How Games Can Help Struggling Students.

 It is well known that giving students tons of problems to complete as a way of teaching them a skill is not always successful.  There are other ways to have students practice skills without doing lots of problems.  One very popular way is through the use of games.

First of all, math games offer a structured situation with specific rules, a final goal, and obstacles.  These things mean a student has to choose valid strategies, perform problem solving on the fly, and make decisions with immediate feedback.

Most students enjoy playing games even if they are math based.  In addition, games often reduce math anxiety and stress.  When students play they are less self conscious and are more likely to try. Furthermore, they don't mind making mistakes because they don't see it in the same context as doing worksheets and they don't undergo the same stress as when they complete worksheets.

When students play math games, they converse with each other, communicating important information while helping each other.  It also provides an opportunity to observe students while they play providing a great chance to assess informally.  Furthermore, game playing also provides automatic review with immediate feedback to students so they learn the material better or gain an understanding they didn't have before.

Another thing about games and struggling students is that games support different learning styles while providing an inbuilt differentiation while increasing student engagement and motivation.  There are some studies out there indicating games provide an effective way for students to transfer skills from short term to long term memory so they develop a deeper understanding.

The thing is that many students who have struggled with math for many years often will object to any game proposed or they will just throw in an answer and hope for the best so the game has to be appropriate for their ability and interest.  I have some students who hate any form of Jeopardy because they don't want to try but prefer Kahoot because they can guess and have a chance of being right.

On the other hand, the use of either an online game or app designed to focus on a specific skill such as solving one or two step equations, develop knowledge of the coordinate plane, can really help students. It's a matter of finding a game, your students are willing to play.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.