A small simple explanation of game sense and its importance in schools.

1. Game Sense

2. What is Game sense?
• The ‘Game sense approach’ highlights the importance of the aspect
of ‘play’ when physically interacting with others, whilst playing
sports. This approach places students in a setting and situation,
where in order to perform they are forced to use their tactical,
decision-making and problem solving skills. By using these skills
throughout the game, it helps a student develop skills such as
communication, conflict resolution and self-expressiveness.
• These skills learnt through game sense approach, can be applicable
when playing any sports and games in the future. A class in which
students are taught the importance of game sense. The game sense
approach is different from the traditional approach of playing
games/sports. It is taken from the TGfU (teaching games for
understanding) model and set according to the Australian standards
of playing sports. This will benefit students and they will be able to
enjoy and imply physical activity in their life, (Hopper, T., Butler, J., &
Storey, B. (2009).

3. Outcomes of Game sense
• The game sense approach focuses on obtaining four main
outcomes/goals when playing sports:
• To make the students understand the main aim/purpose for
when playing any particular sports/games.
• To make them understand which skills and tactics will help
them become successful in playing different sports/games.
• Lastly, to make them understand and imply the different
tactics and skills across other games.
• By doing so children become, ‘physically literate’ and can
apply their learnt behaviour skills and strategies on any
sport or game they play.

4. Importance of game sense among
children
When children are growing up and slowly developing we allow ourselves to
let them grow by themselves and make their own way through life. Even
though we know they might face difficulties such as getting hurt, falling
down and as a result they may cry. They might also face obstacles and
circumstances which will be hard for them to co-operate, (Light, R. (2004).
But in order to make them self-confident we let them do their own
discoveries without constantly giving them instructions or interrupting in
their ways of learning. This allows an individual to grow mentally as well as
physically and most importantly builds their self-efficacy. We do provide
them with guidance throughout the way, but we can’t teach them the
mechanism of life and how to live it. The same goes for any activity in life.
If we want the child or individual to develop and grow productively. Then
we should just tell the child the basic rules on how to play and interrupt
when necessary, (Slade, D. G. (2010).

5. Standard of Game sense
Parents who are concerned with the game sense approach. We give your assurance
that this approach is taken and tested professionally and through associations. Rod
Thorpe worked collaboratively with the ASC(Australian Sports Commission) and
Australian sport coaches from 1994-1998 in order to alter the TGfU model to set
the standards for the Australian lifestyle and sporting games and came up with the
professional model of the game sense approach. The game sense approach was
developed through a highly professional system and through several
experimentation. As many highly regarded professionals also use the game sense,
(Hopper, T., et, al. (2009).
Because the game sense approach is a new concept and isn’t a widely known among
parents and their children. Some teachers that might not take the game sense
approach seriously may abuse the approach by altering it and using it differently
which will not gain the purpose of the approach and will fail to gain the objective
identified by researchers, (Light, R. (2004). Therefore it shouldn’t be considered
that it is easier to teach or the teacher can neglect the students. The game sense
approach requires extra care and responsibility in order to carry it out efficiently
and successfully, (Slade, D. G. (2010).

6. Strengths of Game sense Approach
For parents who are concerned about their child’s developmental needs for health
and safety education. We provide all students in our school and in particular my
class 5H with a game sense approach. This widens their horizon and boundaries
and allows them to develop skills easily and efficiently. Games sense is an
approach taken for students so they can get used to utilising their own skills. To
discover them without constantly being pushed a certain way that they might not
feel comfortable with. In order to become a professional athlete it may be
important to discuss and explain an imply mechanisms.
But as for a school pdhpe teacher/coach the ‘game sense approach’ seems like the
most suitable strategy used for teaching kids how to play and most importantly
enjoy themselves. We do not play sports to compete or win something we play in
order to arise the physical needs a student requires. Some students might enjoy
pdhpe more in comparison to others, who might think they’re weak competitors.
Therefore, the game sense allows every type of student to openly engage and
awakens involvement in the game.

7. Benefits for a PDHPE teacher
As a NSW PE teacher I want to enhance the learning of the players, through using
player centred teaching. By utilising the player centred experiences, as a result it
will encourage positivity when playing games/sports. The positive nature will
promote players to successfully interpret skills when required in problematic
situations. Player centred teaching provides students with the sense of
empowerment and enables them to make important decisions which will foster
inclusive learning and ownership of responsibility and also stimulate creativity in
all the students and each student can play according to his/her abilities.
The extensive use of game sense strategies also help to enhance cognitive learning
among students. The game sense approach meets the requirements of teaching
the pdhpe syllabus. One of the main outcomes/goals of the Australian curriculum
is to teach children how to use their mind and become creative and adapt their
body movements in accordance to the situations and challenges being faced e.g. if
the context of the game has been changed or the number of players and the
change in equipment. But students should still have knowledge to overcome such
challenges and devise their skills and perform accordingly.

8. Game sense as a teaching approach
• The ‘game sense approach,’ allow students to actively participate without having
to be tensed about the techniques of the games. Once students get familiar to the
games they gradually gain skills to understand the importance of other strategies
of the games and consequently apply rules and follow techniques and strategies
accordingly.
• It allows students to have fun and as well as discover ways to play the games
according to their own behaviour. When individuals are pressured to learn and
implement certain skills their attentions diverts elsewhere and as a result the
player might feel confused and gives up on sports. This is an extra-curricular
activity to enhance their likelihood of a happy and healthier lifestyle. Something
different from the norm such as other subjects which require sitting on a bench in
a closed classroom. It also challenges the way students think about playing sports
and also shapes the coaches mind. It allows you to integrate the content of the
lesson with the context which will make the student more aware of what he/she is
doing.

9. Referencing
Davies, N. (2010). Player-Centered Coaching: Enhancing
Player Game Sense. Strategies, 24(2), 24-28.
Leanne Brookes
Hopper, T., Butler, J., & Storey, B. (2009). TGfU--simply
good pedagogy: understanding a complex challenge.
Ottawa, Ont.?: PHE Canada.
Light, R. (2004). Coaches' experiences of Game Sense:
opportunities and challenges. Physical
Slade, D. G. (2010). Transforming play: teaching tactics
and game sense. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.