Game-Changing Learning: Transforming Your Child into a Winning Learner
- Zivit Reiter
- Sep 16, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: 7 days ago
A few months ago, Bill Gates shared a photo on LinkedIn that sparked excitement in our home—a picture of him with Catan: New Energies. As a family of board game enthusiasts, it grabbed our attention. The game’s focus on renewable energy strategies made me reflect: If this game can simplify such a complex subject, what does that mean for learning in general?
The Rise of Gamification
Major corporations, military trainers, and researchers are using gamification to revolutionize training and education, creating engaging environments that mirror real-life experiences. But gamification isn’t just about fun. It’s about using game dynamics to simulate real problems and foster deeper learning. Games promote faster, more effective learning by encouraging problem-solving and active engagement.
Why Games Are Powerful Learning Tools
Studies confirm that games boost motivation, improve information retention, increase cognitive processing, and build social skills (Noda et al., 2019; Tinedi et al., 2018; Habgood & Ainsworth, 2011). Interactive approaches showcase the power of gamification in education, like the Responsive Classroom methodology, which incorporates energizers and guided discovery, or Wilson Academy’s Fundations, which integrates fun into lessons.
In educational therapy, games are essential tools. I frequently use them to support interventions and tailor learning strategies. While older students may initially approach games with skepticism, they soon see the benefits. Who knew homework could be fun?
How Games Support Learning
Games provide more than entertainment; they offer valuable insights into how students learn. Player interaction and tasks within games can reveal strengths, identify areas for improvement, and cultivate essential learning habits. I’ve seen games help students recognize their learning patterns, confront challenges, and apply effective strategies. The game's theme is the initial hook, but it comes second to the rich learning opportunity it offers: activities that challenge cognitive load, foster social-emotional growth, and encourage personal achievement.
I keep a large collection of games from around the world, each designed to address specific skills students encounter in school and at home. These games also serve as informal assessment tools, helping students recognize ineffective habits and teaching them how to initiate tasks.
A Timeless Example: The Royal Game of Ur
Recently, I came across the Royal Game of Ur, an ancient game discovered in southern Iraq in the early 20th century by Sir Leonard Woolley. Dating back to 2600 BC, its history and strategy intrigued me. The rules remained a mystery until British Museum curator Irving Finkel decoded them, revealing a simple yet strategic gameplay that has made the game a staple in my practice. Games like the Royal Game of Ur are perfect for educational therapy because they challenge students to think critically, strategize, and apply their learning in a fun, low-pressure environment.
Translating Learning into Winning Strategies
Games are powerful tools for enhancing executive function, strengthening weak areas, and reinforcing learning strategies. Through educational therapy, students can translate their unique learning profiles into effective game-based strategies. By analyzing challenges and self-assessing during gameplay, students develop the skills necessary to become independent learners—skills that carry over into the classroom and beyond.
It’s especially inspiring to see young students, even kindergarteners, engage in self-analysis. This approach is particularly beneficial for students diagnosed with ASD or ADHD, helping them navigate their educational paths with newfound skills. Parents often share stories of their children excitedly teaching them how to apply strategies in the game, a testament to the effectiveness of this approach.
Building a Comprehensive Learning Strategy
To ensure games effectively support learning, start with a clear understanding of the child’s cognitive profile. Neuropsychological evaluations, achievement tests, state assessments, and feedback from teachers and specialists all guide a tailored practice routine. Combining the student's profile with different levels of difficulty, guided play, and specific classroom experience allows for a holistic, fun, and impactful learning approach.
Another way to develop a game-based learning profile is through dynamic assessment, which evaluates how a student learns by observing their responses to various challenges during gameplay. Unlike static results, dynamic assessment focuses on how a student adapts, strategizes, and improves, providing valuable insights for creating personalized interventions.
Tips for Home:
• Keep a variety of games available.
• Gradually introduce different skills at different levels.
• Engage with diverse topics, themes, and interests.
• When your child resists playing a game, explore the reason together—it can uncover hidden challenges.
Schedule a free consultation to learn how you can use games at home.
Resources:
Habgood, Jacob & Ainsworth, Shaaron. (2011). Motivating Children to Learn Effectively: Exploring the Value of Intrinsic Integration in Educational Games. The Journal of the Learning Sciences. 20. 169-206. 10.1080/10508406.2010.508029.
Noda, S., Shirotsuki, K. & Nakao, M. The effectiveness of intervention with board games: a systematic review. BioPsychoSocial Med 13, 22 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13030-019-0164-1
Tinedi, V & Azwir, Yohandri & Djamas, D. (2018). How Games are Designed to Increase Students’ Motivation in Learning Physics? A Literature Review. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering. 335. 012065. 10.1088/1757-899X/335/1/012065.
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