Recommendations for a game to design English/Reading lessons around.

[Furbyz]

I've recently started tutoring a 13-year-old boy in math. I quickly discovered that, along with being years behind in math, his reading skills were so poor that it made word problems almost impossible for him. I'd like to point out that this isn't any failing of the public school system. This child was born addicted to narcotics and may in fact be slightly brain damaged from a 107 fever that wouldn't break when he was 2.

I've made a lot of progress with him, but his grandmother is determined to send him to summer school even if he does pass (which I believe I've managed to make possible), while still continuing lessons with me to prepare him for high school. To be honest, I don't want to be that hard on the kid, and would at least like to mix up the things I teach him. What better way to do that than to teach reading skills through video games?

That's where I ran into my conundrum. What game to use? I know I don't want anything with voice acting because I need to force him to read it. The only game I have that meets this criteria and still works is Legend of the Dragoon (maybe one disk of FF9). While fun as can be and a great story, it's terribly translated and borderline nonsensical at times. Not class material.

Then I thought some of the old Black Isle stuff might work, but I've never played them, and would that even work on most modern computers without a great deal of effort?

Also, I'm kind of worried since the only game I know that he actually plays is...well he's a COD-baby. Would throwing him back into terrible 90's graphics and turn-based combat be the best idea?

So, any ideas?

 

[Gatx]

It depends where he is with reading exactly. Is he just a slow reader, or does he have trouble with vocabulary or what? Practice makes perfect and all, but depending on what his exact problem is, making him play a text heavy RPG will be about as helpful as making him read War and Peace, especially if the only game he plays is CoD. We think of games as inherently more engaging than books and movies, but he has to want to be engaged in the first place. Maybe if he's actually interested in the CoD campaign you could get him to read some Tom Clancy novels or something?

 

[Furbyz]

It depends where he is with reading exactly. Is he just a slow reader, or does he have trouble with vocabulary or what? Practice makes perfect and all, but depending on what his exact problem is, making him play a text heavy RPG will be about as helpful as making him read War and Peace, especially if the only game he plays is CoD. We think of games as inherently more engaging than books and movies, but he has to want to be engaged in the first place. Maybe if he's actually interested in the CoD campaign you could get him to read some Tom Clancy novels or something?

I'm sorry, I forgot to write why I settled on video games in the first place. He has a legitimately difficult time reading from what I can tell, and being in 8th grade where everyone else he knows has no trouble at all, it frustrates him, and he refuses to do it. His vocabulary is miniscule, to the point that I had to tone mine down to be understood.

He either hates reading in general, or possibly books in specific. To illustrate, his grades look something like barely passing, then a wild book appears and suddenly 30 average.

But you're right, maybe something too text heavy wouldn't work out. He'd probably like a Tom Clancy novel, if I could get him to read it without him thinking I was punishing him with giant books

 

[Darren Carrigan]

I've recently started tutoring a 13-year-old boy in math. I quickly discovered that, along with being years behind in math, his reading skills were so poor that it made word problems almost impossible for him. I'd like to point out that this isn't any failing of the public school system. This child was born addicted to narcotics and may in fact be slightly brain damaged from a 107 fever that wouldn't break when he was 2.

I've made a lot of progress with him, but his grandmother is determined to send him to summer school even if he does pass (which I believe I've managed to make possible), while still continuing lessons with me to prepare him for high school. To be honest, I don't want to be that hard on the kid, and would at least like to mix up the things I teach him. What better way to do that than to teach reading skills through video games?

That's where I ran into my conundrum. What game to use? I know I don't want anything with voice acting because I need to force him to read it. The only game I have that meets this criteria and still works is Legend of the Dragoon (maybe one disk of FF9). While fun as can be and a great story, it's terribly translated and borderline nonsensical at times. Not class material.

Then I thought some of the old Black Isle stuff might work, but I've never played them, and would that even work on most modern computers without a great deal of effort?

Also, I'm kind of worried since the only game I know that he actually plays is...well he's a COD-baby. Would throwing him back into terrible 90's graphics and turn-based combat be the best idea?

So, any ideas?

Why not Legend of Zelda games? That's the example that jumped into my head right away. But then again I'm not sure if that would work for him.

 

[Furbyz]

Good idea! Those could probably keep his interest at the very least. Truth be told, I love video games, but haven't played that many, Zelda included. I really don't know how deep the story is. But I do have a copy of Wind Waker I've never gotten around to, so right now I'd say that's the front runner.

 

[someonehairy-ish]

I can't think of any specific game that might help, but you could always use it as a reward. As in: you don't get to play COD this evening until after you read a bit of this book.

Or you could try to encourage him to read by getting him into things other than books, and related to his hobbies. Find magazine articles related to COD and it might help his reading, whilst hopefully triggering less of that automatic dismissal than books.

Or, if you think he's actually addicted to COD, managing to change that might improve his attitude all-round. If he's sitting there wanting to play COD the whole time rather than concentrating, it's obviously going to make him irritable and make him less likely to learn anything.

If you could get him into an RPG, that would be ideal. You often have to read the flavour text on items and skills and whatever to figure out what to do, even in modern RPGs.

 

[LAGG]

In that case, possibly tabletop games are the best choice instead of video games. Wargames, cardgames, RPGs, something in that vein.

 

[Technocrat]

Old adventures like Fate of Atlantis or Beneath a Steel Sky might do for reading, if using the non-voiced version (or turn the voices off).

As an English teacher, I'm always going to say that Typing of the Dead is my favourite educational game of all time, though.

 

[Auron]

Assassin's Creed? History goes well with it, Age of Empires, Empire Earth, Civilization? RPGs like every D&D game(Baldur's Gate or Torment might be good ones.). Games with historical backgrounds in general can awaken curiosity and thirst for knowledge in my own experience. I mean, what better way to fixate the Battle of Agincourt or Hastings than actually commanding a simulation of it?


A more difficulty to implement suggestion would be real(tabletop.) RPG, it usually accompanies considerable reading and extensive vocabulary and is quite enjoyable.


You can find the Black Isle games quite functional for modern computers in here http://www.gog.com/ in fact there's a huge promotion on gamersgate for all the old D&D games, http://www.gamersgate.com/DDB-DBAMC/dungeons-and-dragons-anthology-the-master-collection might be worthwhile.

 

[Dominic Crossman]

Reading the books in skyrim maybe?
FF games in general (older text based ones)
I know your specifically on about games but a book series called artemis fowl is what got me into reading at his age (maybe slightly younger). I point refused b4 that so it migjt be worth a shot.

 

[pilouuuu]

Scribblenauts Unlimited, Fate of Atlantis which have been mentioned are great ideas.

But I also recommend some old school RPG like Planescape Torment or Balddur's Gate.

Also Bookworm Adventures!