2. WHAT IS GAME SENSE?
Game sense is a teaching approach where sports are broken down into
smaller games.
Students learn the tactics, skills and strategies of a sport while playing the
game (Light, 2013).
It involves class discussion which allows students to reflect on the game
so they can identify the tactics, strategies and movements which were
most effective (Light, 2013).
3. 6K HAS BEEN USING GAME SENSE TO LEARN HOW TO
PLAY TENNIS
This has involved games such as:
• Students roll a tennis ball back and forth to their opponent. The ball must pass
between two cones.
• Students throw a tennis ball over the net to their opponent.
• Students use tennis rackets to hit the ball back and forth to their player (no
net).
• Students hit the ball over the net but it needs to bounce once on each side.
(Tennis Australia, personal communication, July 31 2019)
4. After each game, student’s were required to reflect and identify
strategies or tactics that they used which is beneficial because:
• The discussion allowed students to consciously identify and recognise which
strategies and tactics were most advantageous
• Students could reflect on how the skills and tactics they developed could be
transferred to other sports
• Team talks improved students social and communication skills (Light, 2013)
• It helped students develop their critical thinking skills (Light, 2013)
5. How is game sense beneficial for all students of all abilities?
Small games can be varied for different groups so all students can participate in
an appropriately challenging game (Tennis Australia, n.d.).
This allows less confident students to be encouraged, while advanced students
can be challenged.
It allows different aspects of the game and the environment to be modified, so
each game is suitable for each student’s stage of game development (Tennis
Australia, n.d.).
6. Game Sense vs. ‘Traditional’ PE teaching approach:
Game Sense Approach ’Traditional’ PE Approach
Skills are taught in context (Light, 2013). Skills are taught in isolation.
Less pressure on perfecting skills (Curry, 2012) Pressure on student’s to perfect their skills.
Improves student’s confidence, engagement,
motivation and level of participation (Light, 2013).
Less enjoyable, lower student motivation and
confidence.
Student’s develop critical thinking skills through
the discussion component of game sense.
Student’s spend more time being inactive.
(Michelle Gorzanelli, personal communication, August
14 2019)
7. STRENGTHS OF GAME SENSE AS A TEACHING
APPROACH
Students focus on the game they are playing rather than focusing on the
techniques and strategies of the sport (Curry, 2012).
It allows students to develop and improve their tactical awareness, ability to
think strategically and their decision making skills (Towns, 2002).
It increases student participation and enjoyment during PE (Curry, 2012).
There is less pressure placed on students to perfect their skills, so students are
more confident in playing a sport which they are unfamiliar with (Curry, 2012).
8. References:
Curry, C. (2012). Why public primary schools need specialist PE teachers. ACHPER Active & Healthy Magazine, 19(2), 17-
19. doi: 10.1016/j.tsc.2019.03.005
Game Sense Approach (n.d.). Retrieved August 19, 2019, from https://www.tennis.com.au/schools/partner-
program/game-sense-approach-gsa
Light, R. (2013). In Game sense pedagogy for performance, participation and enjoyment. Milton Park, Abingdon:
Routledge.
Towns, J. (2002). About game sense. Retrieved from https://vuws.westernsydney.edu.au/bbcswebdav/pid-4712825-dt-
content-rid-31944528_1/courses/102072_2019_2h/Games%20Sense%20Supplemental%20Reading.pdf
