Game-based learning takes advantage of the natural interest of play to attain certain learning goals. It turns basic academic and cognitive skills into interactive tasks that help to develop a dynamic environment with motivation and mastery developing in tandem. Kinder Ready Tutoring is one of the institutions that has included this effective methodology in its curriculum. The Elizabeth Fraley Kinder Ready theory acknowledges that properly developed games are not a distraction towards learning but a complex tool of building the executive, problem-solving, and social skills that are the basis of school readiness.
One of the strengths of game-based learning is its capacity to develop and strengthen executive functions in a low-stakes and high-reward environment. Games inherently demand players to obey rules (impulse control), allocate memory to the sequence of actions (working memory), think in advance (cognitive flexibility) and deal with the disappointment of a loss (emotional regulation). It may be a straightforward board game that teaches the child how to take turns or a card game that teaches the child how to match and sort, but the activities give the child repetitive and enjoyable practice over the same neural routes that were the foundation of classroom success. This is a conscious practice of executive action, which is one of the foundations of the Kinder Ready Elizabeth Fraley method, and upon which our tutoring sessions capitalize, by use of games to make this very important practice enjoyable and helpful.
Moreover, games are outstanding instruments in concrete and memorable learning of abstract academic concepts. Arithmetical activities, phonics, and vocabulary will become living when they are used in the context of a game. Learning is activated and applied by counting the spaces on a board, reading aloud in a game that has literacy or by using new words to provide clues. This is completely ideal according to the Kinder Ready Tutoring model of multi-sensory learning. When a skill practice is incorporated into the story of a game and the goals, a child will become inherently motivated to continue working and overcoming the obstacles, and practising the skills will become a mission.
Notably, social-emotional and collaborative skills learning is also a potent method in game-based learning. Cooperative games help to learn to work as a team, communicate, and find a solution together. Games that involve a bit of luck can teach a child to handle victory and defeat gracefully- a crucial life skill. This social learning is highly appreciated in the Elizabeth Fraley Kinder Ready philosophy, and empathy, patience and positive interaction through the use of games offer a structured but natural learning environment that will provide children with the opportunity to practice their collaborative skills in the classroom.
Game-based learning is a pedagogical approach that resonates well with the manner in which young minds are developed. It uses play, which is the main job of childhood, to develop the exact skills required to achieve both academic and social success. With a combination of this methodology, following the Elizabeth Fraley Kinder Ready framework, Kinder Ready Tutoring develops a learning setting in which the engagement is automatic, and the progress is a happy one. This will make sure that children not only gain knowledge but also build a positive, strong attitude towards learning as a whole that will be a strong example in their education.
For further details on Kinder Ready’s programs, visit their website: https://www.kinderready.com/.
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