American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance - AAHPERD

Issue: April 2010

Teaching and Assessing  Racquet Games Using “Play Practice”—Part 1: Designing the Right Games
Stephen Harvey & Hans van der Mars

Abstract: Games-based  instructional approaches such as teaching games for understanding and the  tactical games approach emphasize the practice of the tactical dimensions of  game play that are so important for becoming a more effective player. By using  game play as the primary form of practice, teachers can help students to  develop a better understanding of game play. “Play practice,” another games-based  instructional approach, is also based in part on the idea of pick-up games that  children and adults create in the absence of enough players, space, or  equipment. This article introduces various examples of play practice that  physical education teachers can use when teaching racquet games. The various  play practices presented in the article employ Launder’s (2001) strategies for  shaping, focusing, and enhancing play.

Article category: Teaching