Tactical Games Model as curriculum approach at elementary school: Effects on in-game volleyball technical improvements

Objective: To assess the effects of a tactical games model (TGM) instructional plan on technical volleyball performances of elementary school students by taking into account for sex. Method: Thirty-nine fourth-grade students participated in a 15-week unit developed according to TGM. Their improvements in technical in-game skills were assessed by means of Team Sport Assessment Procedure indexes: volume of play, efficiency index, and performance score. A 2(sex) x 3(time) ANOVA with repeated measure was used to verify the students’ improvements. Effect size measures were used to interpret main effects and post-hoc analysis. Results: An overall large improvement resulted at the end of the instructional period, and this improvement seems to remain at least until the end of summer vacation. In pre-post training comparison, the improvements had similar moderate to large effect for both groups, while outcomes ‘differences were negative between post-training and the end of summer vacation. Girls seem to achieve greater and well-established improvements throughout the instructional plan. Implications: Teachers have to take into account sex when designed their lessons because these factors can enhance student’s learning processes. Furthermore, the results suggested the need to design developmentally adequate learning experiences during summer vacation for avoiding detrimental effect on students’ learning scores.