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International Literacy Association - Building Emotional Literacy Through Dungeons and Dragons

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International Literacy Association - Building Emotional Literacy Through Dungeons and Dragons

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Start at 8.33 - 11 minutes for student centred discussion.

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Building Emotional Literacy Through Dungeons & Dragons

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Personal example of using a bot in a Discord server to automatically post spell specific information (DL) (L)

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(2022) Building Emotional Literacy Through Dungeons and Dragons. International Literacy Association. Available at: https://youtu.be/MgJwPavm7d0?t=523 (Accessed: November 24, 2022).

Crawford, J. and Mearls, M. (2014) Dungeon master's guide: Dungeons and dragons. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast.

Crawford, J. et al. (2014) Player's Handbook: Dungeons & Dragons: Everything a player needs to create heroic characters for the world's Greatest Roleplaying Game. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast LLC.

Jones, C., 2005. Dungeons and Dragons as a literacy event in the classroom. Idiom, 41(2), pp.58-65.

Ofgang, E. (2022) Dungeons & dragons: 5 reasons to teach with it, TechLearningMagazine. Tech & Learning. Available at: https://www.techlearning.com/how-to/dungeons-and-dragons-5-reasons-to-teach-with-it (Accessed: November 12, 2022).

Smith, M. and Cole, A., 2019. Teacher as Game Master: Using Tabletop Role-Playing Games in the Classroom. In DIGRAA: Digital Games Research Association Conference. DIGRAA.

Staff, D.N.D.B. (2022) D&D beyond, D&D Beyond. Available at: https://www.dndbeyond.com/ (Accessed: November 12, 2022).

The #1 discord bot list Discord Bots. Available at: https://top.gg/search?q=Dungeons%2Band%2BDragons&page=2 (Accessed: November 12, 2022).

Tickle, L. (no date) R/DND - new to D&D? here is a breakdown of a 5E character sheet!, reddit. Available at: https://www.reddit.com/r/DnD/comments/jpi4uq/oc_new_to_dd_here_is_a_breakdown_of_a_5e/ (Accessed: November 24, 2022).

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One of my own character sheets, mid play (Agatha The Other Mother!)

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Filled in Paladin character sheet, with dice and in game notes. (L)

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Alternative character sheet in play (L) (N)

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Filled out Character Sheet example (L) (N)

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Helpful guide PDF for beginners, found on Reddit (Tickle, R/DND - new to D&D? here is a breakdown of a 5E character sheet!)

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Image of a page from the handbook, outlining the Clerics XP Progression chart (N) and it's modifiers for proficency and spell slot increases (N), as well as some of the written instructions regarding creation and class features. (L)

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Dungeon Master's Guide chart example of how to work out planning difficulty for your player party (N)

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Example of enemy instructions which covers the dice roll modifiers each enemy has (N) and the written descriptions of how to use the enemy (L)

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DnD Beyond's creative sections that helps me build my own in game elements (DL) (L)

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DnD Beyond's library of available resources (L) (DL)

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DnD Beyond Dice Rolling - Demonstrating the use of Modifiers, benefits, damage types, etc (DL) (N)

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RED - Main Information

BLUE - Character and World Research (Text 1)
PURPLE - Character Creation (Text 2)
GREEN - Character Performance and Play (Text 3)

(L) - Literacy
(DL) - Digital Literacy
(N) - Numeracy

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While the DM builds the universe, the players build their characters.

The Player's Handbook (Crawford et al., 2014) is specifically aimed at players to help them come up with their chosen character (L) which covers the different races and classes they can choose from. When I am playing DnD as a member of the party, this is what I will use - along with many colour coded post-it notes!

These all have individual chapters with different charts and tables relating to it (L) (N) - this can be dependent on their armor class (the number they need to consider when they are attached) (N), their spell slots (the amount of spells they can use at different experience levels) (N), their 'hit' dice numbers (how they work out character health)(N) as well as their characters specific proficiencies (skills they have better chances of rolling for) (N)

Outside of the mathematical elements there is also a lot of different sub class and progression options they can choose from, and each chapter is a few pages long - the player handbook is very in depth and requires a lot of reading and understanding to use effectively (L)

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Dice Rolls, Ability Scores, Proficiencies and Modifiers

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Dice Rolls, Ability Scores, Proficiencies and Modifiers

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In most cases, each action you make in a game of DnD is performed with a dice roll.

The dice will determine how successful you are in your requested action - If you are rolling a D20 (a 20 sided die) the higher the number, the better.

A critical hit (20) means you absolutely achieve your goal and have potential hidden benefits, depending on the DM.

A critical fail (1) means not only have you failed in your request, but you have a further negative result (for example, if you aimed to shoot an arrow at an enemy and rolled a 1, the arrow might bounce off the wire and hit you in the face, causing damage - a creative response to the rules, which indicates the level of thought and communication happening mid performance (L)).

The dice rolls are not made in isolation, though. They are impacted by Ability Scores, Proficiencies and Modifiers.

Every character (players, NPCs, even monsters) are controlled by 6 Abilities. These are Charisma, Intelligence, Wisdom, Strength, Dexterity and Constitution.

Depending on the characters race and class, and choices they make at the character creation stage, their ability scores will have a modifier. This is a + or - to certain dice rolls that affect said ability, which has to be worked out each time a performance occurs. (N) (L)

For example -
There is a character class called Barbarian (one of my favourites). These are traditionally aggressive, strength and constitution based characters. If they tried to have a conversation with an NPC that required persuasion or deception (traditionally Charisma ability related rolls) they may have a negative modifier on their Charisma rolls, so if their modifier was -2, and they rolled 10 on a D20, their actual result with be 8. (N)

In isolation, these are fairly small levels of arithmetic (N), but when performed in conjunction with other elements like certain weapons, spells, buffs from other players, or items in your arsenal, it can result in a lot of extra mathematical elements to consider.

Characters can have 'Proficencies' which are skills in specific areas, for example - Medicine, Religion, Animal Handling, Acrobatics, Investigation, etc.

These can involve a proficency modifier.

If a character rolls a Persuasion check (Proficency) and they have a +3, they would also have to include their Charisma modifier (let's say +2). However, if it's a difficult performance roll (Say the character their talking to is already suspicious of them) they may have to roll with Disadvantage, which means they roll twice and choose the lowest number. But, their party member may have performed a spell that gives them an extra roll of a D4 dice (4 sided die) to help their rolls.

Suddenly, there are a lot of different mathematical elements at play, making every small move and interaction more involved from a numerical perspective (N) as well as tracking this information and it's impact on their performance via their character sheets (L).

This consistent use of maths in an engaging and fast paced way has been effective at giving students an opportunity to practise their maths in a way that will stimulate and entertain them. (Ofgang, 2022)

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When you are starting the game you have a starting level and a base of abilities and options available. As the game progresses, you gain experience, and after certain amounts of experience your level increases, and with that comes potentially more abilities or better increases on your skills (L).

This is something players like me keep in mind when creating a character - the potential power and abilities we will (eventually) have.
This is outlined in the players handbook via charts (See cleric chart example) (N) but is something they're responsible with keeping on top of in their own character sheets (L)

Every class of character levels up in different ways and at different points, so being aware of your own characters chart and progression is vital for getting the most out of your character.

Some services like DnD Beyond can automatically work out these elements for you if you created your character within the site, but it requires a certain level of effort and technical patience to get through (DL).

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Dungeons and Dragons is a roleplaying, table top game.

It involves multiple people dedicating a few hours to engage in roleplaying - they create a character, in a mythical and fantastical world, that they then play out in their collective imagination.

The games world, and the other characters within it, are designed and controlled by the 'DM' (The 'Dungeon Master'). They have control over the universe, while the players have control over their own individual characters actions within said world.

Most Dungeons and Dragons games take place in a fantasy setting, however the variations can be limitless.

The game is incredibly popular and has been since it's inception in the 1970s, and has recently had more public awareness due to the internet and pop culture reference points (The Big Bang Theory, Stranger Things, etc).

The main goal and appeal to the pass time is escapism. It could be described as living vicariously through a novel.

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Frequently, games and session Zero's in particular are held digitally via Discord which is specific communication software, more aimed at gaming, that involves audio and visual communication (DL).

There are certain benefits to performing the game digitally, as it allows for certain literacy and numeracy elements to be solved and simplified via in built elements within the software. (DL)

Discord has the ability to add Bots to it's servers. (The #1 discord bot list 2022) These bots can be tagged via written phrases or simplified code and they will post on your behalf based on your request. (DL)

There are many different types of bots that have absolutely nothing to do with DnD (many that could be beneficial in education like timers and audible cues) but some have been designed specifically for performing the game online.

There are bots to automate certain dice rolls, so that you do not need to roll a physical dice or calculate the outcome (N) (DL), There are some that can bring immediately bring up the descriptions for certain spells or effects, so that the game is not interrupted by riffling through notes to find the specific spell your checking requirements for. (DL) (L)

It adds an element of immediacy and simplicity to a fairly complex game, swapping some of the meatier numerical and literacy based elements into a more digital space. (DL).

There is an argument to be made about using a digital method to roll dice and automatically assess the mathematics for you vs rolling the dice yourself and working out the end result on your own. The digital method requires less skill, and is a more 'solo' activity, but the results are much faster (DL). The physical rolls add to the excitement of the table and the experience, but are obviously more fallible (dice are rarely completely neutral, with natural weighting issues being a consistent problem) and also require quick maths on the part of the player (N) - there is no right or wrong technique, but I personally would take the community effort of everyone rolling together than using my phone to do it for me.

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Every game of Dungeons and Dragons starts with the chosen DM creating their game world, or adapting a pre-existing one.

When I am the dungeon master, I create a vibrant environment for my players to explore and perform within, meaning I need to think about the overall geography, the currency, the political landscape, the religions, the races within, any major incidents or turmoil affecting the players universe. This involves personal research, and long form written skills on my part before speaking to my party. (L)
On a smaller scale, I also need to design non-playable characters (NPCs) for my players to interact with - for information, for bartering, for battle - maybe even for love! all of these elements involve a lot of creating written lore (L) and sketches to help build the world that I'm aiming to describe. This is often done with external website map builders (DL) or written out on software like Microsoft Word (L) (DL)

There is a Dungeon Masters handbook (Crawford & Mearls, 2014) that gives descriptive, artistic detail of the official worlds we can play within (L) that also highlights all of the mechanical elements of managing the game, via various mathematical tables and charts (See chart example)(N). Whether my game is a complete invention by me, or created as part of the wider DnD universe, the book is full of assistance that I use on a regular basis.

In Dungeons and Dragons we conduct a 'Session Zero' which is a meeting where you (the player) create your character with assistance from me (The DM) so I can guide you and see how your character can fit into my vision for the game. This involves a lot of discussions and looking through source material between us both (L), the initial communication is vital for how immersed you are in the story.

There is also a more unofficial source of information via a website known as DnD Beyond (D&D beyond 2022), which houses all of the official information via an easy search functionality (DL) as well as many homemade worlds, character classes, races, enemies, items and so forth (L) and offers an interactive method for myself as the DM to work out the finer mathematical equations relating to enemy combat and currency (DL) (N)

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After going through all of the preparations of character creations and world generation with the Dungeon Master - It's time to actually play!

The gameplay mechanics of Dungeons and Dragons can appeal to many different types of personalities and literacy styles (L), highlighted by Smith and Cole in their work "Teacher as Game Master: Using Tabletop Role-Playing Games in the
Classroom"

Specific example here -

"the ways varied stimuli might teach similar concepts better depending on
the learning preferences of individuals. Those who favour Logical-Mathematical
Intelligence will thrive when calculating dice rolls and modifiers, while those with Spatial
Intelligence will benefit from visualising (or possibly drawing) the finite details provided
to them by the GM when an environment is described."

(Smith M and Cole A, 2019)

This means that despite the niche of a fantasy roleplaying game, the scope and experience of playing Dungeons and Dragons could work for quite a variety of people and perspectives - those more strategically driven (N) and those more imaginative and expressive through communication (L).

In my group of friends who perform this, we have some who relish the opportunity to act, and as a result they stretch their verbal muscles by using archaic or alternative vocabulary to fit into the realm the DM has set up for them (L), another player is much more tactically inclined and he specifically builds his characters to have the best 'stats' in any given opportunity, so that he can dominate battle situations (N). I, personally, choose Charisma based characters, relying on character discussions to find answers and clues to the main story, which involves a lot of verbal persuasion as well as careful listening/observation on my part towards the DM and their NPCs, regarding how the story is being told (L)

There has been a lot of research of Dungeons and Dragons performance impacting student development and emotional literacy within classroom environments. (N) (L) (Building Emotional Literacy Through Dungeons and Dragons 2022)

There are two major forms of play and performance in dungeons and dragons which is Initiative (A specific order of character and npc movements, dependent on dice rolls (N), usually during combat) and Standard/Out of Initiative (anyone can perform a move at any point, usually out of combat).

The DM will explain the setting, surroundings and NPCs actions around the main players characters. The players ourselves have a say on how our characters interact with the world and then we roll dice to determine how well we each perform said interaction.

How the players communicate through their characters in the world has an impact on the choices and moves the DM will make, so effective verbal communication and listening skills (L) combined with the luck of the dice and it's interactions with the players proficiencies and modifiers (N) is integral to the experience.

DnD is essentially collaborative storytelling - a group communicating together to create something new. (L)

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The players use the Players Handbook to help them design their character, but the Character Creation form is how this character comes to life.

The standard form (which I tend to use when I play) gives different spaces for certain elements. Some are simple write in boxes (L) while others involve specifying numbers and modifiers that relate (N)

This form is filled in initially with your starting information, but is then updated and changed throughout play depending on what happens to a character. (L)

This means if my character loses health, I work out the amount of hit points I've lost (N) and mark it during combat (L). If a character is using a spell slot they need to keep track of it as they play, or they could run out and be caught short in battle - which is annoying when it happens to you, and it's why no one likes playing a low level Warlock.

We can also have certain outside effects causing us as players to have temporary issues - if my character is poisoned or under the influence of a spell - my character may have their maximum health ability decreased so they are functionally weaker, or the previous proficiency may no longer apply, or they may have a negative effect on certain rolls (N) - these all require awareness and notation (L) throughout play to keep track of during play.

These forms are constantly updated and changed via pencil throughout the game and are vital to the overall experience. (L)

Some people choose to have a digital version of the form (because pencil rubbings can be a bit of a chore) that they can easily update and use on the fly via a tablet (DL) (L) but that is down to the individual player, and some DMs may take issue with it as they cannot as easily notice cheating.  I personally find the digital format pulls me out of the experience, and doesn't have the tactile satisfaction of rolling real dice and anticipating the outcome.

Outside of the standard character sheets (Digital and Physical) some people choose to create their own sheets with alternative layouts and management methods, some going as far as to create them digitally, because of the complexity and detail involved, some people do not feel the standard form is the most efficient way of creating your character. (DL) (L) I have tried (and failed) to make my own version - it's harder than it looks!

Not everything in character creation comes down to the 'nuts and bolts' of characters, classes, and tables.

There is a large amount of collaborative story telling going on between the player and the DM, and you need to create some kind of investment into why you choose the character you do.

For example, my first ever full character was 'Agatha, The Other Mother', who was a Tiefling Paladin.

From the players handbook, I knew that Tieflings were usually evil or neutral characters, and were hated in most of the official DnD world and seen as outsiders, due to being from demon bloodlines and having usually visible horns (L).

I was drawn to the idea of a good Tiefling that is rejected by society, and wasn't raised in as 'evil' ways as the race is usually known for. So I built her to be a Paladin (a religious warrior) and created a back story of her being a loving, care giving woman who started her own orphanage because she couldn't create life herself.

This ability to take the bare essentials of what a character can be from the book (L), diluting the basic information onto a sheet (N), but then having the knowledge of their story background and how it impacts the character performance is huge to the character creation stage. It isn't just about the numbers, it's how you build a story around said numbers, combining the mathematical elements built in (N) and the written reasoning to create a tangible narrative for yourself. (L)

The written element can be well thought out, and considered - but you then have to perform that character, and that is a different literacy skill all together - You're taking this written character and trying to embody them and give them a voice verbally (L), taking what you have created and essentially giving it life. Verbal literacy is different due to the immediacy and reactionary element, written can be more measured and methodical, but verbal is living and fluid.