For PDHPE assignment 2

1. 3E with Miss
Eishauer

2. Once upon a time…
Fundamental movement skills (FMS) were broken down into
steps and taught to children through repetition and ‘skill
drills’ under controlled ‘training’ conditions
(Pills, 2013; Townsend, 2007)
&
Direct teaching of individual techniques were taught to
students before they even had an understanding of the game
But then along came ‘game sense’…

3. What is Game Sense?
0Game sense is an approach to physical education that
teaches skill development through games
0It is a holistic model of skill development that teaches
sport specific movement and techniques within the
context of play
0Game sense builds on the TGfU (Teaching Games for
Understanding) model and has specific aims to
develop participants who are ‘thinking players’
0A key feature of game sense is the modification of
rules to focus player attention on important
information and develop players’ game understanding
and skill execution
(Pills, 2013; Pills, 2014)

4. How does game sense work?
0 Coach/Teacher = the facilitator.
Their role is to guide students’
game appreciation & tactical
understanding through well
structured & purposeful
questioning
0 Questioning:
- Used to focus attention on an
aspect of play or specific game
situation
- Confront players with question
and an opportunity to find an
answer through game play and
practice
0 Coaches/teachers must also be
able to modify games in order to
achieve the results they are after
(eliminating, refining or adding
game rules and playing
conditions.
The CHANGE IT formula: (Schembri,
2005 in Pill, 2013) provides some ways
in which teachers can modify the game
for learning needs
C- coaching style
H- how scoring occurs
A- area or dimensions of the play space
N- number of players
G- game rules
E- equipment
I- inclusion (getting everyone involved)
T- time of the game or time allowed in
possession

5. What does a game sense lesson look like?
This approach requires careful planning on teacher’s part.
A game sense lesson involves:
 Modification of games & play practices to emphasise particular tactical or motor
skill learning
 Guided discovery & inquiry learning focused through purposeful questioning by
teacher
 ‘Game first’ rather than ‘practice first’ lesson planning
 Invasion, target, net/court, striking/fielding, game categories. Grouping games with
similar principles of play
 Sampling of elements from different categories for transfer of game concepts
 Reflective questioning aimed at improving practice
(Light, 2013; Pill, 2014)
 In order to modify teachers inform, refine, simplify, extend, and engage.
Teachers need to be flexible & adaptable to the needs of their particular students on
that particular day for that particular game.
They change the game in whatever way they need to to in order to make that game
successful, and ensure that learning needs are being achieved.

6. The 4 R’s for Tactical Awareness
READ the situation to make
appropriate decisions
RESPOND to the situation
REACT with skillful
movement execution
RECOVER from the skill
execution to prepare for
the next game involvement
Teachers are aiming to teach FMS and improve game appreciation and tactical
awareness. In order to demonstrate tactical awareness:
During a game players must continuously…. (Hopper, 2003)

7. Why Game Sense?
Benefits of game sense include: (Townsend, 2007)
 Less waiting around = more movement & enjoyment
 More enjoyment = improved participation
 Improvement in skill level, understanding & tactical play
 Focus on kids strengths, not their weaknesses =
improved confidence
 Teaching of skills through drills/training more
meaningful once kids have been able to put into practice
 Allows children to explore, make mistakes, and discover
solutions to problems for themselves
Improves skills of team work, problem solving and
adaptability

8. “I doubt that anyone has ever attempted to coach a young
child how to walk by explaining the intricate mechanics
involved and then letting them have a go...however there
appears to be a ‘need’ to follow this process when we coach
sport” p.9
“All we are see is kids having a great time, discovering for
themselves new and complex skills of evasion, team work,
rules, spatial awareness and….some tactics too” p.1
“Anyone that spends time with children will tell you this is
when they are at their most engaged and engaging” p. 8
- Townsend, 2007
Game Sense? It Just Makes Sense

9. References
Hopper, T. (2003). Four R's for tactical awareness: applying game performance
assessment in net/wall games. Journal of Teaching Elementary Physical
Education, 14(2), 16-21
Light, R. (2013). Game sense for physical education and sport coaching. In Game
sense: Pedagogy for performance, participation and enjoyment (pp. 37-47).
London, UK: Routledge.
Pill, S. (2014). An appreciative inquiry exploring game sense teaching in physical
education. Sport, Education and Society, 1-19.
Pill, S. (2013). Introduction. In Play with purpose: Developing netball game sense:
Teaching movement and tactical skills (pp. 7-12). Hindmarsh, Australia:
ACHPER.
Townsend, G. (2007). Game Sense. Ruby Football Union.