Game Design - Games and Teaching Language Arts: A Summary

Preexisting online Language Arts games are composed of a handful of categories. Observing a small sample pool, there are simple point-and-click games where the player indicates a certain type of speech, online flashcards and quizzes, and two games similar to Mad Libs. There are aesthetic skins over them that seem like parts of a larger story, but ones that try to emphasize humor seem more likely to be entertaining.

There are a few effective "theatrical" games used to teach young students basic language arts skills, all played by a group of children sitting in a circle. Precision of language, for example, is taught in a game named "Minefield" by having a student close their eyes and let other students tell them exactly how they must step to walk through the circle and avoid objects scattered on the floor. There are also unstructured role-playing exercises that tie into various reading material, which could easily be gamified with the addition of a reward system.

Game-like methods of teaching Language Arts also include having students use different apps and programs to tell stories, like making use of GarageBand to write a song about themselves (and secretly learn about rhyme, meter and other aspects of poetry). There are other ways that teachers use technology, like having students communicate through video dialogues, which are tangential to the lessons but teach useful skills. Also, of note is "Sonic Odyssey", a game made with the program GameMaker that puts Sonic the Hedgehog through the events of Homer's Odyssey. Perhaps more game-companions can be made to other pieces of literature?

One teacher has also tried to teach a small unit (three days worth of lessons) using the PC game Morrowind. It was used to teach choices and consequences, in the vein of "You can choose to steal, and the consequence is that the game treats you differently and other characters don't like you". This led to engagement among students that were previously very laid-back and stayed in the back of the room, and it sparked discussion among the students.

The company Amplify has made a series of education tablet games for a variety of subjects to be used in public schooling. English Language Arts games include two puzzle games, a choose-your-own-adventure story, and a collectible trading card game featuring famous characters from, and authors of, classic literature. Some of these are sold based on their aesthetics (one is simply described as being "based on Japanese folklore"), and others are described only based on what they teach- the fun here is unoptimized.


Sources:

Amplify To Offer Games for Middle School Instruction. (Cover story). Electronic Education Report [serial online]. June 24, 2013;20(13):1-6. Available from: Academic Search Complete, Ipswich, MA. Accessed September 23, 2014.

Bernard, Sara. "How to Teach with Technology: Language Arts." Edutopia. N.p., 13 Apirl 2014. Web. 23 September 2014.

Fennessey S. Using theater games to enhance language arts learning. Reading Teacher [serial online]. April 2006;59(7):688-691. Available from: Academic Search Complete, Ipswich, MA. Accessed September 23, 2014.

Kadakia M. Increasing Student Engagement by Using Morrowind to Analyze Choices and Consequences. Techtrends: Linking Research & Practice To Improve Learning [serial online]. September 2005;49(5):29-32. Available from: Academic Search Complete, Ipswich, MA. Accessed September 23, 2014.

Lanley, Jimmie. "10 Best Online Games for Homeschool Language Arts." Jimmies Collage. N.p., 26 Sept. 2011. Web. 23 Sept. 2014.