How to Identify the Right Games For Classroom Learning

How to Identify the Right Games For Classroom Learning

How to Identify the Right Games For Classroom Learning

Classroom education does not always have to be all-talk, boring, and mind-numbing for your students - not when you can light it up with the right games. Game-based learning offers numerous benefits in any classroom. But while many educators know fully well about these benefits, the challenge usually is identifying the right options. Teachers are becoming more excited about incorporating games in their classrooms but aren't sure where to begin. With so many gaming options to choose from, it can be overwhelming to identify the right option for you, especially if it is your first time. Here are some tips you can use to help you identify the right games for classroom learning.

Decide between what's cool and what's fun

Picking the right game can sometimes feel like walking a tightrope. While you want an engaging game that'll make your students feel more active, you also want to identify those that enhance academic rigor. In other words, you'll have to decide between a cool and fun game. Fun and cool are not the same thing, and both do not yield the same results. A cool game may attract interest or curiosity but provide little academic or teaching benefits. While there is nothing wrong with opting for a cool game, it only caters to students without challenging them academically. Perhaps you can consider it a great option if you're only looking for a quick solution to eliminate boredom in class briefly.

Fun games can be very engaging. And when you choose ones that flow seamlessly with your lessons, you'll have an effective tool that'll add fun and aid the learning process. For example, you can take advantage of PennyDell Puzzles to incorporate puzzle games into subjects like math. Studies have shown that children who play puzzle games usually perform better at mathematics than children who don't.

Incorporate variety

Variety, they say, is the spice of life; but it can also be the spice of teaching, as far as games are concerned. And it is important to find ways to add various games to different lessons or class sessions. As mentioned previously, puzzle games appear to help children grasp mathematics better. However, there are other options you can leverage for the best results:

-Trivia and quiz games: Trivia and quiz games are already popular in most classrooms, as they're the easiest to use. They can be very entertaining and are great for testing a child's ability to recollect.

-Role-play and debate: Role-playing and debate can help students gain better insight into historical facts, figures, and events. You can ask your students to read and act out various historic events or personals.

-Video games: At home, video games can be a great option for mind stimulation and information storage.

-Board and card games: Sometimes referred to as tabletop games, board and card games are non-digital and can help teach complex subjects while promoting critical thinking.

There's nothing wrong with choosing more than one game at a time. For example, opting for a combination of role-playing group activities with educational video games if both options will engage the children in the material they're learning.

Pick a topic area

Maybe you're not interested in gathering various games for different purposes. Perhaps you only need the right game for one subject area. Or maybe you're trying to help only one child catch up with the rest of the class. In that case, pick a topic area. What subject are you trying to target? What is the aim of that subject? Maybe the child you want to work with is struggling with mathematics or science. You'll most likely find out that games, in general, cannot cover entire subjects like science and math. That means you'll need to narrow down your options to the specific areas or topics that the child is struggling with to identify what type of game will help.

Consider the ease of use

The last thing you want is to cause your students to sift through manuals or search online for tutorials that'll help them understand a game or figure out what you are trying to get them to do. It's important to ensure that you pick effective classroom games that are not only easy to understand but are also pretty much to the point. But at the same time, they should be challenging enough, so you don't end up wasting your time or that of your class' on trivial activities that offer no direct benefits to your students.