Game sense is an approach to teaching games that focuses on placing the learning experience within modified games. Students learn outcomes like movement skills and strategic thinking through asking questions during gameplay. An example is a modified soccer game called Grid Ball, where attackers try to maintain possession while a defender aims to kick balls out of a grid. Game sense questions are used to analyze tactics like protecting the ball legally and making tackles. This approach helps students develop critical thinking, movement skills in context, communication by discussing tactics, and motivation by making learning fun through games.

1. Game Sense
WHAT IS IT? WHY USE IT?

2. Game Sense: What is it?
* 'Game Sense' is a way of teaching games that
has become popular in Australia amongst
coaches and educators.
* In very simple terms, it is an approach that
places the learning experience within the playing
of modified games, using questions to facilitate
learning whilst the game is played (Light, 2012).
* In other words, game sense is a way of teaching
students learning outcomes in an adapted and
structured way. These learning outcomes are
associated with the Games and Sports content
within the PDHPE syllabus (PDHPE K-6 Syllabus,
2007).

3. Game Sense: An example
Here is an example of a modified game that can be used to
teach particular soccer skills: Grid Ball.
In Grid Ball, the game emphasis is on maintaining ball
possession, and the objective is for the defender to
kick away the ball from the attacker who
has possession of it. The following special rules apply:
• Four players play in a 15- x 15-meter grid.
• Three players are each given a ball and designated
as
the “attackers.”
• One player (without the ball) serves as the
“defender.”
• The defender tries to kick as many balls as possible
out
of the square within a playing time of (e.g.) 60
seconds.
• The attackers each try to move with the ball and try
to position their body so the defender cannot kick the
ball
away from them.
The following game-sense questions can
be used to analyse the play:
• How do you “legally” (within the rules)
protect the ball
from a defender?
• What is a tackle?
• How do you get into a side position to
tackle correctly
(within the rules), quickly (to force the
tackle), and effectively
(to make the tackle)?
Cited from Pill, March 2012, p. 44

4. Game Sense: Why use it?
Game Sense is a helpful way of teaching
different kinds of thinking. In particular,
it gives students a chance to develop
critical thinking skills specific to the
playing of sport. It provides
opportunities for students to think
strategically, in order to solve problems
or achieve a goal (Pill, 2012).

5. Game Sense: Why use it?
It is a proven and effective way to teach the
movement skills required to play specific games,
because it allows these skills to be developed in
an appropriate context (Light, 2012).

6. Game Sense: Why use it?
It also give students a chance to develop
communication skills. By discussing together as a
team different tactics and ways of working
together, students learn first hand how to share
ideas and listen to the input of others (Light 2012).

7. Game Sense: Why use it?
By playing games to learn specific outcomes, this
shows kids that learning can be fun! This in turn
helps their motivation at school (Light, 2012)

8. References
-Light, R. (2012). Game sense: pedagogy for performance, participation and enjoyment.
Routledge Studies in Physical Education and Youth Sport. Oxford, United Kingdom: Taylor
and Francis.
-Personal Development, Health and Physical Education K-6 Syllabus. (2007). Board of
Studies, NSW. Retrieved from
http://k6.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/wps/wcm/connect/330e5ccb-782a-432b-8ce5-
122a8c42967e/k6_pdhpe_syl.pdf?MOD=AJPERES
-Pill, S. (2012, March). Teaching game sense in soccer. Journal of Physical Education,
Recreation and Dance, 83(3), 42-52, doi:10.1080/07303084.2012.10598746