PE Teaching Approaches

1. S
Physical Education
Teaching Approaches
What is Game Sense approach and
Fundamental Movement Skills? Why are
they beneficial for your children’s
development?
Ms. Bargache, 4S

2. What is Games Sense?
Overview
The Games Sense (GS) approach as argued by Light (2007) is a
student-centered and inquiry-based approach, which is a derivative
of Teaching Games For Understanding (TGfU). It is coaching
approach that allows children to play games that help them acquire
sport-like skills. GS has four groups of games, which include target
games, striking games, net and wall games, and invasion games.
The games are often modified to suit the developmental needs of
children. This learning approach nurtures student’s personal
development, decision-making and physical skills through active
involvement in games.

3. More on Game Sense
Game Sense is defined as ‘playing with purpose’ and all learning
occurs within modified games. Sport skills learning through GS goes
beyond physical education and motor movement aspects, it includes
cognitive awareness. Using games as a learning tool supports
strategic and tactical learning. GS highlights the significance of
affiliation (making friends, being social), which helps build children’s
social skills. Overall GS has a focus on the intellectual qualities of
sport and game, these qualities awaken children’s higher order
thinking when playing games such as, thinking strategically, problem
solving and decision-making.
(FACHPER, S. P. B. P. M., 2011)

4. What are the Fundamental
Movement Skills?
Fundamental movement skills (FMS) are the foundation of
specialised movements, which are essential for children to be
able to sufficiently participate in many physical activities. These
are commonly developed in childhood and are types of sport-
specific skills. They include object control (e.g. throwing and
catching), locomotor skills (e.g. hopping and running) and
stability skills (e.g. twisting and balancing).
(Lubans, et al., 2010)

5. Discussion
We can clearly see all the benefits that these two approaches
have on children’s physical and intellectual development.
Game Sense covers three significant domains of a child’s
development, these are physical, cognitive and social. Children
learn different body management and manipulative skills
through GS. GS provides cognitive opportunities for students to
problem solve, think tactically and make decisions. The social
domain explores the opportunities students have for social
interactions. Modified games require communication,
cooperation and have the ability to form friendships.

6. Discussion
According to the NSW PDHPE Syllabus, students must
understand the importance of a balanced lifestyle that
incorporates physical activity every day. The fundamental
movement skills are not developed naturally, teachers must
provide opportunities for these skills to be practiced, taught and
encouraged. Through the Game Sense approach students
undertake effective communication, interaction, problems solving
and decision making skills. These skills empower children with
confidence and enhanced self-esteem. Overall, GS provides rich
learning experiences in physical development for your children.
(BOS, NSW, 2007)

7. References
S FACHPER, S. P. B. P. M. (2011). Teacher engagement with teaching games for
understanding-game sense in physical education. Journal of Physical Education and
Sport, 11(2), 115.
S Light, R. (2007). Accessing the inner world of children: The use of student drawings in
research on children's experiences of game sense. In proceedings for the Asia Pacific
Conference on Teaching Sport and Physical Education for Understanding (pp. 72-83).
S Light, R. (2012). Game sense: Pedagogy for performance, participation and enjoyment.
Routledge.
S Lubans, D. R., Morgan, P. J., Cliff, D. P., Barnett, L. M., & Okely, A. D. (2010).
Fundamental movement skills in children and adolescents. Sports medicine, 40(12),
1019-1035.
S PDHPE K –
6 Syllabus (Board of Studies NSW, 2007). http://k6.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/go/perso
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