2. What is Game Sense?
• Game Sense is a teaching approach that focuses more on the actual sport
game while developing the strategical and tactical thinking of the child.
• It is a game based approach that allows students to stimulate their thoughts
about the game rather than learning about the skills needed to play the
game.
• Many teachers use Game Sense approach as a teaching pedagogy as it is a
more enjoyable approach to teaching. It also allows students to develop their
Fundamental Movement Skills (FMS).
Light (2004)
Personal Communication (2017)
3. • Game Sense is categorised into 4 types of activities:
- Invasion Games: soccer, basketball
- Striking Games: cricket, softball
- Target Games: golf, archery
- Net/ Wall Games: volleyball, tennis
• These games all require students to develop their FMS to be able to understand the concepts
of the games. This can be done through the Game Sense approach where students develop
their own skills and learning.
• These physical activities require students to recognise and solve problems to underpin the
purpose of the game
Light (2004)
Australian Sports Commission
Game Sense continued..
4. Game Sense & Fundamental
Movement Skills?
• Fundamental Movement Skills (FMS) plays a significant factor in PDHPE
as it forms the basic understanding and skills of the child in order to
successfully learn more about complicated sports such as soccer and netball.
• Skills such as throwing (overarm and underarm), kicking and striking are a
few FMS that Stage 2, Year 4 students are required to learn about.
• Therefore, FMS is important in Physical Education as it encourages
students to participate in sports which increases their social and physical
skills.
Holfelder & Schott (2014)
K-6 PDHPE Syllabus (2012)
5. Rationale of Game Sense
• Game Sense is a great teaching approach in 21st Century schools, as it is a
student centred inquiry based approach which means that the students
develop their own skills and the teachers are there to assist them.
• Game Sense is also a significant teaching approach as it highlights effective
cognitive learning by integrating physical, intellectual and social learning all
in one enjoyable and realistic lesson
• Game Sense model suggests that students are to understand the game
before recognising and solving the problems that need to be solved during
the game
Towns (2002)
6. Strengths of Game Sense
• One of the strengths about Game Sense is that it allows students to discover
their own approach to the game. This flexible approach therefore encourages
all students with different abilities to participate in the sports game.
• Another strength about Game Sense is that it allows students to appreciate
the context of the game by using their strategical thoughts to make
appropriate choices about the skills required to successfully be involved in
the game.
7. Reference List
Australian Sports Commission (n.d). Retrieved from
http://www.ausport.gov.au/
Board of Studies, NSW. (2007). Personal Development, Health and Physcial
Education K-6
Holfelder, B. & Schott, n. (2014). Relationship of fundamental movement skills
and physical activity in children's and adolescents: A systematic review.
Light, R. (2004). Coach’s experience of Game Sense: opportunities and
challenges. Retrieved from
http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.uws.edu.au/10.1080/1740898042000294949
Towns, J. (2002). Game Sense. About Game Sense. Retrieved from
http://www.activehealth.uow.edu.au/gamesense/index.html
