Teachers' and students' perception of teaching game for understanding approach in physical education lessons

The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers' and students' perceptions toward the implementation of teaching games for understanding (TGFU) approach to teaching team handball lessons. The paper is intended to help serving teachers decide whether to adopt this approach in their teaching. The participants were five secondary physical education teachers and their secondary one to three students. The teachers were briefed the principles of the TGFU approach and instructed to teach with eight-lesson team handball unit lesson plans in TGFU approach. A post-teaching interview on their views of using the new approach was conducted with the teachers. Views of students on their perceptions toward the effectiveness of the instructional approach were obtained through the use of a questionnaire at the end of the unit. Results revealed that all teachers held positive views on TGFU approach. They were willing to adopt this approach in future as the students were more active and had more fun in the lessons. The students expressed they had learnt well by understanding more about the tactics and the rules of the games. The positive responses of teachers and students to TGFU have great implications for teacher education and development. Copyright © 2004 Department of Physical Education, Hong Kong Baptist University.