A case study of disengaged adolescent girls’ experiences with teaching games for understanding in physical education

This case study served to investigate six adolescent girls’, who were identified as disengaged in physical education (PE), feelings about their experiences in a Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) unit and how TGfU might support their engagement in PE. A two-week (6-lesson) TGfU territorial games unit was taught by a guest instructor. Data were collected from observational field notes, focus group interviews (pre-and post-unit), and individual interviews (post-unit). The whole child approach – understanding the physical, cognitive, and affective domains of learning and experience – was used to better understand the participants’ experiences. Students experienced heightened participation and effort, learning, affect, and motivation in the TGfU-games unit. TGfU was beneficial due to its student and game-centred nature; however, students also had some reservations (time and sport choices). Ultimately, TGfU can support girls’ engagement in PE, captivating them and encouraging them to elevate their participation in a holistic way.