Games teaching at Key Stage 2 is too often characterised by remedying some flaw in a pupil’s technique. We’ve all seen lessons where it’s decided that the children’s passing skills aren’t good enough, so we give them drills to rectify this fault. This is not that lesson.
Instead, why not take the opposite approach? Rather than focus on a weakness, put the spotlight on what they can do. Strengths-based teaching involves assessing, teaching and designing experiential learning activities that not only help children identify their talents, but also show them how to use those talents to develop the positive aspects of their game or ability.
For many children in PE there’s often a feeling of ‘I’m not very good at this’ when judging themselves against their peers. A strengths-based process can avoid this almost entirely. The key here is to hand responsibility for delivering the lessons to the children; in effect, they teach the lesson.
This lets them improve their games skills, follow instructions and directions provided by a peer and identify their strengths and talents in the playing of any particular game.
