Issue/Focus

This article describes how a team of Physical Education professionals at Connah’s Quay High School have developed and implemented a games curriculum for the 11-16 age group based on an ‘understanding’ approach.

Reasoning

The Author describes the content and layout of the games element at their particular high school. This includes: 1.a ‘block’ plan for years 1-5 focusing on invasion, net/wall and striking games, 2.a general description of how they teach games throughout the curriculum, 3.the program progression from years 1-5, and 4.a description of the ‘games making’ aspect of the program.

The program in years one and two is mostly concerned with understanding the basic principles of the three types of games and developing a wide variety of skills. The emphasis is based on playing games and learning principles of play and tactics. The games used in this context are usually a variety of small sided, uneven sided and game-like situations that represent principles of the traditional ‘adult’ versions. Traditional practicing of skills is only used when they are necessary for progress to take place. Boys and girls participate in the same classes in the first two years because they can still compete on an equal physical basis.

In the third year boys and girls are segregated for invasion and striking games because the department feels that the increasing speed and strength of the boys is an unfair match for the girls. They also feel that segregation in certain sports gives a better reflection of sport outside the school curriculum. The blocks become more specialized, but the lesson approach is still one of understanding situations, decision making and execution. The third year is also used to introduce the importance of the rules of each specific sport and how they can modify the basic principles and tactics studied in the first two years.

In the fourth year students select one or two games from each category in which they wish to specialize. Emphasis is still placed on principles and tactics, but all students have the opportunity to referee, organize, play and coach. Students are also encouraged to build their skills as informed spectators.

By the fifth year in this games program students are able to make rational decisions about their involvement… some specialize in one sport, others play multiple games, some coach or referee and a few take up alternative activity.

Games making has become part of the curriculum and is slowly introduced to the students as their responsibility grows. In years one and two, creating games is a small part of the standard blocks of work; by year three, the students are offered separate blocks dedicated strictly to games making. These games are either created for themselves, for younger students, or for use when studying for such courses as the ‘Community Sports Leader Award’.

Assumptions

The author of this article (and co-designer of this program) seems to assume that no students want or need to learn target games. The entire games program is exclusive to invasion, net/wall and striking games. Secondly, the segregation of boys and girls into sports that “give a better reflection of sport outside the school curriculum” seems to be a bit presumptuous. For instance, in year 3 the boys are offered soccer while the girls get ‘netball’. The boys also get softball and the girls get ‘stoolball’. I don’t exactly know what stoolball is, but I’m willing to bet that there are some girls in the program that would love to play soccer or softball.

Conclusion

After reading this article I found out that some schools are actually developing an ‘understanding’ approach within their games curriculums (so far everything seems so theoretical). It was interesting to read how this particular school went about introducing such an innovative method to teaching phys ed and just how they get from small sided games to the adult version in a 5 year program.

Significant Information

I think that the most useful information that this article has to offer is how the ‘understanding’ approach has been developed into a progression through the 5 year program. The introduction to understanding situations, decision making and execution in games seems like it is well developed through the five years and leads nicely into the ‘adult’ game. Also, the emphasis on rules, refereeing, coaching and games making, all help to maximize the students’ understanding of the sports.

Personal Comments

The ‘teaching for understanding’ approach that Connah’s Quay High School has developed for their games curriculum seems to be well thought out except for the lack of target games and the gender issue. The program is relatively new (within 4 years of the article) and so I wonder if it is practical in its application or if it is only good in theory. Time will tell.