The impact of the Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) Model and its effectiveness with children who have Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Abstract

There is a limited amount of research examining pedagogical models-based physical education (PE) practice for pupils identified as having special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) and specifically pupils who have a social, emotional, and behavioural diagnosis (SEMH). Therefore, this body of research sought to investigate whether the original (Bunker & Thorpe 1982a) teaching games for understanding (TGfU) pedagogical model could be applied to pupils with SEND (SEMH) in a special school setting in the UK and whether the model could impact the affective domain of learning for the pupils in areas such as their levels of motivation, self-esteem, behaviour, and engagement levels. The research is based on the PE teaching of an experienced teacher-researcher (over fifteen years) practitioner within an 11-16 specialist school for children and young people (C&YP) who all have a SEMH condition. Each individual study brings together different groups of pupils within their regular timetabled PE lessons using evidence taken from mixed-methods qualitative data in the form of interviews and questionnaires. Inductive data analysis indicated the teacher-researcher delivered the original TGfU model largely congruent with the creators’ intentions, although there was a range of different activities highlighted within each study, for example one paper used Dodgeball and another used End-Ball as the activities through which the pupils were taught and the relevant data was gathered. The pupils’ response to a number of TGfU units of teaching, as reported through interviews and questionnaires, was generally very positive. Two key themes arose from the findings, firstly most of the pupils increased their positive emotional experience of the games in which they participated, and this helped to change their perceptions of the educational value and engagement levels within the PE games lessons. Secondly their feelings of empowerment showed an increased level of understanding through each lesson by making specific game modifications and using effective questioning skills to contribute to their enjoyment and increased levels of selfesteem, which helped to reduce their levels of disengagement during their PE lessons. Because inclusion, physical activity and tactical understanding are at the very core of the TGfU model it requires us to consider a holistic notion of affective learning; how it is developed, promoted, and modified through physical games-based movements. Future research should include consideration of different pedagogical models, including hybrid games based pedagogical versions such as the TGfU-SE approach.