Scope
Bunker and Thorpe (1986) describe the Teaching
Games for Understanding approach as game-centered games teaching where
the WHY of game playing is taught before the HOW of skills to play the game.
This process involves teaching children a modified or simplified game
that is suitable for their physical, social, and mental development. In
such a game, children gain an appreciation for the demands of an adult game.
This appreciation helps the children to realize tactical awareness
of how to play a game to gain advantage over their
opponents.
Our four lesson unit plan has been designed for a grade
9 and 10 split, male physical education class. However, many of
the mini games and drills in our unit plan can be effectively executed
by both male and female participants, from beginner to expert levels of
ability, by making extensions or refinements to rules, space, and equipment.
The aim our unit is to use a tactical approach to
improve student performance, which involves combining tactical awareness
and skill execution (Hopper, 2000).
- ability to make contact with
the ball
- ability to forearm pass, set,
hit, and block with inconsistent outcomes
- ability to score
- general knowledge of rules and
concepts
- Exit ability
- increased tactical awareness
and skill execution
- improved consistency with forearm
pass, set, hit, and block
- increased length of rallies
- improved court communication
skills and confidence
