game sense

2. WHAT IS GAME SENSE APPROACH?
Game sense is a student centred approach. It
allows students to practice and understand skills,
while being actively involved in the game. Games
sense approach categorises team games into four
areas (Light, 2013).

3. INVASION GAMES
EG. Soccer, Netball, Touch Football
TARGET GAMES
EG. Golf, Archery, Bowling, Hockey
COURT AND NET GAMES
EG. Tennis, Volley Ball
STRIKING AND FIELDING GAMES
EG. Softball, Baseball, Cricket

4. GAME SENSE
• Game sense is about the individual developing physical sport
related skills through game-centred activities. The activities are
designed to improve a persons tactical awareness, decision
making and their response using physical movements (Pill, 2013).
• Modified games that are used in the game sense approach are
used to develop emotional and social needs of players. By
modifying the rules players can engage
intellectually while learning basic game techniques
(Light, 2013).

5. Rationale and Strengths
Game sense approach is an important part to teaching
physical education to children. In the New South Wales Board of Studies
PDHPE K-6 Syllabus (NSW BOS, 2007), students are to develop a
numerous amount of skills. The skills focus explicitly on moving,
problem solving, communicating, interacting and decision making.
Students will develop a variety of movement skills such as;
manipulative which enforce catching and throwing, locomotor skills of
running, walking, jumping, dodging and non locomotor skills of
stretching, balancing and bouncing. All of these skills that need to be
met in the syllabus are able to be reached using the game sense
approach. Students will enjoy participating with the game sense
approach as it can be modified to suit all students.

6. • The game sense approach allows
students to develop principles to
understand and practice technical skills
that can be performed in a game.
• For example if a child is able to
understand the concept of striking and
have had the opportunity to practice
striking a variety of objects. The student
will be able to then play a variety of
striking games (Mandigo, Butler and Hopper, 2007).
Rationale and Strengths

7. Reference List
NSW BOS. (2007). Personal Development, Health and
Physical Education. K-6 Syllabus. Sydney, Australia.
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.
Mandigo, J., Butler, J., Hopper, T. (2007). What is teaching
games for understanding? A Canadian perspective. Physical
Health and Education Journal, 73(2), 14-20
Pill, S. (2013). Introduction. In PLAY with purpose:
Developing netball game sense: Teaching movement and
tactical skills. (pp-7-12). Hindmarsh, Australia: ACHPER.