by R Ennis, Teacher from Kelowna, BC.
Rationale:
Integrating Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) into the English Language Arts (ELA) classroom offers a unique opportunity to enhance students’ literacy skills, creative thinking, and engagement with narrative structure. As a role-playing game centered on storytelling, D&D provides a dynamic, immersive learning experience that aligns with core competencies in the British Columbia ELA curriculum, including reading, writing, speaking, and critical thinking.
Rather than passively consuming literature, students become active participants in storytelling, making choices that influence plot development, exploring ethical dilemmas, and engaging in deep character analysis. The game’s interactive nature allows students to apply literary concepts in an engaging way, bridging the gap between traditional texts and contemporary modes of storytelling.
BC Curriculum Competency & How D&D Supports It:
📖 Comprehend and Connect – Analyze how text structures, elements, and literary devices shape meaning. Students engage in narrative analysis by actively participating in storytelling, identifying themes, character development, and conflict.
✍ Create and Communicate – Express ideas using various genres, structures, and styles. Students write character backstories, interactive fiction, and journal reflections based on their experiences in the game.
💡 Critical Thinking – Evaluate evidence and arguments in narratives. Players must make informed decisions based on context, consequences, and ethical dilemmas.
🎭 Oral Communication – Engage in meaningful discussions and role-play to convey ideas. Students improve public speaking and dialogue skills through role-playing scenarios and group discussions.
🔍 Media & Digital Literacy – Understand how different media convey messages. By experiencing a non-traditional storytelling medium, students learn to analyze interactive and nonlinear narratives.
More about this from R. Ennis & S Kumar.
