https://padlet.com/sw01262/gzkf61vs3net en-us 2017-10-22 17:17:25 UTC 2025-12-24 16:24:04 UTC hello@padlet.com sw01262 https://padlet.com/sw01262/gzkf61vs3net/wish/199371765 I had the opportunity to interview 2 Kindergarten students on video games and how they think they help them learn literacy skills. The questions I asked were:
1. What video game do you play that you love?
2. Are there letters or numbers in the game that help you know how to play, or do you listen to the game?
3. Do you have to touch/click letters or numbers if there are any? If not, how do you know how to win the game and how to lose the game?
4. What is your favorite part of the game?
5. What else do you learn from playing the game?

Both students answered the questions with great responses that allowed me to analyze how video games helped them learn literacy skills. ]]> 2017-10-22 17:20:00 UTC https://padlet.com/sw01262/gzkf61vs3net/wish/199371765 sw01262 https://padlet.com/sw01262/gzkf61vs3net/wish/199510276 Contrary to popular belief, video games actually can be used for obtaining and practicing literacy skills! This concept was completely new to me! After interviewing two early elementary school students, I began to realize I was wrong. In Apperley’s article, he mentions that students “interactivity” with the games can lead to improved literacy skills because kids are creating and negotiating, as well as making their own meaning of the game and how to play it. One of the students I interviewed talked about his favorite game, Call of Duty: Black Ops. Sure, this may not be an age appropriate game for his age, but he made some good points on how he learned from the game. He told me he knows how to play the game because he follows the “maps” At his age, he is not able to read yet, but understanding maps is a big concept to conquer. He uses the maps to carry him through the game and know what his mission is. He is able to manipulate the game by killing enemies and collecting new weapons. If he happens to die in the game, he can “respawn.” 

]]> 2017-10-23 11:10:22 UTC https://padlet.com/sw01262/gzkf61vs3net/wish/199510276 sw01262 https://padlet.com/sw01262/gzkf61vs3net/wish/199510622 Both students that I interviewed use the “narrative” aspect of their favorite games to carry them through the game. Neither student is of reading age yet, but both use clues in the game by listening and watching to figure out how to play. The student who chose Call of Duty as his favorite game does not appear to get as much literacy as the other student who chose games on ABC Mouse and ABCYa where letters and words appear on the screen. 

]]> 2017-10-23 11:11:42 UTC https://padlet.com/sw01262/gzkf61vs3net/wish/199510622