Deep down every student wants to succeed and do well while still having fun at school. Yet, if your child has challenges with setting goals, long-term planning, organizational skills, and sustaining effort and attention, then you know the challenges he/she faces and the frustration you feel whenever your child feels overwhelmed with what needs to be done.
And while there are tutors, academic coaches, books and mobile apps that can help with teaching these essential life skills, it is worth considering how a popular video game, Minecraft, might just be able to be the answer to strengthening your child’s executive functioning skills.
That’s what Patrick Elliot, writes in his LearningWorks for Kids online article, “Minecraft, Executive Functioning and ADHD.” He includes the following tips when using Minecraft to teach executive functioning:
1. Set strict play time rules – This reduces the chance for video game addiction, reinforces proper planning and sustained attention.
2. Set some goals – These might be basic goals like collecting mined materials, building a workbench, constructing shelter. Elliot stresses the importance of discussing all the steps needed for each goal and the need to focus to achieve the goal before nightfall – when monsters arrive.
3. Set bigger goals – Bigger goals could include exploring uncharted lands or traveling deep into a tunnel. When setting bigger goals, a discussion of the benefits of good planning, focus/attention and breaking tasks into smaller steps in achieving the goals will increase the likelihood of success.
4. Re-create something from the real world – Pick something to create that is available at home or online. This will make it possible to easily check the accuracy of the virtual creation. Create a list of the materials that are needed, pick a place to build it and start building.
Elliot makes the case that by using Minecraft to strengthen executive functioning in students, students will soon see “the benefits of goal- directed persistence and preparation.”
And by seeing these benefits, while having fun playing Minecraft, students will hopefully move from simply fighting for survival in the classroom – whenever there is a lack of planning, focus and organization – to thriving, succeeding and reaching their true learning potential.