2. WHAT IS GAME SENSE?
Dr Joy Butler from Plymouth, New Hampshire and Rod Thorpe a
lecturer at University of Queensland created a model for teaching
games at primary and secondary schools. The game model is centred
around teachers demonstrating fundamental skills to students during
sport. Furthermore, it also focuses on how the focus on fundamental
skills improves techniques for students who were not good game
players (Light, 2013). This is called Teaching Games for
Understanding, where students are participating in games-based
approaches.
3. TEACHING GAMES FOR
UNDERSTANDING
Teaching games for understanding (TGFU) allows teachers to focus on
the game as a whole, rather than breaking it up into fundamental
skills or techniques. For instance, to teach a game of basketball, the
students are understanding the concept and rules of basketball, such
as dribbling and travel ball, throughout the entire activity.
Furthermore, students develop tactical knowledge and decision-
making during the game. TGFU allows teachers and students to
reflect on the activities during the game, where they can modify the
skills, needs or experiences to make the game engaging. The
students can reflect individually or in groups. There are four game
categories which has a core element of TFGU these are; invasion
4. FOUR PEDAGOGICAL PRINCIPLES
Teaching games for understanding has four pedagogical principles
which underpin its model. According to Light, they are sampling,
representation, exaggeration and tactical complexity (2013).
Sampling: Providing opportunities for students to experience
different games within a game category that transfers from one game
to another. For example, one term devoted to invasion games,
students can play soccer, but have samplings of touch football or
basketball (Light, 2013).
5. FOUR PEDAGOGICAL PRINCIPLES
Representation: A manipulation of an existing game where into a
condensed version with similar tactical requirements. Teachers do not
have rely on the traditional game, as the existing game represents
other forms of games (Light, 2013).
Exaggeration: Making changes to a game to emphasize specific
tactical problems. For instance, incorporating more defenders in a
football game to encourage scoring (Light, 2013).
Tactical complexity: Matching players with the same capacity to play
in terms of tactical demands. Eventually, they will be able to
understand the concept of the game and provide problem-solving
6. FUNDAMENTAL MOVEMENT SKILLS
New South Wales Government Education and Communities, developed
fundamental movement skills in action to support teachers in explicit
teaching of 12 fundamental skills. Furthermore, teachers are provided
with 12 cards for each of the fundamental movement skill, they
include a card for warming up, ideas how to teach the skill
components, activities to practice the skills, a list of equipment
needed and images of a student performing the skills (NSW Education
and Communities, 2012). Fundamental movement skills includes:
skip, static balance, sprint run, vertical jump, catch, hop, side gallop,
dodge, overarm throw, leap, kick and two-hand strike.
8. PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Game sense has had an extraordinary impact on teaching and
students since the introduction 30 years ago. Game sense allows
students to understand the concept of playing the game during the
game, rather than reading about the rules beforehand. According to
Richard Light, he suggests that real learning occurs through
engagement rather than direct instruction (2013). This is why game
sense has become successful, as students are engaged throughout
the lesson and want to discover what is going to happen next in the
activity.
9. LINKS TO THE SYLLABUS
Game sense relates to the strand movement, skill and performing in
the NSW Personal Development Health and Physical Education. The
strand focuses on active participation in a broad range of movements
to develop skill and enhance performance (NESA, 2018). Students also
develop an understanding of movement concepts and the features of
movement composition, which relates to TGFU as students are
learning the whole concept of the game and different movements
needed. It also relates to the preposition – value movement. Students
develop an understanding of how and why we move and how we can
improve physical performance (NESA, 2018).
10. REFERENCES
Light, R. (2013). Game Sense: Pedagogy for performance,
participation and enjoyment. Routledge, Taylor and Francis Group.
NSW Education Standards Authority. (2018). Personal Development
Health and Physical Education. NSW Government.
NSW Department of Education and Communities and NSW Health.
(2012). Fundamental Movement Skills in Action. NSW Government.
