Lesson 4:

GAMES
Objectives
At the end of the lesson, you will be able to:

• define games as teaching strategy;

• discuss the steps in implementing games in
teaching physical education and health; and
• enumerate the advantages and disadvantages of
using the game as a strategy in teaching physical
education and health.
Sports have been an essential part of the physical education
curriculum (Barba-Martin, Bores-Garcia, Hortiguela-Alcala, and
Gonzales-Calvo, 2020). The concepts in these subjects are taught
using different strategies, including games. There are concepts
included in the health curriculum that can also be learned using this
strategy. Using games as a strategy engages the pupils to participate
in the activities and develop essential skills such as cooperation and
critical and creative thinking. However, the teachers must prepare
well-planned games that can stimulate the pupils' interest and
activities that have clear objectives and steps. Moreover, it must help
educators identify and assess the pupils' skills and needed
improvements while doing the game activities.
Games in teaching physical education
and health
Traditionally, teachers used technical methods in
teaching physical activities in the physical education
subject. Through these methods, the teacher plans a
sequence of prescribed exercises based on simulations of
a part of the game and leads them with a direct command
(Barba-Martin, Bores-Garcia, Hortiguela-Alcala, and
Gonzales-Calvo, 2020). Game-based learning was created
to balance a lesson, and the game activity was created to
balance the pupils' ability to retain and apply real-world
skills.
 In using games, pupils are exposed to different sports
aspects in a context designed by the teachers for the
learning process. The pupils (1) acquire the skills of
understanding the purpose of the activity and (2)
incorporate the required skills and (3) the appropriate
strategies that they can use to perform the exercises well.
Furthermore, they can also reflect on how to improve
themselves with regards to doing the game. With this, the
teachers and the pupils should work together to attain the
goals.
 On the other hand, games are associated with
"gamification"-a different learning experience. It is a
strategy that incorporates elements of gameplay into
real-world activities and behaviors (Singhal, Hough,
and Cripps, 2019), Medical education uses this kind
of game in teaching medical pupils. They provide
activities that stimulate the real-world situation.
Hence, pupils' learning becomes meaningful to them.
 Teaching health at the primary levels aims to
expose the pupils to different concepts that involve a
healthy lifestyle-for example, how to maintain a
healthy body by eating healthy food, the importance of
exercise, and things they have to do during simple
accidents. In these cases, the teachers can use games to
teach the concepts to the pupils and make them more
exciting and engaging. Furthermore the pupils'
attention will be maintained when a game strategy is
used to understand the idea.
Steps in Using Games
It is a challenge for the teachers to use games in
the lesson due to different issues. There are various
points that they have to consider in using this
strategy in presenting the study. The following are
the steps that can help teachers become successful
in using games to teach physical education and
health:
1. Determine the purpose of the activity.

There are times when the pupils have difficulty

demonstrating the procedure's understanding
because they do not know the purpose of the
activity. The teacher should explain to the pupils
the purpose of the game to execute it well and
learn and master the intended skills that they need
to acquire.
2. The game should be aligned with the
purpose
Playing the game can help the teacher assess if it is
aligned with the intended learning purpose. The
result of the assessment may help teachers consider
how they use the game.
There are five ways how teachers can use games.
 First is the teacher-controlled games wherein the
teacher has control over the content and he/she could
adjust each pupil's setting. For example, the teacher will
provide physical activity or ask questions to a specific
pupil.

The second is intuitiveness in which the teacher will

provide activities that pupils can easily do. The pupils
should challenge themselves by processing and
demonstrating knowledge of the activity and not just
stressing how the activity works
 The third is engagement. Based on the activity
presented, the teachers can determine if the pupils enjoy the
activity. Learning should be a fun activity, particularly for
young pupils. If the activity is engaging, it will catch their
attention and make them inherently want to do it, resulting
in learning.

The fourth way is content. The activity should offer

different types of content. It may be presented in different
ways using other motivating materials.
 The pupils possess different attributes. One pupil
is different from the other. Hence, the teachers need
to present content that uses differentiated instruction.
This way is called content level. For example, simple
content is presented to less capable pupils, while
more complex content may be given to more
competent pupils
3. Ensure to meet the expectations
from parents.
Parents' involvement should be acknowledged in the
implementation of any school activities. The parents'
participation is essential to achieve the success of the
activity and the learning of their children. It cannot be
denied that the family contributes to the achievement of
any pupil. When the school considers the parents'
engagement, there is a possibility of significant effects on
the pupils' accomplishment because they perform better
and enjoy the school in general.
4. Assess progress through play.
The collected data from the pupils' performances can
help the teachers uncover the trouble spots and aptitude
of the pupils and help them cope with the in-class
instruction. Furthermore, these results can help teachers
decide on the types of education he/she will provide
that leads to meaningful learning.
Advantages of Using Games
The following are the advantages of using games in teaching primary school
pupils (Lou, Lin, Hsu, Liao, and Kao, 2020):

1. It helps the pupils improve their motivation for learning.

2. It promotes the development of cooperative learning skills among the pupils.

3. It establishes mutual competition and growth, enabling the pupils to

demonstrate their concentration and active participation.

4. It provides the pupils with an opportunity to interact with their peers while
learning.

5. The pupils received more support in the learning process.

Disadvantages of Using Games
The use of games in teaching has some disadvantages for both the
teacher and the pupils. The following are some of the drawbacks:

1. Its preparation and implementation are time consuming.

2. It requires correct instructional planning.

3. It can cause a distraction for the pupils, which can cause a waste
of time.

4. Excessive use of games could lead to addiction in pupils, which

may cause physical or psychological problems.