Teaching Games for Understanding (TFfU)

Question 1

what is natural learning (wright 2004)

Answer 1

• much learning in games play in instinctive
• many players have learned the game by watching, copying, trying out
• as a result, players with methods based on instinct and improvisation and without the fear of failure have emerged

Question 2

what are instructional models

Answer 2

• they refer to a comprehensive and coherent plan for teaching:
  
  • a theoretical foundation
  • a statement of intended learning outcomes
  • analysis of teachers’ content knowledge expertise
  • developmentally appropriate and sequenced learning activities
  • expectations for teacher and student behaviours
  • unique task structures
  • measures of learning outcomes
  • mechanisms for measuring the faithful implementation of the model itself (evaluation)

Question 3

why was TGfU started

Answer 3

• large percentage of children achieving little success due to the emphasis on practising skills without authentic context and thinking
• too many school leavers ‘knowing’ very little about games
• the production of supposedly ‘skilful’ players who in fact possess inflexible techniques and poor decision making capacity
• the development of teacher/coach dependent performers
• the failure to develop ‘thinking’ spectators and ‘knowing’ administrators at a time when games (and sport) are an important form of entertainment in the leisure industry
• bunker and thorpe 1982,1986

Question 4

what are the essential elements of TGfU

Answer 4

• in contrast to the traditional direct instruction, TGfU emphasis the development of cognitive factors (i.e. tactical knowledge and decision making in the development of sport expertise)
• games are conducted to suit the student’s skills and experiences
• skill learning is tied to developing tactical knowledge
• tactical problems are foregrounded within learning tasks
• students are given multiple opportunities to problem solve and practice the appropriate tactical response
• Harvey, Gill Arias and Claver 2020

Question 5

what are teaching games for understanding

Answer 5

• develops student’s creativity and tactical ability
• game 1 -> questions -> practice -> game 2
• activities are representative of the performance context and not just discrete skills
• greater levels of understanding gives young people more practical knowledge, and therefore increased levels of intrinsic motivation (Blair and Capel 2019)

Question 6

how do the traditional model and TGfU compare

Answer 6

• traditional model
  
  • warm up
  • skill practice
  • drills
  • minor game / game practice
  • cool down / review
• TGfU
  
  • warm up
  • purposeful game
  • how can we do it better?
  • back to a game
  • progressions of the game
  • repeat cycle using the progressive games
  • cool down / review

Question 7

what is declarative knowledge

Answer 7

concerned with facts, game rules, aims terminology etc

Question 8

what is procedural knowledge

Answer 8

knowledge ‘used to generate action’ e.g. tactics

Question 9

what is strategic knowledge

Answer 9

higher level of procedural knowledge

Question 10

what are some recent key research findings about TGfU

Answer 10

• teachers and students perceptions of the attractions and drawbacks of using the model
  
  • teachers appreciate the benefits of TGfU for student learning (Blair and Capel 2019)
  • students believe they learn more about the game-greater effort (Harvey, Gill Arias and Claver 2020)
  • TGfU can engage students regardless of skill level or gender (Harvey and Jarrett 2014)
  • major reviews suggest good evidence for the transfer of tactical understanding
  • but, both pre- and post- service teachers experience difficulty implementing new pedagogies of TGfU (Casey 2014)

Question 11

what are the different game categories and their aims

Answer 11

• target
  
  • scoring when players successfully throw or strike an object closer to a target than opponents
• net and wall
  
  • playing an unreturnable shot
  • all players must serve and receive the ball
  • target for scoring is on a playing surface
• striking and fielding
  
  • concept of scoring by striking a ball into open spaces
  • fielders being strategically placed to prevent runs from being scored
• invasion
  
  • tactical features involving invading territory to make space
  • containment of a space in defence
  • use of a goal (or similar) in scoring

Question 12

what are different factors that need to be take into account to use TGfU

Answer 12

• intended learning outcomes
• content and teaching environment
• student developmental stage and readiness
• student learning preferences
• domain priorities
• task structure and organisational patterns
• sequencing of learning tasks
• assessment of learning outcomes
• assessment of instructional practices
• Metzler 2017

Question 13

what did O’connor, alfrey and penney 2022 discover

Answer 13

• rethinking the classification of games and sports in physical education
• challenge the purely adversarial outlook of previous game categorisations
• note that the majority of lifetime sports and physical activities are not the traditional games played in schools
• inclusion of lap or circuit sports, route or journey sports, rush or action sports, stunts or tricking sports and rhythmic or aesthetic sports
• sports are frequently played with each other rather than against each other
• original meaning of the word ‘competition’ - with rather than against each other
• and therefore, also need a different set of ‘objectives’ and ‘tactics’ to learn
• students working with each other to get from ‘couch to 5k / park run’
• working together to complete a bike ride by taking positions at the front
• teaching each other tricks in skate boarding, BMX or tactics to master a climbing wall
• playing and refereeing self organised games like streetball or ultimate frisbee