Game Sense or Teaching Games for Understanding is an approach to physical education that uses modified games to teach students fundamental movement skills like balance, locomotion, and ball skills. It takes traditional games and breaks them down into simpler forms focused on individual skills while maintaining a competitive structure. As students' skills improve, games become more complex. This approach encourages skill development and engagement through cooperative peer learning and modified games.

2. Game Sense or Teaching Games for Understanding is an
approach to teaching that uses modified games to teach
students the fundamental movement skills: balance
skills, locomotors skills, and ball skills (Fisher et al.,
2005)
This approach takes well known games and breaks them
down into a simplified form to focus on individual skills
while maintaining the framework of a competitive game.
As skills are mastered by students, additional elements
are added to the game to build complexity.

3. Game Sense was first proposed in 1982 (Bunker &
Thorpe) in response to the criticism that current
physical education was producing technically sound
students who were not good game players.
This method gathered little support until much later
when Butler (1997) presented the six core areas of
Teaching Games for Understanding that would
encourage a shift towards a more inclusive and engaging
physical education method.

4.  Teach games through games.
 Break games into their simplest format – then increase
complexity.
 Participants are intelligent performers in games.
 Every learner is important and is involved.
 Participants need to know the subject matter.
 Need to match participants’ skill and challenge.
(Butler et al. 1997)

5. At Mac Hills Public School, Game Sense is implemented
across stages as the core method of physical education
teaching. Students are taught fundamental movement
skills in line with the NSW Syllabus (New South Wales &
Board of Studies, 2007) in the form of modified games.
Term 2 will see stage 3 students focus on ball skills
through modified games of cricket, touch football,
netball and lacrosse.

6. By using the Teaching Games for Understanding approach,
students are encouraged to learn fundamental movement
skills through cooperative and peer coached lessons. Games
are modified to meet the needs and challenges of stage 3
students and therefore includes a combination of learnt and
unlearnt skills.
It is important that students participate in all lessons possible
because of the progression of complexity as the term
progresses. Students are encouraged to practice these skills in
the playground and share independent and prior learning
with their peers. By taking a mentoring role, students are
encouraged to engage with their peers and support a group
learning environment.

7. Game Sense was chosen as the key approach for Mac
Hills Primary School because it covers the most physical
education content in the most comprehensive and
engaging way.
This approach allows all students to participate in
learning in a fun way that challenges their skill
development and their cooperative skills.
The wide variety of modified games used also presents
students with experiences in unfamiliar sports including
indigenous and international games.

8.  Bunker, D., & Thorpe, R. (1982). A model for the teaching of games in the
secondary school. Bulletin of Physical Education, 10, 9-16.
 Butler, J. (1997). How would Socrates teach games? A constructivist
approach. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, 68, 42-47.
 Fisher, A., Reilly, J. J., Kelly, L. A., Montgomery, C., Williamson, A.,
Paton, J. Y., & Grant, S. (2005). Fundamental movement skills and
habitual physical activity in young children. Med Sci Sports
Exerc, 37(4), 684-688.
 New South Wales, & Board of Studies. (2007). Personal development,
health and physical education K-6: syllabus. Sydney: Board of Studies
NSW.