Opinion: Video games get kids to read without them realizing it

Literacy is easily one of the things parents worry about most. They wonder if their children are learning the fundamentals at school, if they are keeping up with their peers and, perhaps most importantly, if they’re learning to enjoy reading (and aren’t just doing it because they’re forced to).

Scholastic has created The 39 Clues, a book series that combines books with an online game. Kids are forced to read the books in order make progress in the video game. In the UK, Nintendo and Genius Sonority Inc. have released 100 Classic Book Collection, a budget-priced DS application that contains 100 legendary novels and plays from authors like Jane Austen, Lewis Carroll, Charles Dickens, William Shakespeare and Mark Twain.

While both of these steps are interesting methods and approaches to provide a new way to look at reading material (especially 100 Classic Book Collection, which hopefully will come to the US), it’s unnecessary. If parents pick the right games for their children, they’ll find the kids are already readinging substantial amounts of text without even realizing it.

For example, a typical role-playing game like Pokémon, Final Fantasy, Legend of Zelda or Animal Crossing, require an extensive amount of reading to progress and understand the story. Animal Crossing could be a wonderful reading opportunity for kids, since one of the main points of the game is to make friends with neighbors in your virtual town, a task accomplished by talking and writing letters to them.

Games based on popular books also help encourage kids to read the source material. The Harry Potter series of games often only presents a small fraction of the story from the books and, if a child plays the game and watches the movie, he or she may then be compelled to move on to the books to discover subtle nuances not found in the other adaptations.

Games based on manga also help encourage kids to read. If a child plays and enjoys a game like Naruto: Clash of the Ninja Revolution or Bleach: Dark Souls, he may want to learn about the story on which the game is based. While they could watch the anime series, he’ll quickly discover that the graphic novel’s storyline has advanced past what is being shown on TV, and will then rush to the books to read what happens next.

In an ABC News story on Scholastic’s The 39 Clues, Becky Pringle from the National Education Association states the following:

“If students rely just on using games and online tools, and they believe that is the only way they’re going to learn or have fun, then they will be less inclined to pick up a book.”

The only way students are going to rely only on games and online tools is if parents and educators allow them to. If parents and educators step in and set up defined times and places where kids can play games and kids can read, then there won’t be a problem. Books can provide unique experiences that games can’t and vice versa.

In addition, many books are now available both online or via electronic devices like the Amazon Kindle, so you don’t have to pick up a book. Children could be using these online tools to explore novels and books via another, non-traditional method. The recent UK DS release 100 Classic Book Collection acts as a reader as well, allowing DS owners of any age to have over 100 books (110 if the owners have access to WiFi to unlock 10 additional stories) at any time.

If a child’s parents and educators are involved and knowledgeable, then a child will be able to take advantage of both platforms to find a balance that works for him.

Read [ABC News] Also Read [DS Fanboy] Site [The 39 Clues]