The document discusses the "Game Sense" pedagogical approach to teaching games. It focuses on developing a holistic understanding of games for students by centering learning around tactics, decision-making, and skill execution within the game, rather than isolated techniques. The "Game Sense" model categorizes understanding the game, appreciation of the game, tactical awareness, decision making, skill execution, and performance within a game. It is taught through modifying games and providing feedback to reinforce learning across categories.

2. BUT FIRST
WHAT IS ‘GAME SENSE’?
A pedagogical approach and adaptation to the TGFU model (Teaching Games for
Understanding) developed by Rod Thorpe with the ASC (Australian Sports
Commission) which:
…. goes BEYOND the technicalities and authoritative approach towards play and
sports games, and centers the player to create a HOLISTIC learning
environment. It encourages players to be CRITICAL of their learning
environment and focus on their DEVELOPMENT throughout the game rather
than technique.
‘Game Sense’ allows students to understand the tactics and skills they need in
order to progress critically and physically in a game, and incorporating these
towards understanding the limits of the self, and the importance of Physical
Education in everyday life.
(Light, 2006) p9 game sense innovation

3. MODEL
‘Game Sense’ centers the player within the following categories:
Game This is ‘what’ the students will focus the remaining 5 categories on.
Understanding the concept of the ‘game’ and developing an aim.
Game Appreciation ‘Why do I need to do this?’ Players understand the holistic nature of the game,
and how the rules and skills are inextricable to the overall understanding of the
games’ progression.
Tactical Awareness Using tactics and techniques as foreground to understanding the “offensive” and
“defensive” roles in a game. E.g. lowering hands as you catch a ball increases
the chances of it being caught.
Decision Making ‘How will I do this?’ By understanding the benefit of using tactics in a game,
players learn how to apply critical decision making to better their outcomes in the
context of a game.
Skill Execution ‘If I do this better, I can...’ Players develop an understanding for the need to
improve and execute skills in a game and how its implementation can enhance
overall skill performance and progression in the game. E.g. perfecting how to
dribble in soccer and simultaneously applying tactical field skills will provide
foundation for scoring goals and team progression.
Game Performance Combining the above categories to a game with set criteria to test their
understanding through performance. This reinforces the teachers’/instructors’
role of teaching and providing the feedback necessary to perfect the previous
categories and apply them to future games.
Tgfu book

4. HOW DO WE PLAY?
The ‘Game Sense’ approach can be exemplified through 4 game categories:

5. HOW DO TEACHERS APPLY GAME SENSE TO
LESSONS?

8. REFERENCES