The development of two secondary physical education teachers in learning to implement of the Teaching Games for Understanding approach in teaching

There is a considerable growth of interest in adopting teaching games for understanding (TGfU) approach in teaching physical education. Studies showed that there might be difficulties when implementing this approach. The purpose of this study was to examine two secondary physical education teachers’ perceptions toward the implementation of teaching games for understanding approach to teaching during their professional development. Two secondary physical education teachers were briefed the principles of the TGfU approach and instructed to teach with an eight-lesson team handball unit lesson plans in TGfU approach when they were in the final practicum of their teacher training. Reflective journals of their teaching lessons were collected as to indicate the difficulties when implementing the approach. A post-teaching interview on their views and experience of using the approach was also conducted. After five years of being secondary physical education teachers, they were interviewed again on their perceptions towards the implementation of the TGfU during this five-year period. Data generated were compared to those being collected five years ago. Results revealed that they held positive views on TGfU approach. Understanding more about the approach would help their implementation of the approach. However, they raised that class management and school facilities were the determining factors of adopting the approach. The teachers’ perceptions toward the implementation of TGfU have implications for teacher education and promotion of the teaching approach.