What is Game Sense?

An example of a sport lesson with implemented Game Sense

Strategies
How Game Sense links to the Physical Development Health and
Physical Education Syllabus
The importance of Game Sense for Physical education.
References
 Game sense is a sporting approach in Physical Education (P.E) that aims to teach Games
For Understanding (TGfU.
Game sense ultimately concentrates on student skill development in strategic game play,
and highlights the essentialness of understanding the rules in a sport.
Students are able to appreciate the set activities and understand that their contribution in
a sport will ultimately affect the score outcomes. In order to succeed students need to
become tactfully aware of their surroundings when playing a game.
Essentially Game Sense is conducted through modified games or game like activities before
playing a full game of any sport.
Game sense consolidates students intellectual, physical and social learning providing
positive experiences with P.E
Traditional approaches to teaching and learning in P.E are centered around developing
technique and skills. These approaches do not account for the contextual nature of games
for which these skills are to be employed.
A Game sense approach attempts to integrate the cognitive and contextual dimensions of
learning in the physical domain, and at times may appear chaotic.
Students develop skills in prediction, decision making and reasoning.
Students are encouraged to discuss and deconstruct any activities they participate in.
Questioning and answering and collaborative discussion are essential components for
knowledge retention.
(Brooker & Kirk & Braiuka & Bransgrove, 2012 )
Game sense consists of 4 different categories that are grouped together based on their fundamental
movement and tactic skills, and the game rules.
- Invasion (e.g. Soccer, Football, Ultimate Frisbee)
- Strike/ Field (e.g. Volleyball, Tennis)
- Net/ Court/ Wall (e.g. Baseball, Softball)
- Target (e.g. Golf, Archery).

Game sense teaching sequence: This involves the different stages of activity creating and sporting play.
Following this sequence will allow for thorough knowledge retention and skill mastery:
- Warm-up.
- Starting game (e.g. group activity that involves the game skill and inclusion of all students).
- Question and answer time and setting of achievable goals.
- Practice task that allows students to develop skills in quick and tactical decision making.
- Game progression This level should essentially develop in progress to an full game of the selected sport.
Once students have mastered secondary activities and skills they should be able to play in a game where
the outcomes are unpredictable. Students will be able to increase their understanding and skills when made
to think quickly and act accordingly in order to achieve results.
- Q/A and Feedback The final procedure should involve a question and answer and feedback session,
even if it is short. Subsequently students will be able to build on their knowledge of the lesson and retain
information for future game settings.
(Australian Sports Curriculum, 2017)
 The most important component Fundamental skills are the essential
about Game Sense is that it is building blocks for sport, these
essentially student centered. Each include:
individual participates in the - Throwing
activities with an understanding - Catching
that their contributions are valued.
The teachers presence and - Jumping
contributions aim at guiding the - Striking
students through the activities. - Running
Allowing students to question, - Kicking
contemplate and change aspects - Agility
of the set activities will help build - Balance
their foundational knowledge and
fundamental skills. Games sense - Coordination
gives students the ability to move
competently and confidentially in
all types of environments.
(National Coaching Program, 2017)
 Explain to students that they are going to be participating in Oz tag and similar engaging activities We are going to suggest and extend
on game like scenarios for Oz tag, Has anyone heard of game sense? We are going to involve you in different activities that practice the
skills needed to play Oz tag.
Short Question and answer discussion. Could include discussions about past experiences (did anyone participate in a P.E lesson that about
learning skills such as passing and catching balls? How engaged or interested were you to participate?).
Explain the importance of being able to critically think when put under pressure in any sport. This could be done through a piggy in the
middle game two students throwing the ball to each other, then adding another student in the middle to intervene and a second student
in the middle to intervene. Did this make it harder to catch the ball? Were you put under pressure when it came to making a decision?
Warm up game Two players start in the middle with a row of students behind them and another row in front of them. The rows of students
will try to run past their peers in the middle, The students in the middle will try to de-tag as many players as possible from both rows. The de-
tagged students will join their peers in the middle and the game will continue until all players have been de-tagged. This activity will be
played twice.
Question and answer discussion about the activity. What tactics did you use in order to successfully run past your peers? Did you find it
hard to get to the other side of the gaming area? What tactics could you use in order to trick the de-tagging peers?
Practice activity BullRush with passing Like the initial game two students will start in the middle with a row of students in front and behind
them. The rows of students will try to run past their peers in the middle however, this time passing a ball sideways to their other team
members. The middle players will try to the players with the ball and if successful students need to restart from their side. The ball needs to
go from one end of the row to the other by the time the students reach the other side.
In-depth questioning and answer activity This will allow for greater retention for the activities that have been conducted. Students will be
able to make suggestions of any modifications for the next session. Students will need to discuss the different fundamental skills they have
used in the lesson. Ask students how they may improve their tactical game play for the next lesson?
These activities will continually progress for 2-3 sessions before students compete in an Oz tag game.
(Health Promotion, 2015)

Rationale:
Individuals lead a healthy lifestyle when they
live in an environment that allows them the
greatest chance of achieving and
maintaining mental, physical, social and
spiritual wellbeing. PDHPE programs play an
essential role in the development of student
knowledge, understandings and practical
skills. Game sense promotes the following
important PDHPE curriculum components:
- Encourages an understanding and valuing
of self and others
- Promotes physical activity
- Emphasizes informed decision making
- Enhances physical, cognitive, social and
emotional growth and development
patterns.
- Living and learning in a safe environment
- Promotes fundamental movement patterns
and coordinated actions of the body
- Develops skills that enable action for better
movement outcomes.
COS3.3 Communicates confidently in
a variety of situations.
DMS3.2 Makes informed decisions.
INS3.3 - Acts in ways that enhance the
contribution of self and others in a
range of cooperative situations.
MOS3.4 Refines and applies
movement skills creatively to a variety
of challenging situations.
PSS3.5 Suggests, considers and selects
appropriate alternatives when
resolving problems.
GSS3.8 Applies movement skills in
games and sports that require
communication, cooperation, decision
making and observation.
PDHPE SYLLABUS K-6 (Board of Studies, 2007).
 Game sense provides a socio-moral environment in which students are motivated to learn, encouraged to speak up and to
test ideas and solutions without fear of failure
Games sense pedagogies aim to motivate students to participate and set goals. Students are able to be confident during
gameplay and the use of question and answering discussions creates a safe and open learning environment. The student-
centered approach motivates self-determination and sees students developing their own contextual knowledge through
changing different aspects of an activity in order to succeed.
Students are able to build on the basic fundamental skills for any sport. Game sense provides opportunities to build on skills
and calculated decision making, whilst also being relevant to the developmental stages of a students learning.
The importance of this concept lies with its ability to encourage and motivate student participation. Teachers should create
an environment where students love rather than fear sport or competition. The success of game sense lies with its ability to
have students not ask when the actual game will be played, but rather enjoy and appreciate the prior activities. Students
reflect on their learning whilst also having collaborative discussions that enhance critical thinking skills.
Creativity, co-operation, discussion and collaboration are valued aspects of Game Sense. Students will be able to build skills,
retain information and develop quick and critical thinking skills due to these aspects.
- The teacher is a facilitator for explaining how the games work and then lets the students participate and experiment with
game play. Having the teacher not act as a coach will allow students to develop greater foundational knowledge and
build on fundamental movement skills.
- This approach focuses on inquiry based learning and allows students to create and build on their knowledge and skills while
actively participating in the game.

(Light & Curry & Mooney, 2014).

 References

Australian Sports Curriculum. (2017). Sporting Schools: Game Sense approach.

Retrieved from https://sportingschools.gov.au/resources-and-pd/schools/playing-for-
life-resources/game-sense-approach
Board of studies. NSW. (2007). Personal Development Health and Physcial Education
K-6 Syllabus. Sydney: Board of Studies.
Brooker, R., Kirk, D., Braiuka, S., & Bransgrove, A. (2012). Implementing a game sense
approach to teaching junior high school basketball in a naturalistic setting. European
Physical Education Review, 6(1), 7-26.
Health Promotion. (2015). Game Sense: Working towards Oz Tag and Touch Football
games. Retrieved from http://www.healthpromotion.com.au/HPS/Game_Sense.htm
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), 67-81.
National Coaching Certification Program. (2017). What are Fundamental Movement
Skills?: Learn to teach fundamental movement skills. Retrieved from
http://coach.ca/fundamental-movement-skills-s16736