MISS FATIMA IDRIS THE GAME SENSE APPROACH

Class 4 S

GAME SENSE The Game Sense approach is an engaging and innovative method to

teaching physical education and coaching. It places the game at the centre of the session. It allows the player to develop their skills in a realistic setting, to become more tactically cautious, to make positive decisions and to have fun (Light 2012).

The approach is based on the perception that certain elements are common across a range of games and that teaching students these elements will enable them to be able to perform in the game with great understanding (Light, 2012).

GAME SENSE CONTINUED… The Game Sense Approach focuses on the actual game rather then

focusing on the discrete skills or techniques that other approaches see as an requirement before participating in a game.

It is only though focusing on the game that an individual’s skills can be developed (Slade, 2015).

GAME SENSE EXAMPLESA game sense approach uses invasion games that are usually played within a shared area (Light, 2012).

Examples of invasion games include soccer, OZ tag, touch football, and netball.

FUNDAMENTAL MOVEMENT SKILLS The fundamental movement skills will allow me as a teacher to maximise

the health and wellbeing of my year four class. The fundamental movement skills relates to been able to enable the health

and wellbeing of all children through enhancing their involvement in physical activity (Jaakkola, Yli-Piipari, Huotari, Watt, & Liukkonen, 2016).

Encouraging the proficiency in fundamental movement skills will allow children to become confident when participating in physical activity elements such as sports, play, dance, games and outdoor education.

Fundamental movement skills aim to meet the physical, social, emotional, cultural, spiritual and cognitive needs of all children as well as their movement skills.

RATIONALE.. I believe that the Game Sense Approach is a holistic model which

focuses on an individuals physical, social and intellectual skills. All children will be able to engage in games without having to worry about developing a skill that is required for a certain game. For this reason, the Game Sense Approach will be suitable to implement with my stage 2, year 4 class. After every game I will allow 4s to reflect on their participation in the game which will allow them to reflect back on their learning experiences.

STRENGTHS!! A strength of the game sense approach is that its main focus is for students to play

games and enjoy themselves. This is positive as it will allow me to help my year 4 class lead a healthy and active lifestyle. 

The game sense approach will help my students develop leadership and planning skills. It also aims to develop their social skills such as their verbal and non verbal communications. This will be done through the engaging elements of Game Sense.

The Game Sense approach aids students to develop other skills, like decision making, problem solving and strategies to use in games.

Another strength of the Game Sense approach is that it links well with the PDHPE NSW syllabus for stage 2, year 4 (Board of Studies, 2007). The Game Sense approach meets outcomes GSS2.8, GDS2.9 and PHS2.12 (Board of Studies, 2007).

REFERENCESBoard of Studies, NSW. (2007). Personal development, health and physical education K-6: Syllabus. Sydney, Australia: Author.

Jaakkola, T., Yli-Piipari, S., Huotari, P., Watt, A. and Liukkonen, J. (2016), Fundamental movement skills and physical fitness as predictors of physical activity: A 6-year follow-up study. Scand J Med Sci Sports, 26: 74–81. doi:10.1111/sms.12407

Light, R. (2012). Game Sense. : Taylor and Francis.

Slade, D. G. (2015). Constraining to be flexible: Teaching the concept of flexible team structure through a game sense approach. New Zealand Physical Educator, 48(2), 31-32