For the past four years we have being using Nintendo DS applications in the school. We have found that when particular applications are used in a structure fashion, there are many educational benefits. Currently, the DS is used in the following ways:
1. All pupils in fourth class use Maths Training on a regular basis. We have found that such usage increases pupils’ enjoyment of maths, their ability with number operations and their general confidence in the subject.
2. All pupils in fifth class use Brain Training on a regular basis. The pupils love playing this game, which improves their levels of concentration and memory and boosts their mental agility.
3. All pupils in sixth class use More Brain Training in a similar way. As with Brain Training, memory, concentration, ability to focus, persevere and process mental calculations are greatly improved.
In all of the above, children work independently, and time and frequency of use is at the teacher’s discretion.
4. Home use: In fifth class, pupils may borrow from a large selection of DS games for one week, in addition to their library book from the school library. All of the available games were reviewed and selected on the basis of their educational value.
1. All pupils in fourth class use Maths Training on a regular basis. We have found that such usage increases pupils’ enjoyment of maths, their ability with number operations and their general confidence in the subject.
2. All pupils in fifth class use Brain Training on a regular basis. The pupils love playing this game, which improves their levels of concentration and memory and boosts their mental agility.
3. All pupils in sixth class use More Brain Training in a similar way. As with Brain Training, memory, concentration, ability to focus, persevere and process mental calculations are greatly improved.
In all of the above, children work independently, and time and frequency of use is at the teacher’s discretion.
4. Home use: In fifth class, pupils may borrow from a large selection of DS games for one week, in addition to their library book from the school library. All of the available games were reviewed and selected on the basis of their educational value.
5. Collaborative problem-solving: in senior classes teachers use titles from the superb Professor Layton series to stimulate pupils working in groups of two or three to work together trying to solve the intriguing mystery presented to them. To do so, they will have to read a substantial amount of text and use the clues they are given to solve a large selection of challenging puzzles and logic games.