(NCCA, 2003)

 

Basketball is a sport that is quite popular in Ireland. There are now a lot more NBA Games on the TV which has led to people starting to enjoy the sport more.

There are school basketball teams for every age group in Rochestown. All the teams play in the top division and are usually quite competitive.

Basketball is part of the ‘Games’ Strand. It’s an invasion game that will allow the students to develop many skills while participating in the scheme.

The sports hall in the school has 8 baskets. This is 6 across and there is one full length court. The number of baskets available make it possible that every student is active during the lesson which is very important. 

In the TGFU model the students will be forced to solve many problems during the game. It will force the students to think about what they are doing during the game. They will have to modify and adapt approaches if necessary, during games/matches. At the same time the students will be learning the skills.  It’s important that the students are learning and applying the skills in a games environment because “when practice replicates the performance environment, skills are more likely to transfer” (Krause et.al 2018)

TGFU allows for skills improvement and the development strategically of tactical awareness while still partaking in enjoyable games that are similar to the original game, with only some modifications. These modifications are used to stress an approach that the teacher wishes the students to improve upon and further understand.

 “The teaching games for understanding model (TGFU) evolved ... as an approach to teaching and learning that fostered tactical understanding in conjunction with skill development to better facilitate participants’ playing, understanding and enjoyment of games.” (Griffin & Butler, 2005, p. 71).

The typical structure of any one of the first five lessons is summarized below:

· Attendance: Students sign their name on the sheet by the whiteboard

· Introduction: Introduction by learning wall. We will do this in the sports hall and then complete 

· Warm Up: will be an activity that will raise the heart rate before beginning the lesson

· Task: The students will complete a task without receiving any instruction. The teacher must pick a suitable constraint for the task

· Demonstration/Discussion: The teacher will demonstrate/discuss the solution to the problem imposed by the constraint during the game. The teacher will use questions to get the answers from the students rather than telling them the solution

Isolated Practice: The teacher will work on the skill in isolation if they feel that the students need more practice at the skills

Task: The students will go back into the task and use what they discussed with the teacher in the game

Game: The students will play games. The teacher will either choose to keep the condition for the game or allow the students to play a normal game

Reflect: Students rate their effort for the lesson and tick the correct box in the on the sheet 

Conclusion: Tidy up the equipment and walk down to the sports hall. 

· Pupils will learn the keywords and phrases associated with the sport of basketball.

 Pupils will participate in discussions with their peers related to basketball.

· Pupils will be instructed to reflect on their own and their peers’ performances by discussing their thoughts amongst the class.

· Pupils will complete written tasks throughout the four lessons (Exit cards, Worksheets, Personal Assessment sheets). 

·  Pupils will become familiar with the number of players required for a basketball team.

·  Pupils will learn about lines and shapes in team formations. 

·  Pupils will count the number of steps/pivots that they take.

Student-led assessment will consist of both peer and self assessment. The students will be engaging in games that promote team work where students will be encouraged to assess their peer’s performance. Students will also be encouraged to self assess their own execution of skills and basics of the technique. This will encourage students to form a deeper more critical understanding of the skills.

In addition I will be assessing the students through questioning at the end of the lesson with the use of exit cards, reflection walls etc.