Teach Primary Issue 18.7

www.teachwire.net | 15 G amification—the use of game elements and principles in non-game contexts— sometimes gets a bad reputation for only appealing to loud, competitive children, and potentially shifting focus from learning to winning. However, when applied thoughtfully, gamification can encourage every child to do their best, foster a sense of belonging, and help them realise their potential. Inclusivity Allowing children to engage in purely playful activities can be incredibly empowering, even without a specific outcome. For example, exploring gravity by building tall towers with plastic bricks until they topple over encourages experimentation and resilience. This allows children to try things without fear of the result of ‘getting it right’. Collecting and earning badges is another powerful motivator for many pupils and may allow for many different kinds of personalities to try to achieve something outside of learning success. Create a variety of badges that recognise positive behaviours like kindness, tidiness, completing homework, going the extra mile, or trying something new. Make it social Connecting pupils with each other makes activities more exciting and rewarding. Implementing a House system, long used in schools, can help build a sense of identity beyond just the class to the wider school community. It allows pupils of different ages to interact, support each other, and work together. Being part of something with an identity can help different children do things for the benefit of the larger group. Pairing pupils for competitions can create fairer and more engaging experiences too. For example, matching children of similar abilities for a head-to-head spelling test helps maintain a sense of ‘urgent optimism’, where both competitors feel that they have an equal chance of winning. An alternative technique to a classic team-based class competition is to introduce a collective goal, such as the whole class reading a combined total of 1,000 books in a term. This can also unify the whole group, allowing every child to contribute, regardless of their individual achievement level. It’s a great way of including pupils who have very different educational abilities. You may also find children helping and encouraging each other to read more. Unexpected rewards While some children prefer to know the exact outcome of their efforts, adding an element of surprise can heighten excitement. For instance, using a spinning wheel of names, or a lucky dip, to determine who gets to do a special activity can motivate participation. Limiting the availability and frequency of rewards can also increase their value. A classic example is selecting one child each week to take home a prized soft toy—a STAR CHARTS A step up from Anne Lancaster is kids product manager at Sumdog – a games-based maths practice app for children aged 5–14. Anne Lancaster demonstrates how to use gamification sympathetically F EATURE S P EDAGOGY “Allowing children to engage in purely playful activities can be incredibly empowering” learn.sumdog.com privilege that becomes more coveted because it’s rare. This exclusivity encourages children to adhere to classroom rules and participate fully in order to qualify for selection to care for the toy. Future-proofing Gamification, when used thoughtfully, can transform classroom dynamics, motivating children of all abilities and personalities. By incorporating inclusive, social and exciting game elements, teachers can create an environment where every child feels valued and engaged. When implementing gamification, it's crucial the children know what the rules are, that they're fair and that they must be adhered to for the game to work. If children perceive that biases or cheaters have been allowed to interfere with the rules, they won't trust or participate in the activity and may be cynical about the next proposed game. Make sure games reward the different behaviours that you’re seeking to see in your classroom, and that all children will have a chance to succeeding – especially those who don’t get the highest scores in their assessments. TP