Rethinking the teaching of games and sports
Physical education, and specifically the teaching of games and sports, has had some significant changes in the last forty years. In this time, syllabus content has shifted from a teacher directed approach of skill drill practices to a more student-centred approach where students explore different ways of moving in order to investigate quality performance. The teacher-directed approach focuses on developing sport specific skills and using a linear approach, moving from simple to complex skills for teaching games. This approach also focuses on the establishment of patterns of play through drills to teach students the way a game will unfold enabling them to participate effectively in the game. PDHPE teachers will know that participation in these skill drills does not necessarily lead to effective and successful participation for many students.
It is important to understand that all games and sports have tactics, strategies and techniques which players need to master before they can effectively participate in that game. The Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) model, sometimes called Game Sense, is based on the principle that there are generic concepts associated with a range of games that can be learnt and understood at a general level and then transferred to specific games more easily.
Click on the links below to further explore the teaching of games in physical education.
General game concepts
Games categories
Sample lessons
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