Introduction

This is a Lacrosse unit consisting of four lessons taught to a grade 7 Physical Education class.  It is based on the Sport Education model and Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU), with an emphasis on inclusion.  The majority of the unit consists of small games that focus on tactical awareness and sport appreciation, while developing skills to lead into a larger game of End-Ball.  This structure of play is important in developing motivation for students to want to participate and learn, therefore getting more out of the class.

We chose the TGfU approach of learning tactical awareness through modified territory/invasion games instead of focusing on specific skill development because TGfU engages students cognitively to think about their game, which then leads to better performance through enhanced decision making (Alexander and Penney, 2005).  TGfU questions the structure and tactics of the game before learning the specific skills (Hopper, 1998).  Therefore, the approach of TGfU is game centered instead of skill centered, placing the importance on learning tactics that will transfer from one game to another within the same category (Hopper, 1998).  It is also more fun for students to learn tactics and improve skill through playing modified games, as opposed to developing skill through blocked practice.

We found the Sport Education model to be beneficial in affective and psychomotor abilities, which complement and draw on cognitive learning from playing modified games.  The Sport Education model engages students to develop skills, strategies, and knowledge about the rules and traditions of Lacrosse by creating a team setting with roles and responsibilities.  Therefore, Sport Education influences student learning in the affective domain by making sport relevant to students’ lives.  This is done by reproducing and emphasizing both the physical activity of sports as well as social behaviour such as team co-operation, individual roles, and sportsmanship, which make sport fun in the community (Kirk, 2006).  Students are encouraged to take on a role within their team, such as a coach or an official, giving them responsibility and therefore a feeling of place on the team, regardless of their skill ability.

The Lacrosse unit is wrapped up with a TGfU/Sport Education model amalgamation, through a clinic/game day structure of alternating End Ball and tactical development through modified games.  This hybrid model has been regarded as keeping the Education within the Sport by working on tactics and skill between larger games (Alexander and Penney, 2005).   We chose to include the clinic within the game day so that students can work on defensive strategies, and then have an opportunity to use it within larger game setting on the same day.

In regards to assessment, the GPAI is used, which will allow teachers to see not only individual skill levels but also to modify their teaching based on the needs of the students as seen in the assessment. Also, by working in peers, students will be self-testing specific skills and recording the results. Teachers will be able to see evidence of student’s decision making skills despite different skill levels in a classroom. Congruently, teaching can also be assessed with a time-on-task form and  stopwatch for an analysis of how long students are engaged in activity and how much time is being spent on organization and teacher lecture.

This unit is related to the games category in the grade 7 IRP (BC IRP).  In regards to the psychomotor domain, students will learn movement skills such as sending, receiving, invading, and retaining possession.  Cognitively, students will use skills to solve tactical problems in learning offensive and defensive strategies, through a questioning process in playing small games.  Inclusion is a key factor in developing personal and social responsibility within the affective domain.  This is fostered through small games in a grid format, as well as through establishing individual roles in a Sport Education model.

References

Alexander, K. & Penney, D. (2005). Teaching under the influence: feeding Games for Understanding into the Sport Educatio

           

            development-refinement cycle. Physical Education & Sport Pedagogy, 10:3, 287-301 (Full Text)

British Columbia Integrated Resource Package (BC IRP) Physical Education K-7 (Jan 20, 1999). Accessed Nov 20, 2007, from

            Ministry of Education, http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/irp/pek7/petoc.htm

Hopper, T. (1998). Teaching games for understanding using progressive principles of play. CAHPERD Journal, Autumn, 4-7.

Kirk, D. (2006). Sport Education, critical pedagogy, and learning theory: Toward an intrinsic justification for physical education and

            youth sport. National Association for Kinesiology and Physical Education in Higher Education, 58, 255-264.

Metzler, M. W. (2005). Instructional models for physical education (2nd ed.). Scottsdale, AZ: Holcomb Hathaway.

Mitchell, S. A., Oslin, J. L. & Griffin, L. L. (1997). Teaching sport concepts and skills: A Tactical games approach (2nd ed.).

            Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. 

Piltz, W. (2006). Teaching lacrosse using games based play principles. Asia Pacific Conference on Teaching Sport and Physical

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