Farhaanah Ahmad-Jamaldeen 17794653

What is game sense?

Game Sense was developed for coaching through collaboration between Rod Thorpe, the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) and Australian coaches (Light, 2004 as cited in Curry & Light, 2007). The game sense takes a student-centred approach as it allows individual students to develop their own skills and understandings, while being actively involved in the game (Light, 2013). It focuses on the game itself and not on separate skills or techniques that traditional approaches see as needing to be mastered before playing the game.

Fundamental movement skills + game sense

The game sense approach allows for the development of fundamental movement skills which are basically the building blocks for movement.

Fundamental movement skills are the skills which children need, to participate successfully in all types of games, physical activities and sports.

The basic approach of Game Sense is to start with simple games in which the stress on technique is reduced; this allows players to engage intellectually in the game. As the players develop a better understanding of tactics and strategy, the complexity of the game is increased, to build on previously developed knowledge in a progressive sequence (Zuccolo et al., 2014).

Categories of Game sense

There are four different categories evident in the game sense approach. These include:

invasion games e.g. soccer, touch, netball target games e.g. golf, archery, bowls court and net games e.g. volleyball, tennis, badminton striking and fielding games e.g. cricket, softball

(Curry & Light, 2007, p. 22)

Benefits of using the game sense approach

The game sense approach asks the students to perform in an environment where there is problem-solving, decision-making, skill development and tactics developed throughout the

lesson. Decision-making is an extremely important skill, not just at school, but also outside, in order that a person can function in a variety of situations. Using game sense in PE builds this

skill and helps a student develop.

This approach allows students to improve their social skills, cognitive skills, conflict resolution skills and self-expression. It is highly effective as a teaching approach as students learn

particular skills and understand the rules of the game while playing it rather than learning everything beforehand.

Using game sense as a teaching approach

This approach allows students to improve their social skills, cognitive skills, conflict resolution skills and self-expression. It is highly effective as a teaching approach as students learn particular skills and understand the rules of the game while playing it rather than learning everything beforehand.

Besides keeping children active and moving throughout the entire PE lesson, the game sense approach provides motivation within participants of all skill levels. As these type of games can be modified from something quite simple to more complex, it teaches the children to adapt and strategise new tactics with the modified parts of the game.

ReferencesCurry, C., & Light, R. (2007). Addressing the NSW quality teaching framework in physical education: Is Game Sense the answer.

In Proceedings of the Asia Pacific Conference on Teaching Sport and Physical Education for Understanding.

Light, R. (2013). Game sense for physical education and sport coaching. In Game sense: Pedagogy for performance,

participation and enjoyment (pp. 37-47). London, UK: Routledge.

Zuccolo, A., Spittle, M., & Pill, S. (2014). Game Sense Research in Coaching: Findings and Reflections.University of Sydney

Papers in HMHCE–Special Games Sense Edition.