as a teaching
technique;
Communication or discussion, resulting in testing
and finding solutions to problems;
Creating a ‘supportive socio-moral environment.’
The Game Sense approach is a
pedagogic method used by
educators to connect the
principles of modified sport and
physical activity, to problem-
solving and meaningful skill
development.
3. Game Sense Approach
The teacher takes a faciliatory role, and thinking is student-centred. Activities and
scenarios take the form of games and encourage students to problem-solve and
respond to questions (Reid & Harvey, 2014).
Students become self-sufficient in their inquiry and rely less on the teacher for
information.
Teacher’s role is to ask frequent questions, provide motivation and creatively construct
these games and scenarios within safe learning environments, for students to
undertake confidently.
4. Game Sense Approach
Different Categories for activities in a Game Sense approach pedagogy:
• Invasion games (i.e. soccer, netball)
• Striking and fielding games (i.e. cricket)
• Target games (i.e. bowling, archery, golf)
• Net and wall games (i.e. tennis, badminton, volleyball)
Games are typically modified in order to teach skills related to sports and played in smaller
groups to account for varying abilities.
5. Rationale
A Game Sense approach allows students to discover games and activities through their own
discovery, rather than simply developing lessons that are teacher-led. By carefully
considering the principles of this approach, lessons can be reinforced with fundamental skills
and outcomes relevant to the NSW Syllabus – such as ‘participates and uses equipment in a
variety of games and modified sports,’ which is relevant to other KLAs. i.e. the Mathematics
as per the Numeracy Skills framework, GSS2.8 (Education Public Schools, 2015).
This innovative approach is useful for educators, as it emphasises student-led discovery in a
meaningful and relevant way – providing a new way to engage students in contemporary
classrooms. Participants can contextualise their surroundings and scenarios in a positive,
inclusive manner.
6. References
Education Public Schools. (2015). Numeracy Skills Framework. Sydney: State of New South
Wales, Department of Education. Retrieved from https://numeracyskills.com.au/numeracy-
k-6-in-pdhpe
NESA (2017). NSW Syllabus: PDHPE. Accessed September 30, 2018 from
https://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/pdhpe/
Paul Reid & Stephen Harvey (2014) We're delivering Game Sense ... aren't we?, Sports
Coaching Review, 3:1, 80-92, DOI: 10.1080/21640629.2014.967519
Pill, S. (2014). An appreciative inquiry exploring game sense teaching in physical
education. Sport, Education and Society,21(2), 1-19.
