Game sense

1. What is game sense, and
why do I use it to teach
your children?

2. WHAT IS GAME SENSE?
Game sense is an approach to teaching PDHPE that allows students to be engaged in minor and modified game
strategies, it builds opportunities for students to build skills and a sense of understanding of the tactics behind a
game.
HISTORY BEHIND GAME SENSE
Bunker and Thorpe’s (1982) built on the idea of game sense as a model for teaching games that are focused on
the learning of students. It presented a challenge to the focus on fundamental skills, the idea was that when
focusing too much on technique, students were producing a poor game playing approach.
WHAT ARE FUNDAMENTAL MOVEMENT SKILLS?
There are many fundamental movement skills, these include- Jumping, running, galloping, hopping, leaping, side-
stepping, catching, underarm-rolling, kicking, overarm throwing.
Perfecting each of these skills has presented a physical skill improvement amongst students in PDHPE (DeMont,
R. G. 2017)

3. GAME SENSE EXPLAINED
Game sense is the decision to modify the game rules, playing area or the equipment in order to highlight
certain aspect of the game. This can include changes such as attackers hitting a ball beyond the reach of
their opponents. This promotes the development of “self thinking” within your children.
Game sense promotes :
-Fun
-Thinking
-Communication
-Inclusion
-Player-centered
Game sense uses the approach of student-centered teaching. This means that the teacher allows the
students to play within their own rules before giving “coaching tips”. The teacher spends the lesson
observing rather than over coaching, this allows students to think for themselves and not have the work
done for them.
When utilizing game sense, it is important to give students correct feedback. For example. Instead of
“great shot” it is more beneficial to say “that was good because….”.

4. STRENGTHS OF USING GAME SENSE AS A TEACHING APPROACH
-Using game sense within a PDHPE lesson allows for students to develop both their skills and understanding of
any given game. This approach requires teachers to give feedback in a “sandwich” notion, implementing a
correction comment in between positive feedback, allowing students to feel positive about their efforts at all
times whilst still improving.
-Through using game sense it has been founded that students are able to master intellectual as well as physical
challenges within PDHPE.
-Through using a game sense approach, it has been possible to reach government initiatives, such as the Quality
teaching framework (QTF), (Chalmers, Denise. 2017).
- Using a game sense approach within a PDHPE classroom portrays a student-centred and inquiry-based
approach. This allows students to develop their own skills whilst being actively involved within the game being
played.

5. DISCUSSION
Through using a game sense approach towards my teaching in PDHPE I have been given
the opportunity to focus less on the skills or techniques portrayed by students, and
focus more on the children and game itself. All learning within my lessons occur within
the modified context of the games whilst developing my students understanding, skills
and decision making. With modified games reducing the need of technical movements
from the students, we have more of an opportunity to focus on the game as a whole.
Because of this, game sense has been proven to promote physical, intellectual and
social learning.
Through the use of game sense and the many benefit that it entails, it allows for
teachers to cover the PDHPE syllabus outcomes whilst also covering the Quality
teaching framework (QTV)

6. REFERENCING
Light, R., Ebooks Corporation, & MyiLibrary. (2013). Game sense pedagogy for performance, participation
and enjoyment (Routledge studies in physical education and youth sport). Milton Park,
Abingdon, Oxon ; New York: Routledge
DeMont, R. G. (2017). Validity of twelve physical fundamental movement skills in assessing physical
literacy. Journal of Athletic Training, 52(6), S266-S267. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-
com.ezproxy.uws.edu.au/docview/1914566675?accountid=36155
Chalmers, Denise. (2017). Inhibiting creativity or supporting quality?: A teaching standards framework.
HERDSA News, 39(1), 3-4.