1. Gamification
Practical ideas for ELT
Graham Stanley
graham.stanley@britishcouncil.es
British Council Teachers Conference
Madrid, Spain
Saturday 29th September 2012
http://learningthroughdigitalgames.wikispaces.com

2. Digital Play
Computer
Games and
Language Aims
http://www.digitalplay.info/blog http://www.deltapublishing.co.u

3. Digital Play
Computer
Games and Gamification
Language Aims
Using game
thinking and
Why? game design
What? techniques to
How? enhance non-
game contexts

4. Digital Play
Gamification
It's not just
about
computer
games

8. Digital Play
Gamification
https://www.coursera.org/course/gamificatio
n

9. Digital Play
Why?
“Games are a more natural way to learn
than traditional classrooms.
Not only have humans been learning by playing
games since the beginning of our species, but
intelligent animals have as well.”
(Clark Aldrich, Learning Online with
Games,Simulations and Virtual Worlds, 2009)
http://www.clarkaldrichdesigns.com

10. Digital Play
Relevance
Why?
There are 1 million gamers in UK
Average young person in UK will spend
10,000 hours gaming by the age of 21*
http://www.digitalplay.info/blog *Jane McGonigal - Reality is broken

11. Digital Play
Engaging
Why?
Games make learning fun
Games capture
learners' attention
http://www.digitalplay.info/blog

12. Digital Play
Communication
Why?
Games encourage
language production
Learners love
talking about games
http://www.digitalplay.info/blog

13. Digital Play
Teaching
Why?
Games can be easily
adapted for teaching
Games can be used to practise
all language skills
http://www.digitalplay.info/blog

14. What is your favourite thing you do with
technology at home
http://milesberry.net/?p=476#more-476

15. What is your favourite thing you do with
technology at school
http://milesberry.net/?p=476#more-476

16. Digital Play
No Computers in your classroom?
http://www.digitalplay.info/blog

17. Digital Play

18. Digital Play
Lee Sheldon
http://gamingtheclassroom.wordpress.co

19. Gamifying
Education
Grading
http://bit.ly/PJL3fU (used with permission)
Full video: http://www.penny-arcade.com/patv/gamifying-education

20. Gamification
in
ELT?
http://www.cambridge.org/es/elt

21. Digital Play
One Computer in your classroom?
http://www.digitalplay.info/blog

22. Digital Play
British Council TeachingEnglish
Progress generator
http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk

23. Digital Play
Class Dojo
http://www.classdojo.com

24. Digital Play
Class Dojo
http://www.classdojo.com

25. Digital Play
Class Dojo
http://www.classdojo.com

26. Digital Play
One Computer in the classroom?
Class Dojo
http://www.classdojo.com

27. Digital Play
Class Dojo
http://www.classdojo.com

28. Digital Play
Class Dojo
http://www.classdojo.com

29. Digital Play
Chore wars
http://www.chorewars.com
http://www.digitalplay.info/blog

30. Digital Play
Chore wars
http://www.chorewars.com
http://www.digitalplay.info/blog

31. Digital Play
Chore wars
http://www.chorewars.com
http://www.digitalplay.info/blog

32. Digital Play
Epic win
http://www.rexbox.co.uk/epicwin

33. Digital Play
Computer
Games in ELT
Reading,
Writing,
Speaking,
Listening,
Use of English

34. Digital Play
http://playspent.org

35. Digital Play

36. Digital Play
Multiple Computers?
www.bubblebox.com/play/adventure/1747.h

37. Digital Play
What's it for?
The aim of the game : The learners predict what to do with a list of pairs of game objects,
check their answers by playing the game and then write down the answers using the
passive voice.
Prepare to play: Choose an adventure game and start playing it. As you play, make a note
of what you do with the objects that appear in the game (or use the walkthrough to save
time) and produce a list similar to the example below. Make a copy of this list for each
learner. You will also need to use online dictionaries.
Play: Hand out the list of objects and tell the learners they are to guess how they are used
together in the game. Ask the learners to talk together in groups of three and to use the
online dictionaries to find out the meaning of the words they do not understand. After
fifteen minutes, stop them and ask them to tell you what they think the relationship is
between each pair of objects in the game: e.g. I think you use the hairpin to open the
shed, etc. They then play the game together. The game should be easier to play because
they know which objects they need to use together, but if they get stuck, encourage them
to read the walkthrough to find out what to do next. Finally, once they have played the
game (or part of the game if it's long), ask them to look again at the pairs of words and to
write about them. Encourage the use of the passive voice here: e.g. The hairpin is used to
open the shed, etc.
Play on:The learners can continue playing the game and finish off writing passive
sentences about the objects.

38. Digital Play

39. http://www.ugo.com/games/superhero-generator-heromachine-2-5

41. Live
listening
http://amanita-design.net/samorost-

42. Digital Play
Finding and using a walkthrough

43. Digital Play
How to approach task
design?
http://www.braid-game.com

44. Digital Play
Support for preparation of materials

45. Digital Play
Procedure and practicalities
 learner grouping – pairs or groups
 use handouts – clear instructions / task
 teacher uses game guide (walkthrough)
 encourage use of English during computer use
 learners explore, examine and pick up objects
 pause game and reflect on puzzles together
 those who solve puzzle tell whole class
 discuss where they been and what seen
 authentic information gap activity

46. Digital Play
Recommended reading
http://janemcgonigal.com/

47. Digital Play
Recommended reading
http://tomchatfield.net/

48. Digital Play
Recommended reading
http://epistemicgames.org

49. Digital Play
Recommended reading
http://www.jamespaulgee.com

50. Digital Play
Introductory booklet
http://bit.ly/xiWeN

51. Thank you! Any questions?
@grahamstanley
graham.stanley@britishcouncil.com
http://learningthroughdigitalgames.wikispaces.com