Evaluation and Analysis of TGFU Article

This article evaluates and analyzes the importance of the Teaching Games for Understanding (TGFU) approach to teaching physical education. It discusses the benefits of TGFU in the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority, Health and Physical education (ACARA-HPE) curriculum and its impact on cognitive skills, critical thinking, and tactical awareness. The article also explores how TGFU aligns with the ACARA HPE propositions and supports strength-based approach, valuing movement, and health literacy skills.

Running head: Evaluation and Analysis of TGFU Article 1
Evaluation and Analysis of TGFU Article
Student's Name
University Affiliation

Evaluation and Analysis of TGFU Article 2
Teaching Games for Understanding (TGFU)
Many training and activity models have been adopted in the approach to Physical
education. The Teaching for Effective Understanding (TGFU) approach has been
considered as a fundamental methodology to approach any teaching of games and sports in
the upper primary as well as other dimensions of education (Alcalá, & Garijo, 2017). For
the success of any school-based physical education program, valuing movement is a
concept that is essential in the undertaking. The TGFU approach is beneficial to teaching
in the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority, Health and Physical
education (ACARA-HPE) curriculum as it defines a fundamental ground for student
engagement in a lifespan of participation in games and sports with competence and
confidence. The TGFU approach bears essential elements that teachers utilize in support of
students to develop their dispositions while gaining knowledge and skills through the
undertaking of the school-based PE and sports. In middle age (4-6); Upper primary, many
young people find satisfaction and enjoyment in the TGFU model as compared to the
traditional based teaching approaches. Basically, Games and sports is a focus area in the
upper primary that is considered to have had an effective impact from the TGFU model
when incorporated in the teaching of the ACARA HPE curriculum (Macdonald, 2013).
Critical thinking and problems solving
The TGFU approach has been incorporated into the teaching of games and sports in
the Australian context. The adoption is entirely based on the explicit impact of the
approach in many schools based on physical education programs. The previous
considerations for TGFU have successfully been effective in their application. This is
especially because the TGFU has proved to bring effective results in students. Its focus of

Evaluation and Analysis of TGFU Article 3
the play gives an upper hand on the critical tactical and strategic problems posed in a
modified game environment (Fitzpatrick, 2013). In a student environment, the approach
opens an established focus on cognitive skills such as decision-making, problem solving
and tactics. The TGFU has over time earned names such as Game Sense, Play Practice and
Games concept approach. Its general focus on student and problem solving is an advantage
to ACARA HPE curriculum (Macdonald, & Enright, 2013). The teachers and coaches have
been able to focus mainly on the main issues hence accrue results that are high and
effective for the students. Since TFGU utilizes active learning since the students play
through playing games. Fun becomes a key element in the lesson thus creating an
atmosphere to teach (Macdonald, 2014). Since the upper primary students lack much
exposure, the level of questioning they are engaged in is regulated.
Cognitive skills and learning.
The TGFU has been considered as full of effectiveness for engagement as well as
cognitive learning. In this approach to teaching games, the teachers and coaches benefit
from cognitive development through tactical exploration and decision-making skills which
are accommodated within the modified games and sports in order to give essence to
different contexts of learning. Thus, through this approach, cognition in gaming can be
addressed. Notably, teachers in primary school expressed that students showed
understanding and enjoyment while they engaged cognitively in games. Since this
approach recognizes social skills an important entity in the learning process, all places it
has been employed reported high scores in self-confident, competence and self-worth. In a
study observation done to two middle school PE lessons on hockey games, it was known
that there was clarity in decision making for the TGFU group as well as the improved level

Evaluation and Analysis of TGFU Article 4
of procedural knowledge (Penney, 2013). The group also showed articulate decisions in
passing the hockey ball more accurately and effective passes. TGFU has also been proved
to increase the efficiency of players in volleyball games. This proves its importance in
being incorporated for teaching in ACARA HPE curriculum especially in games and
sports.
Tactical awareness for higher order of thinking
The TGFU approach to teaching ACARA HPE curriculum benefits the students
outright. It is a theoretical model that explicitly supports Physical Education Pedagogy. It
assists teachers to address higher order thinking in Physical Education. The approach
encourages players to be tactically enabled and has the ability to make better decisions
during game time. Through its diversified mode of learning, when used in teaching, it gives
players a prompt for active strategic thinking regarding concepts in skill development while
remaining ardent to the process. Tactical awareness of a game situation is an important
element in learning games as it enables the players to maintain the focus on the main idea
yet diversifies the student modes of engagement with the main idea. The adoption of TGFU
in teaching has been associated holistic approach to the learning of game and sports skills,
promotion of enjoyment for the students, promotion of player-centered learning, catering
for various abilities and efficient implementation. Movement skills, a fundamental feature
in games and sports learning is improved in the TGFU approach. Movement skills are a
key determinant to a consistent and life-long commitment to physical activity while
keeping enjoyment in games and sports activities.

Evaluation and Analysis of TGFU Article 5
Collaboration and corporation
Games and sports are an important focus area in the ACARA HPE curriculum.
While being incorporated in the teaching of the curriculum, it has been faced with
considerations regarding promotion of student co-operation as well as collaboration. The
TGFU model exhibits more enjoyment in students as compared to the technical approaches.
Valuing movement is considered an important proposition in teaching because it focuses on
giving the student outright knowledge of what they need to become competent and
confident in the movement skills. The TGFU approach lays a foundation for an approach
that is positive and even distribution of beneficial health outcomes. In many TGFU works,
PDHPE teachers analyzed the incorporation of the approach and found it having various
strengths. The approach has different perspectives depending on the setting. Many
suggested that it catered to different abilities among the players (Penney, 2010). This
helped the teachers be able to accommodate all students in the learning process hence
helping them to improve on their weaknesses, develop skills in thinking and critical
decision making. Fostering efficiency in all aspects of implementation was also noted as a
strength (Exley & Mills, 2012). Having a curriculum being supported by such a strong and
advantageous approach is very important as it helps the students learn the structures of the
approaches and challenging the teachers and coaches to learn intellectual structures of
playing and learning in order to teach effectively. Higher order thinking is a key
development in TGFU.

Evaluation and Analysis of TGFU Article 6
TGFU support by the ACARA HPE Propositions and vice versa
Critical Inquiry
The TGFU approach to teaching has been enormously supported by the
introduction of the ACARA HPE curriculum. The Australian document has expressed
directly and indirectly through its propositions. On the other hand, TGFU supports most of
the ACARA HPE propositions which are also incorporated in the TGFU model. Critical
inquiry as a proposition in the physical health for ACARA HPE is open to different
interpretation because of its use (Alter, 2009). However, two basic interpretation applicable
to this relates to the TGFU model. The Critical inquiry approach supports thinking and
problem solving which is one of the main benefits that those who engage in the TGFU
approach gain in the learning process. The critical inquiry is a proposition that requires
support in the bid to support TGFU learning and teaching. Since they both have similar
directions in regard to goals in the physical education, Critical inquiry directly supports the
TGFU approach to learning and teaching (Leahy, O'Flynn, & Wright, 2013). It focuses on
the critical concepts of the approach essential areas of games and sports in upper primary
physical education. The TGFU approach also builds critical thinking skills through
engaging one in tactical problems. This is also an aspect that builds to the critical inquiry
skill (Pearson, & Webb, 2008).
Educative outcomes.
Educative outcomes are also in the forefront race for TGFU approach in
teaching games. This is because the proposition points out physical education as an
important entity in sports. In the TGFU approach educative outcome meets the situated

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learning theory. This theory provides the best framework that is authentic and which to
position teaching and learning in PE (Johnston, 2016, November). It is the foundation for
relationships in all dimensions of life including culture and social-economics. Through
experiences of interacting with factual and legitimate knowledge, one has the capacity to
participate this proposition whose idea is to settle on the genuine things. The TGFU
approach to teaching PE opens a mind to international values, peripheral participation, and
interconnections with people, activities and the world at large. The TGFU approach also
encourages awareness of one’s environment and the tactical skills in the learning process.
The TGFU approach has had continuous strengths including a deep development of one’s
knowledge of the game. (Kulinna, Scrabis-Fletcher, Kodish, Phillips, & Silverman, 2009).
Engagement in questioning in TGFU also helps develop a huge understanding of the
elements. This is an important aspect of quality teaching in sporting teams.
Strength-based approach
Strength-based approach proposition directly relates to TGFU because its
considerations for choice do not need emphasis. The TGFU approach to learning is also
considered sealed by the emblems of people’s opinions, the proposition is effective to the
approach. The TGFU was has been considered for incorporation in the ACARA HPE
curriculum and other institutions that have adopted its concepts. IN TGFU workshops,
teachers developed a framework of strengths that it possessed in the all the contexts it was
employed (McCuaig, Quennerstedt, & Macdonald, 2013). On the other hand, TGFU
demonstrates a natural tendency to be strength based strength based in regard to the
expected performance. This approach, therefore, earns itself a name to possess the capacity
of being Strength-based and favoring the Strength-based proposition in the ACARA HPE

Evaluation and Analysis of TGFU Article 8
(Hyndman, Mahony, Te Ava, Smith, & Nutton, 2017). This method is effective in teaching
games and sports but will require teacher or coaches commitment to the capacities they that
must fulfill.
Valuing movement
Valuing movement and health literary skill are essential factors in the initial
implementation strategy. There are various skills and concepts that require the support of
both teachers and students in order to be effective. People have the capacity to value
movement when they participate in engaging activities. Acquisition of movement skills,
concepts and other important strategies in physical education. These skills and strategies
help in reaching the needs of the students participating in physical education. The insights
created by this proposition creates a chance to approach the curriculum with a flexible
mindset as well as adding more physical activities that will help the students to engage in
games and sports. Health literacy skills are gained directly through which engagement in
the games and sports activities (Alfrey, & Brown, 2013). The coach will identify activities
that help to develop health literacy skills in the team the students. The various disciplines
learned that give a student the confidence and competence are basic lessons that produce
the knowledge in health literacy. The valuing movement proposition is utilized in the
physical education context. Through the TGFU students have the ability to move along the
various information tools. These students who develop to become more critical decision
makers and competent have knowledge that applies across all models. The general
knowledge in tactical awareness and involvement in the game is part of the TGFU model

Evaluation and Analysis of TGFU Article 9
strengths. All these propositions from the ACARA HPE curriculum have a relative
connection with the TGFU model of teaching. Thus they complement each other in the
endeavor.
This analysis has investigated and analyzed the importance of the TGFU
approach to teaching lessons. The approach has proved to have a wide level of adoption
beginning with the ACARA HPE curriculum. The wide range of acceptance is based on its
strengths and advantages in all the schools that have physical education lessons
incorporated with TGFU. Many approaches that are raised in the article analyzed have been
considered relative to developing goals that are authentic and genuine. The essential and
practical engagements of teachers and coaches in any efforts to helps student adapt should
familiarize with the learning environment; the explored factors to be considered in the
teacher's student environment. The incorporation of TGFU into the learning environment
has been considered very fundamental in initiating the changes in the game learning
environment. There have also been ACARA HPE propositions which have worked to the
support of the TGFU approach to learning and teaching in physical education. These
propositions have been geared toward the effort to place better grounds for supporting new
learning initiatives in the physical education curriculum. The TGFU approach conversely
helps in the driving the mandate of the ACARA HPE curriculum by ensuring that the five
propositions are owned.

Evaluation and Analysis of TGFU Article 10
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