Trouble Dribbling a Soccer Ball?

Teaching Games for Understanding

      When teaching children the game of soccer they may have many difficulties if you are to throw them into an "adult" style of soccer game, being the type of soccer we are used to on a large field. Children will run into many tactical problems including: spacial awareness, offense vs defense, speed, agility, footwork/dribbling, and ball possession. I am going to use the TGFU model to assist in the demonstration of footwork and dribbling. You can do this with each tactical problem until the students are able to fully understand the concept of soccer and all the strategies that go along with it. Here are a few games that you can use to assist children in footwork and dribbling:

Red Light - Green Light

     Allow the space to be big enough that there is enough room but not too big that there is an issue with spacial awareness. As the children become better with this game and are able to understand it more, you may spread it out and make the space larger to make it a little bit more difficult for them. 

     The only equipment needed is soccer balls but you may include cones later on to again increase the difficulty level. The teacher will yell out RED LIGHT in which the player will have to stop the soccer ball immediately by placing their foot on top of the soccer ball. When GREEN LIGHT is yelled out, they would have to begin running with the soccer ball and dribbling it through the open space.  To mix it up you can set up cones and have the players run around the cones, this will have them controlling their dribbles to avoid hitting them. You can also incorporate YELLOW LIGHT which will have them dribbling slower than the green light and using more technique.

Get Outta Here

     With this game you also only want to use as much space as necessary according to the number of children involved. You want to set this game up in a soccer-like formation but a much smaller version with the gym lines indicating where the playing field is "out" and two cones on either end that indicate each team's goal.

     You start by splitting the children up into two teams just like in a game of soccer. The instructor will stand on the sideline approximately centered between the two goals (as indicated by the yellow dot). One team will stand to the teachers right, the other to the left. The teacher is to kick the ball into the center of the field, in play, and yell GET OUTTA HERE and one member from each team is to run out and try and gain possession of the ball, dribbling it to the end necessary and shooting in order to obtain a goal. To make it more difficult and high paced you can have both the full teams (or half teams) going at a time. 

Make sure the children are able to have fun as well as understand the game you are trying to teach. This will make for a better game play as well as assisting them with the skills and tactical problem solutions that they will need for future soccer games!

Teaching Games For Understanding

 

THE TGFU MODEL!

     The Teaching Games for Understanding (TGFU) Model was developed due to the negative results found in the Traditional Model. It is centered around the students and being able to get them motivated and able to see the desired outcome prior to learning the actual skills of the game. This allows them to become more aware of the reasoning behind learning these skills and how to play. TGFU helps children to see a connection between the two more easily. In using this model, physical activity, engagement, and a better understanding of the games will be encouraged.

     The TGFU model also helps to create an environment to benefit all students. If you have ever taught games to a group before, you will understand that some acquire skills more easily than others and this can cause conflict and even worse, self-consciousness. Children who don't believe that they are as good as someone else tend not to get involved and participate as much in fear of not doing well. This model helps whomever is teaching to be able to modify parts of the game in order to meet the children's individual needs. Through interaction in these modified games, children will learn of the strategic problems involved in the activity and will be able to give some input also making them feel more involved. This way, all different skills are required for each modification and children with different skill levels will be able to play at the same level as one another.

     

  

     There are four categories of games that are used within this model. Each category involves similar tactics, goals, skills and rules making it simple for children to categorize games, giving them a better understanding of what to expect.

TARGET GAMES:

     The purpose of target games is to accurately throw an object at a target in order to achieve a desired score. Target games would include curling, bowling, golf and pool. By incorporating the TGFU model, you would create modifications combining some of these. Examples of this being; frisbee golf, lawn bowling, etc.
Tactics used within this style of game include:

• control over your ball or object
• accuracy of where your ball or object is to go
• speed needed to obtain your goal
• planning prior to hitting or throwing
• making it more difficult for your opponent to obtain their goal if possible

Tactical Problems: students may not be able to obtain aim or accuracy if the target is too far away. This can make target games very difficult. In using the TGFU model you can bring the target closer or incorporate bigger balls etc in order to help the student in achieving their desired goal.

BATTING/FIELDING/RUN SCORING GAMES:
     These types of games include offensive and defensive teams. The offensive team is to hit a ball so that it avoids the opposing team. The defensive teams job is to stop the offensive teams objective from happening and not allow the ball to reach the designated area. These types of games would include baseball, kickball and cricket.
Tactics used within this style of game include:

• spacial awareness (of ball and players)
• being offensive as well as defensive
• timing of hitting, catching, or stopping the ball or object
• anticipation of where the ball or players are going to go
• keeping the game within a designated area
• accuracy of throwing or hitting

Tactical Problems: students may not be able to anticipate where a ball or player is going to go, causing much difficulty. Example:  in baseball if you are batting, you must try and predict where the best place for the ball to go would be, accuracy, and after hitting, predicting how many bases you will be able to run to and where the ball is going to be thrown to). Using the TGFU we can modify baseball games to assist in these anticipations ie. smaller playing field, less people etc.

NET/WALL GAMES:
     The objective of this type of game is to get a ball or object into the opposing teams designated area without return. Examples of this would be volleyball, tennis, or badminton.
Tactics used within this style of game include:

• get the ball/object to your opponents goal
• using anticipation
• ability to be offensive as well as defensive
• spacial awareness (where other players are, where your boundaries are)
• timing of passing, shooting, or hitting the object or ball

Tactical Problems: students may not be aware of all these strategies, their main focus being on scoring so they will just try to go as fast as possible to try and score not using their teammates, timing or spacial awareness as a strategy.

INVASION/TERRITORY GAMES:
     The goal of invasion and territory games is to score a desired amount of points in a given time frame while invading the opposing teams set boundaries or territory. Invasion games tend to be the most strategic as you must be able to get the ball/object across a specific line or target. These types of games include: football, hockey and soccer.
Tactics used within this style of game include:

• spacial awareness (positioning of players vs. ball)
• using speed and agility to attack the goal
• footwork to attempt to score
• gaining/losing/repossession of the object/ball
• dodging other players
• changing between offensive and defensive plays

Tactical Problems: the biggest difficulty in this style of game is spacial awareness and the ability to be able to predict where the desired ball or object is going to be placed. In order to solve this tactical problem, the teacher must be able to assist the student by beginning the game in a smaller playing field, having them be aware of body placement whether they are being offensive or defensive, and help to create a better understanding of what it is you want to achieve as a player. By being more aware of what you want to get out of each movement or as a goal in the games entirety, students will be able to learn to be aware of where they are in position of the playing field, other players and the ball.

     In using this model, you will be able to emphasize on a game where tactics and strategy are used within your modified games. It is important to make sure the games played include many transferable skills such as spacial awareness, anticipation and dodging. This will get the children motivated in developing new skills and a better appreciation for the tasks at hand. 

TGFU will assist in creating a better game 

environment for all of the children involved!!

Game Ideas for Leaders!!!

No matter the age group you are working with, please remember that including cooperation into the game is very important. By playing games that require the students to work together, you are ensuring that children are not being left out during the activity!

For Elementary Students:

      Monsters Inc. Musical Chairs:

     Everyone knows how to play the classical game of

 musical chairs but this is a version of it that young 

children will love. It is geared towards Kindergarten 

students to about grade 2 or 3. Most children have 
seen the movie "Monsters, Inc." if they have not, just                                               

explain to them that they are going to all be little 

monsters and will be jumping into closets. There will 

be hula hoops laid out around the gym floor and they 

will all have to run around these hoops (hopping, 

skipping, jumping etc.) while music plays in the 

background (maybe some monster-like music to get 

the kids excited!) When the music stops, they are to 

jump into one of the closets (a hula hoop) and 

GRRRRRR or RAWRRRR like a monster. 

     Throughout the game, the teacher/leader will be 

removing "closets" so that there is no longer one 

closet/child. In order to keep children from getting 

excluded in this game it is important to let them all 

know prior to playing that they should be inviting other 

children into the same closet as them if there are not 

any left for them. To get them motivated to do so, 

you can tell them that the more monsters they have 

to "GRRRRR" the more bottles of screams they can 

fill (like in the movie).

KIDS LOVE IT WHEN YOU INCORPORATE 

OBJECTS OR SHOWS THAT THEY LIKE!!

Equipment Needed:

Hula Hoops - as many as there is children to begin with

CD Player- preferably a monsters inc soundtrack or something similar.

Secret Handshake:

This is a great game for children to get to know each other

better or even just a fun game that incorporates teamwork! It

is geared towards elementary children grade 3 to 5. At the

beginning of the class, students will be paired up. They

pair will then pull three words or phrases out of a bag that

the teacher has previously put together. Using all three

of these words or phrases (ie. crab walk, hands, feet) , the 

duo will then have 5 minutes to come up with a "secret 

handshake" using all three, in any order that they please. 

The students must use cooperation with this game and need

to be able to repeat this handshake at least three times prior

to their 5 minutes being up. At the end, all students will have 

a chance to show off the secret handshake that they have

come up with to the rest of the class. It is a very fun game for 

yourself and the other children to see what kind of creativity

was put into each of these handshakes.

COOPERATION IS KEY!

Equipment Needed:

A timer  or clock to keep track of the 5 minute mark

A whistle to signify when they have run out of time

A bag full of phrases/words prepared prior to class
(This depends of the amount of students, 3/pair)  

For High School Students:

        Survivor:

      This game is derived from the series on TV about having

to work together as a team in order to win challenges and

move further towards winning a set amount of money. To 

incorporate this into a gym activity you would begin by 

dividing your students into four teams which will be the "tribes"

(do more tribes if it is a very large group). The idea behind

it is that the tribes are stranded throughout the "wilderness"

(the gym), and are given only the essentials: 4 challenge

cards, 1 raft (mat), 1 arrow (ball), 5 logs (noodle pieces), 

and whatever it is you have for equipment that they could 

build a "shelter" with. An obstacle course of your choice 

will need to be set up in advance for the tribes to go through

(make sure it is a large enough course as to not make it 

too easy regarding the age you are working with).

    The tribes all have 30 mins to complete the challenge 

cards given in order to gain the resources of water, food, 

fire and shelter in order to survive. They can be obtained 

in any order and once the time is up, the tribes who have 

successfully completed all challenges will move on to the

final Survivor team challenge!! In this challenge, the tribes 

must use their cooperation skills to get all members

through the obstacle course as fast as they can. The first 

team to have every member at the end will be the 

"Sole Survivors!"

A VERY FUN AND EXCITING GAME

WHERE NO ONE WILL BE EXCLUDED!

Equipment Needed:

16 Challenge Cards (4 food, 4 water, 4 fire, and 4 shelter)

4 Soft balls, small-med sized

4 large water jugs/containers

4 pictures of food

4 pictures of fire

4 gym mats

12 jump ropes

4 sets of 2 small cones with rope spread from one cone to the other

and whatever equipment you have available to create 4 "shelters"

Please note that the obstacle course created can be changed around to whatever equipment is available or what you believe your students would like best.

Mystery Puzzle Race:        

The objective of this game is to split up the class into 6 teams

and have them work together in order to finish the tasks. The tasks

will include both physical and intellectual abilities. There will be cones 

set up throughout the gym and under each cone will have an index card

with  a physical activity on one side (ie. 25 jumping jacks), and  a 

vocab word that has to do with a sport  (ie. home run or a bump etc.)

6 Hula Hoops will be placed around the gym and each team

will be given  their own coloured hoop. This will act as the teams

"base" and after performing each task found under a cone, 

they must have all team members back to the hoop prior to 

going on to the next cone/task. In order to promote teamwork,

the teams must link each member while leaving the hoop. If

this link is broken they must go back and try again. As well,

at each cone, the physical activity must be completed by ALL

members prior to looking at the vocab question. If you need 

to make the game more difficult you can try moving the cones

around the gym so it takes longer for teams to find the task they

have not yet completed. The first group to do all tasks is 

considered the group winner of the game!

GREAT FOR YOUNGER HIGH SCHOOL GRADES!

Equipment Needed:

15-20 cones (depending on the difficulty required)

15-20 index cards (depending on the number of cones)

6 Hula Hoops, all different colours

6 Score Cards with all 15-20 tasks on them (so students can keep track)

**ALWAYS REMEMBER TO TALK TO YOUR STUDENTS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF COOPERATION AND HOW WORKING AS A TEAM WILL BENEFIT EVERYONE **

Cooperation vs. Competition

     Cooperation is an important part to our well-being. Unfortunately it has been overcome by the need for competition by all ages. In an article by Perry W. Buffington, he describes the studies done by psychiatrists to back up this idea. I agree with the concept he is trying to get across and I believe that as adults, we should be enabling children to use this concept with one another. Even though competition may be good in small doses, the lack of cooperation among individuals is causing a huge decline in people's self-esteem and can have a negative effect on them both physically and psychologically.

 
 To be better is to work with others and not against them. This means supporting one another, working as a team and sharing leadership. All of these things in combination, can create a "better" being and can have a positive influence on others lives. As I stated, competition may be needed as well. Competition is the force that can drive people to work hard towards a goal. However, too much of this causes people to do whatever it takes to get there, even if it means stepping on other people to get there.


      Competition can decrease your self-esteem which can affect grades,our social interaction and our overall mental being whereas cooperation can raise this and create a mental "high" in which we feel good about ourselves and towards others. Games played by children should not be based on competition or include elimination. Working well together is what they should be based on. In order to create that drive caused by competition, you may want to play games with them where you can win or lose as a team. That way children are not winning or losing as an individual, but rather cooperating and working well together in order to win.

     The same goes for elite sports in school. It singles those out who may work well with others but not necessarily scoring goals or winning. Not making this team after trying so hard can harm their self esteem greatly. Any sports teams should be more about cooperating in order to do well AS A TEAM, even if you don't win.

     All together, cooperation is key in providing our children with a great future, not only for them but also for others. They will achieve higher grades in school, participate more in activities, be more social, and be happier on a day-to-day basis.  If we start out while they are young, they will mature with this concept and do very well throughout high school, university, in their career, and in life.

Try using these methods of cooperation today. 

It's never too late to start!

Physical Education Links!!

Finding Games for Children to Play

     Mr. Gym is a website created in 2004 by a teacher for other teachers as well as those who are interested in forming group activities. The purpose of the website is not just to serve as an information base for others to view but also to allow other teachers to give their input on activities and add more games to the website. It is continuously growing and acting as a great resource for physical educators. If you have found or created a game that you believe should be shared with others, you are able to contact the site and have it put on for others too see. For those of you who are interested in using this site, it is very well-designed to be user friendly. Games are located on the left hand side of the screen and are grouped into different types. There are also categories by grade which can be useful if you are working with a specific age group. The games introduced are very fun looking activities and include descriptions as well as the age group they are geared for. Overall, this site is useful for those physical education instructors who are looking to organize a fun game for children.

                                                                                                                          http://www.mrgym.com/

     PE Central is a more professional site than the previous. It is not created by one teacher but in fact a board of managing editors and advisers with experience in game creation. It is not as user friendly but it sets itself apart from other physical education web sites by stating on games how to adapt the game if you are working with children who may have a disability. I think it is a great way for teachers to find games where everyone may be included no matter the circumstance. There is also a larger list of games in comparison to other cites. PE central is not only a site containing lesson plans for physical education classes but also ways of assessment  adaptation ideas, class management, and an online shopping link to buy equipment that may be needed.

http://www.pecentral.org

     


     Fun-Attic is a unique website. It has games that are not commonly played as well as original equipment that has an icon next to each item that is able to be used by disabled children. they are very customer-orientated and post emails with comments/concerns regarding their website. They are geared towards creating a fun and interactive gaming environment for children. Instead of their readers being mainly PE teachers, they are also trying to get parents interested and involved as well as the children. They have an interesting idea in order to keep people coming back to their site by creating a "game of the month" for educators or parents to check out! 

http://www.funattic.com