Adding My Two Cents $$: 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.