Why use games during your literacy classes?

We often hear criticism that if every minute isn’t spent on “meaningful learning,” we’re somehow wasting valuable teaching time. Games are sometimes included in that criticism, seen as time taken away from serious instruction.

I can see why the experts say this. The countless worksheets and activities I’ve seen, it’s clear that many are created without considering how long they will take to prepare, whether they add real value to the lesson, or if students spend more time figuring out how to play than actually learning. Are they cutting and pasting more than they are reading?

That’s why it’s so important to know who you’re buying from. Are they qualified literacy specialists who understand evidence‑based instruction and the realities of classroom time? It's time that we know better and do better - as both buyers and sellers.

So why promote the use of games?

We use games because they create an engaging, low‑pressure space where children can practice skills without feeling overwhelmed. I often meet students who are so resistant to literacy lessons that their teacher or support worker struggles to help them make progress.

When a child is anxious, embarrassed, or already expecting to fail, their cognitive resources for learning drop dramatically. In these moments, forcing reading doesn’t build skill; it increases avoidance.

Well‑designed literacy games reduce that emotional load. They offer repeated practice, immediate feedback, and opportunities for success — all elements supported by research on skill acquisition and behavioural engagement. When students feel safe enough to participate, their willingness to practice increases, and meaningful progress becomes possible again.

Games give us a way in, a way to lower the emotional load, rebuild confidence, and create positive experiences around literacy. When the pressure drops, progress becomes possible again.

Every game we use has a clear purpose beyond play. While it feels like fun as we roll dice, move pieces, use dabbers, we are also reading words, encoding, decoding and using them in sentences.

Games are brilliant to send home for homework. Let families play. Let practice feel doable. Confidence comes first. Skills come next. Reading books come later. Because when learning feels like a game, children come back for more, and that’s when real progress happens.