Last year I spent a whole year offering Owen and Anya one to one learning. The sessions included reading books matching reading level and age level day reading, playing spelling games, playing reading base board games and working through reading programmes aimed at kids with autism. We did make some slow progress but the real progress has been made by the kids teaching themselves. They often ask me how to spell a word when they are chatting to their friends online. I have learnt to simply spell the word and not irritate them by trying to make their question into a lesson!
Roblox does market itself as an educational game with a belief that kids learn best by making things — by engaging in the creative and complex process of imagining, designing, and constructing. Roblox provides them with a safe place to build, gives them the requisite tools and lets them play. They say they are inspired by the educational theory pioneered by Seymour Papert of the MIT Media Lab. This theory — labeled "Constructionism" — holds not only that kids learn best when they are in the active roles of designer and builder, but that their learning is optimized when they're assuming these roles in a public forum.
It's called having a purpose for doing something, isn't it? Club Penguin is having that impact for Dan. Anya might also like Minecraft, which Eddie and his mates are into big time, and which also involves constructing your environment. Bleach and Naruto also big for him. He's watched all of them over the past couple of years - and likes to read them too. Me, I can't get the hang of starting the book at the back.
ReplyDeleteYes, a purpose and interest. Many kids seem to like reading the boring school books but for many kids they needs something which is more specific and relevant to them. They also need more time to assimilate all the information in front of their eyes which they can achieve but regularly visiting the same game.
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