Game sense is a constructivist approach to teaching games and sports that focuses on student-centered learning rather than instruction. It emphasizes participation, enjoyment, and appreciation of all skills and abilities rather than the outcome of the game. Game sense encourages questioning, conversation, decision-making, and adaptation of skills during play. It allows games to be modified to suit all students and ability levels. The document discusses how game sense aligns with curriculum outcomes by promoting teamwork, skills, fair play, and cooperation. It is an effective teaching approach that provides equal opportunities for students of all abilities to be involved.

1. GAME SENSE
IN MS GORDON’S
YEAR 4 PDHPE
CLASSROOM

2. WHAT IS GAME SENSE?
• Game sense involves a constructivist view of learning that
encourages questions and conversation rather than
instructions.
• Game sense shifts values from skill-driven and coach-centred
gaming, to player-centred and skill appreciated gaming.
• Through this, students can develop their own skills and ways
of learning, using these through games played in PE. This
allows students of all physical abilities to use their skills to
their desired advantage and take part in the games played at
school.
(Reid & Harvey, 2014)

3. • Game sense not only encourages individual abilities, but also
encourages and develops decision-making and skill adaption (in
relation to each game played) within students.
• Games can be modified to suit the students, their ability levels
and overall understanding of each game played.
• As game sense encourages the interaction of all abilities, the
focus is continuously on the game and the skills that each
student can bring to it, rather than how effectively the game is
played.
• Light (2012) states that only through the adaption of game
sense has learning in games become the main goal of the
practice, rather than how well the games are played.
(Light, 2012)

4. SO, WHY USE THE GAME SENSE
APPROACH?
• I believe that game sense is an effective way of teaching games and sport, as it
encourages individuals with all abilities to be involved, and provides them with
the positive support needed for developmental learning and appreciation.
• Game sense coordinates with the syllabus content outcome of GSS3.8, as
teamwork, skill and fair play are the main focus, with the combination of
students’ skills creating an inviting and effective mode of teaching.
• In relation to personal identity, outcomes V1, V2 and V3 of the BOS, PDHPE
syllabus connect with the nature of game sense, as appreciation of self in
physical and mental form, valuing fair play, and valuing the need to work
cooperatively with others are major highlights of game sense and its overall
focus.
(BOS, NSW Syllabus, 2007)

5. STRENGTHS AS A TEACHING APPROACH
• Through its focus being the invitation of all ability and skill type
students, game sense is the most approachable teaching technique
within the PDHPE system. This means that students in my class have
equal opportunities to play all games and sports no matter their
ability or physicality.
• As learning is considered to be a social process, the integration of
team work is vital for students to develop the appropriate amount of
cooperative learning and involvement needed when playing games.
Game sense has been linked to building confidence, and through this,
improves the social skills of students involved with the game sense
pedagogy.
(Reid & Harvey, 2014)

6. USING GAME SENSE IN
THE CLASSROOM
• I use game sense in my PDHPE lessons, as I believe it to be a
constructivist technique that provides fair play and equal opportunity
for all of my students. It provides my students with understanding of
team work and the motivation to try new things.
• As game sense has changed the focus of learning and teaching within
the last decade, student-centred learning will be continuously
encouraged throughout my PDHPE classes, with individual appreciation
remaining the main focus of my approach.
(Reid & Harvey, 2014)

7. REFERENCES
Board of Studies, NSW. (2007). Personal development, health and physical education K-6:
Syllabus. Sydney, Australia
Light, R. (2012). Game sense: Pedagogy for performance, participation and enjoyment:
New York, USA: Taylor and Francis
Reid, P., & Harvey, S. (2014). We’re delivering game sense… aren’t we? Sports Coaching
Review,
3(1), 80-92. DOI: 10.1080/21640629.2014.967519