Games sense approach to improving fundamental motor skills

Children in a rural city in northern New South Wales were measured in their efficiency level performance for five fundamental motor skills. Twenty-eight children with an average age of 11 years were assessed using the NSW Get Skilled Get Active skill checklist (2000). Two students performed two skills at the 'mastery' level - the sprint and the two handed strike. Based on the recommendation that 240-600 minutes of instructional time is required to master one skill, (NSW Get Skilled Get Active 2000:79) a 'needs based' selection process was instigated to take one skill and provide a remedial intervention unit of work. Soccer was the sport of choice for the majority of students (n=8) and therefore it was determined the kick was the priority skill for this group to improve. The pre-test scores revealed zero students assessed at the mastery level for the kick and one student was at the near mastery level. Near mastery level is attained when all but one component of the skill is evident. The Games Sense approach was selected as the intervention for physical education lessons. This approach was selected to maintain high motivation for the students and to test the efficacy of the strategies of the Game Sense approach as a method of improving the kick. More specifically, the children were involved in two lessons of 45 minutes for six weeks. This resulted in a total of 540 minutes of instructional time focusing on the skills associated with soccer. Post testing resulted in an improvement in the level of mastery performance of the kick with 6 children at mastery level and 15 at near mastery level. Implication of this research include the teaching strategies employed to increase fundamental motor skill proficiency.