GAME SENSE

RATIONALE
 WHAT IS GAME SENSE?
• Game sense was constructed from the Teaching Games For Understanding model by Rod Thorpe (Pill, 2011).
• Game sense is an approach to teaching/coaching, in which uses designer games to target specific in game skills
(Light, 2012).
• The fundamental aspects of a Game Sense approach include lessons being student centered and inquiry based
while the teacher acts as a facilitator, not an instructor (Light, Curry, Mooney, 2014).
• Game Sense is the contextualized application of movement skills, so students will know both what to do and
how to do it (Pill, 2011).
• Games are categorized into invasion games, striking games, net/wall games and target games (Light, 2012).
• The basic approach of game sense is to start with simple games that gradually advance within the same
sporting context, so that the focus on technique is reduced and students begin to engage intellectually on
strategies (Light, 2012)
 WHAT IS GAME SENSE?
• The Game Sense approach emphasizes social constructivism as skills and understandings
are deepened through verbal and nonverbal interactions with the teacher and peers(Light
et al, 2014).
• Game Sense is underpinned by guided discovery, it is the role of the teacher to pose
questions that will elicit and motivate a dialogue of tactics, techniques, social and moral
aspects of the chosen game ( Knijnik, Spaaij, Jeanes, 2019).
 WHY USE GAME SENSE FOR 4B?
• By engaging students of 4B with Game Sense activities, they will be achieving the syllabus
outcome of performing and refining movement skills in various situations and sequences
(NSW Education Standards Authority, 2018).
• Students of 4B will also be working towards the outcome of combining movement skills
and concepts to effectively create and perform movement sequences (NESA, 2019).
• As a Game Sense approach enables social constructivism, students through verbal and
nonverbal communication of strategies, techniques and tactics will successfully work
towards the syllabus outcome of applying strategies to solve movement challenges
(NESA, 2018).
 GAME SENSE STRENGTHS
• This approach will allow students to become autonomous with sport based techniques in the context of real
game based situations.
• Students will develop interpersonal skills through team work and collaboration within games.
• Game sense is inquiry based, allowing the students of 4B to actively learn through participating within the
activity and finding out what works for themselves.
• Game Sense is student based, the activities are catered around the individual learning process that each student
will undergo at different levels.
• Although game sense does not directly target the Fundamental Movement Skills, they can still be achieved
through contextual participation.
• Most importantly, students will find more joy and fun within their PDHPE lessons through the release of
pressure and stress.
 REFERENCE LIST
• NSW Education Standards Authority. (2018). Personal development, health and physical education K-10
syllabus. Retrieved from: https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/k-10/learning-
areas/pdhpe/pdhpe-k-10-2018/content/3878
• Knijnik, J. Spaaij, R. Jeanes, R. (2019) Reading and writing the game: Creative and dialogic pedagogies in
sports education. Thinking Skills and Creativity, pg.42-50
• Light, R. (2012). Game sense for physical education and sport coaching. Game Sense Pedagogy For
Performance, Participation and Enjoyment, pg.37-47
• Light, R. Curry, C. Mooney, A. (2014). Game sense as a model for delivering quality teaching in physical
education. Asia-pacific Journal of Health, Sport and Physical Education, 5(1), pg.67-81
• Pill, S. (2011). Teacher engagement with teaching games for understanding – game sense in physical
education. Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 11(2), pg.115-123