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Overcoming Barriers and Improving Outcomes: Teachers' Perspectives on Using Narrative Videogames to Teach Literacy/English

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Title: Overcoming Barriers and Improving Outcomes: Teachers' Perspectives on Using Narrative Videogames to Teach Literacy/English
Language: English
Authors: Jen Aggleton (ORCID 0000-0001-6396-2213), Emily Mannard (ORCID 0000-0003-1734-6529), Mona Humaid Aljanahi (ORCID 0000-0001-7321-3603), Christian Ehret (ORCID 0000-0002-7589-1974)
Source: Literacy. 2025 59(2):165-176.
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 12
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Teacher Attitudes, Technology Uses in Education, Video Games, Teaching Methods, Literacy Education, Technology Integration, Barriers, Educational Games, Action Research, Narration, Pedagogical Content Knowledge, English Instruction
DOI: 10.1111/lit.12384
ISSN: 1741-4350
1741-4369
Abstract: Research strongly supports the use of narrative videogames in the literacy/English classroom. However, for many teachers, incorporating videogames into their teaching practice is highly challenging. This article offers new insights into the potential of videogames as a pedagogical tool for literacy/English by exploring the barriers that teachers face when teaching with videogames, identifying how these barriers might be overcome and assessing whether the benefits of narrative videogames outweigh the practical difficulties of using them in the classroom. This participatory multiple-case study explores the experiences of six teachers, working in a range of contexts, who each undertook an action research project to assess the barriers to and benefits of teaching literacy/English with narrative videogames. The findings show that although the participants faced barriers related to practical considerations, game choice, pedagogical knowledge and negative attitudes, almost all barriers could be overcome, and the benefits of learning far outweighed the difficulties faced. This article offers a new model for how to overcome barriers to using videogames to teach literacy/English and makes recommendations for both educational practice and the games industry.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1470532
Database: ERIC
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  Value: <anid>AN0185030881;0lo01may.25;2025May12.02:21;v2.2.500</anid> <title id="AN0185030881-1">Overcoming barriers and improving outcomes: teachers' perspectives on using narrative videogames to teach literacy/English </title> <p>Research strongly supports the use of narrative videogames in the literacy/English classroom. However, for many teachers, incorporating videogames into their teaching practice is highly challenging. This article offers new insights into the potential of videogames as a pedagogical tool for literacy/English by exploring the barriers that teachers face when teaching with videogames, identifying how these barriers might be overcome and assessing whether the benefits of narrative videogames outweigh the practical difficulties of using them in the classroom. This participatory multiple‐case study explores the experiences of six teachers, working in a range of contexts, who each undertook an action research project to assess the barriers to and benefits of teaching literacy/English with narrative videogames. The findings show that although the participants faced barriers related to practical considerations, game choice, pedagogical knowledge and negative attitudes, almost all barriers could be overcome, and the benefits of learning far outweighed the difficulties faced. This article offers a new model for how to overcome barriers to using videogames to teach literacy/English and makes recommendations for both educational practice and the games industry.</p> <p>Keywords: videogames; multiliteracies; pedagogy; overcoming barriers; participatory case study; teachers' perspectives</p> <hd id="AN0185030881-2">Introduction</hd> <p>A growing body of research highlights the benefits of using videogames to develop literacy competencies, arguing that these texts can foster engagement, collaborative socialisation and connection between in‐and‐out‐of‐school lives in ways other media cannot (Berger & McDougall, [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref1">7</reflink>]; Burnett & Merchant, [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref2">13</reflink>]; Gee, [<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref3">22</reflink>]; Lenette, [<reflink idref="bib32" id="ref4">32</reflink>]; Ostenson, [<reflink idref="bib41" id="ref5">41</reflink>]; Steinkuehler, [<reflink idref="bib50" id="ref6">50</reflink>]). As players decode and interpret a range of semiotic systems, they can hone a "constellation" of literacy practices (Steinkuehler, [<reflink idref="bib49" id="ref7">49</reflink>]), including traditional literacy skills such as reading comprehension and textual analysis, as well as 'multiliteracies' (Cazden et al., [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref8">14</reflink>]), including visual and digital literacy. Additionally, fostering literacies through the contemporary digital texts many students use outside the classroom provides an opportunity to transform teaching‐learning processes towards youth‐focused, generative and innovative practice (Cope & Kalantzis, [<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref9">16</reflink>]; Thompson et al., [<reflink idref="bib56" id="ref10">56</reflink>]).</p> <p>However, whilst empirical studies in Australia, the United States and England have shown the potential for videogames to develop literacy skills (Apperley & Beavis, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref11">3</reflink>]; Maine, [<reflink idref="bib34" id="ref12">34</reflink>]; Ostenson, [<reflink idref="bib41" id="ref13">41</reflink>]; Theodoulou & Curwood, [<reflink idref="bib55" id="ref14">55</reflink>]; von Gillern & Stufft, [<reflink idref="bib59" id="ref15">59</reflink>]), there is also acknowledgement that using gaming narratives in the classroom is a challenging step for many teachers (Maine, [<reflink idref="bib34" id="ref16">34</reflink>]; Nash & Brady, [<reflink idref="bib39" id="ref17">39</reflink>]; Theodoulou & Curwood, [<reflink idref="bib55" id="ref18">55</reflink>]). This study therefore explores the practical realities of using videogames as part of literacy and/or English teaching, focusing on the perspectives of teachers.</p> <p>By exploring teachers' experiences across a range of contexts, this study creates a new link between existing research findings and the realities of everyday teaching. In doing so, we identify practical methods of incorporating videogames into literacy pedagogy and assess whether the potential benefits of videogames, identified in previous research, manifest sufficiently across a range of contexts to outweigh the difficulties teachers face in using the medium. From these, we make recommendations for the practice of using narrative videogames to teach literacy.</p> <hd id="AN0185030881-3">Literature review</hd> <p>Narrative videogames tell a story and therefore have much in common with other media traditionally studied as part of literacy/English learning. Unlike non‐narrative games, such as <emph>Tetris</emph> (Pajitnov, [<reflink idref="bib42" id="ref19">42</reflink>]), narrative videogames include characters, settings and plots, which may be either fully predetermined or influenced by the choices of the player (Stone, [<reflink idref="bib51" id="ref20">51</reflink>]). In narrative videogames, the story unfolds through a variety of player‐driven activities, such as exploring the environment, engaging in dialogue with other characters, solving puzzles, making choices and watching cutscenes.</p> <p>Scholarship on narrative games reveals several key arguments for their inclusion across literacy/English curricula (Al‐Jifri, [<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref21">1</reflink>]; Nash & Brady, [<reflink idref="bib39" id="ref22">39</reflink>]). Evolutions in digital texts and technologies have created opportunities to diversify formal language education through the promotion of a wide range of literacy competencies. The multisemiotic elements—such as text, colour, image, sound and spatiality—supported by media like videogames, e‐literature and live streams have made room for audiences' full‐embodied immersions into elaborate storyworlds (Corbitt et al., [<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref23">17</reflink>]; Murphy, [<reflink idref="bib38" id="ref24">38</reflink>]). Using these and other popular culture texts in classrooms has been shown to increase students' connection to and passion for the subject (Nash & Brady, [<reflink idref="bib39" id="ref25">39</reflink>]); Parry ([<reflink idref="bib43" id="ref26">43</reflink>]), for instance, details the enthusiasm encountered when an English elementary school's media education programming was built around students' textual favourites (e.g., Harry Potter and Batman) and interest‐driven productions (e.g., collaborative storyboards).</p> <p>In addition to honouring students' "lived cultures" within formal learning spaces (Parry, [<reflink idref="bib43" id="ref27">43</reflink>], p. 14), integrating popular culture texts like films and videogames fosters a "constellation" of literacy practices (Steinkuehler, [<reflink idref="bib49" id="ref28">49</reflink>]) that ranges from formal academic (e.g., reading comprehension, vocabulary development and critical textual analysis) to digitally oriented skills (e.g., media literacies, multimodal productions and algorithmic understandings) (Bouchrika, [<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref29">9</reflink>]; Levido, [<reflink idref="bib33" id="ref30">33</reflink>]; Smith & Kennett, [<reflink idref="bib47" id="ref31">47</reflink>]).</p> <p>The positioning of narrative videogames as rich texts worthy of classroom study has become increasingly acknowledged across the fields of education, media and literacy research (e.g., Beavis et al., [<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref32">6</reflink>]; Ehret et al., [<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref33">20</reflink>]; von Gillern & Nash, [<reflink idref="bib58" id="ref34">58</reflink>]). Buckingham and Burn ([<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref35">11</reflink>]), for instance, centre the potential for creative cultural expressions and critical reading experiences through children's classroom play with and creation of computer games. Similarly, Berger and McDougall ([<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref36">7</reflink>]) explore the ways in which the videogame <emph>L.A. Noire</emph> (2011) could be analysed using literary theory in accordance with UK A Level and undergraduate English literature curriculum guidelines. Whilst these researchers acknowledge that not all videogames can be studied in this way, narrative games offer many of the 'literary' characteristics of the novels, poems and plays that dominate current English and literacy curricula.</p> <p>Alongside recognition of the value of narrative videogames both as vehicles for the development of literacy skills and as complex cultural narratives with literary merit, it should also be acknowledged that these texts are hugely popular and therefore culturally impactful. Large numbers of young people play videogames, with Ofcom ([<reflink idref="bib40" id="ref37">40</reflink>]) placing this figure as high as 89% of UK children aged 3–17 in 2022. We would therefore argue that it is important not only to recognise and value narrative videogames as being important to young people's lives by formally including them in literacy/English curricula but also to explore diverse methods to "equip students to understand and to critique these media" (Buckingham & Burn, [<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref38">11</reflink>], p. 323).</p> <p>As robust and culturally relevant texts that have "push[ed] the boundaries of storytelling" (Ostenson, [<reflink idref="bib41" id="ref39">41</reflink>], p. 71), narrative videogames open potential for complex critiques of societal issues such as representations of adolescence, race and sexuality (Bezio, [<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref40">8</reflink>]; Green, [<reflink idref="bib27" id="ref41">27</reflink>]). Gray and Leonard ([<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref42">26</reflink>]) capture this scope through their exploration of how the elaborate storyworlds in videogames like <emph>Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Freedom Cry</emph> (2013) and <emph>Watch Dogs 2</emph> (2016) push players to take on the visceral, embodied perspective of certain marginalised communities in order to centre the "power and potential of resistance of everyday and systemic violences" (p. 4). This critical and immersive potential is further captured in Ehret et al.'s ([<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref43">20</reflink>]) explorations of the "senses of self" players co‐construct through a merging of <emph>narrative</emph> and <emph>ludology</emph> (or game mechanics) during agentic navigations of a videogame's interactive world (p. 342).</p> <p>In classroom contexts, the participatory nature of games requires students to take on more of an active role in textual navigation than with traditional print‐based formats like novels, plays and poetry:</p> <p>While a reader of a typical text can become lost in the world of the book, he or she is ultimately powerless to control the narrative and can only be a spectator. In video game narratives, however, effort is required of the reader—the choices a reader‐player makes in a video game directly impact the outcomes of the narrative (Ostenson, [<reflink idref="bib41" id="ref44">41</reflink>], p. 76).</p> <p>In research exploring the integration of the narrative videogame <emph>What Remains of Edith Finch</emph> (2017) in an Australian Year 10 English classroom, Theodoulou and Curwood ([<reflink idref="bib55" id="ref45">55</reflink>]) reveal how these interactive possibilities not only engage pupils but also empower them; honouring and amplifying the diverse identities, perspectives and skills students hone outside the classroom marks an essential opportunity for educators to transform traditional classroom hierarchies and limit conceptions of "what counts" as literacy towards more collaborative practice (Cope & Kalantzis, [<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref46">16</reflink>]; Street, [<reflink idref="bib52" id="ref47">52</reflink>], p. 77; Thompson et al., [<reflink idref="bib56" id="ref48">56</reflink>]).</p> <p>Despite these noted potentials, various barriers to using videogames in the classroom have emerged in a small number of studies. In their meta‐analysis of research on videogames in the literacy/English classroom, Nash and Brady ([<reflink idref="bib39" id="ref49">39</reflink>]) detail several limitations commonly experienced by educators, including tensions related to curricular control, cultural stigmas associated with games and a lack of access to technology and resources to assist with planning. Gaps between teachers' and students' media cultures resulting in unfamiliarity with the digital medium can exacerbate these barriers, causing feelings of reluctance and concern about integrating videogames into literacy/English learning contexts (Burn et al., [<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref50">12</reflink>]). For instance, Theodoulou and Curwood ([<reflink idref="bib55" id="ref51">55</reflink>]) note how the Year 10 educator they worked with remained apprehensive until the researchers revealed how a focus on a game's familiar narratological elements—such as plot, characterisation, dialogue and setting—could facilitate integration with little change to established practice.</p> <p>Although studies on incorporating videogames into literacy/English curricula are on the rise, these forms of educator hesitation reveal a disconnect in terms of how and where this research is disseminated. Further, there is a noted dichotomy in implementation strategies, with some scholars choosing to centre youths' unmediated play with videogames (Mannard, [<reflink idref="bib35" id="ref52">35</reflink>]), whilst others advocate a more intentional "critical games literacy" in which students are directed to play through a specific lens (Apperley & Beavis, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref53">3</reflink>], [<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref54">4</reflink>]), which may leave educators feeling lost in terms of selecting appropriate playthrough procedures for their specific contexts. The single‐case study methodological approach commonly employed in these studies has also resulted in a neglect of scholarly consideration towards the practical realities that vary greatly across formal learning spaces, such as classroom size, student learning needs and longitudinal implementations.</p> <p>From our analysis of the existing literature and its gaps, we developed the following research questions, which are explored in this study:</p> <hd id="AN0185030881-4">RQ1</hd> <p>What barriers do teachers face when using narrative videogames in their classrooms?</p> <hd id="AN0185030881-5">RQ2</hd> <p>What solutions do teachers find to overcome these barriers?</p> <hd id="AN0185030881-6">RQ3</hd> <p>What do teachers think are the benefits, if any, of teaching with videogames in their context?</p> <hd id="AN0185030881-7">RQ4</hd> <p>Do the benefits outweigh the difficulties?</p> <hd id="AN0185030881-8">Methodology</hd> <p>For this research, we adopted a participatory, qualitative, multiple‐case study methodology. As we wished to explore the participants' perspectives of real teaching situations, a case study framework allowed us to examine, in depth, the complexities of their individual experiences within their unique contexts (Simons, [<reflink idref="bib46" id="ref55">46</reflink>]). However, as literacy learning takes place in many different contexts, and in response to Nash and Brady's ([<reflink idref="bib39" id="ref56">39</reflink>]) identification of a need for studies on narrative videogames and literacy learning that examine more than one classroom, we opted for multiple‐case studies over the examination of a single case. By comparing the perspectives of teachers working with different national curricula and age groups, we were able to identify common themes as well as some local factors (Stake, [<reflink idref="bib48" id="ref57">48</reflink>]), making the findings applicable to a greater number of educators than could be achieved by exploring a single educational context.</p> <p>Details about participants and their projects can be seen in Table 1. Participant researchers were recruited through an open call for participants working with learners from ages 7 to 18 years old. This call was advertised through social media, flyers at conferences and the academic researchers' professional networks. Please note that all participants chose to be identified in this research so their contributions could be acknowledged, and that this decision was supported by the headteacher of each participant's school, who provided written consent for their schools to be identified. One participant withdrew from the project due to workload pressures; as such, their details and data have not been included.</p> <p>1 Table Participant details.</p> <p> <ephtml> <table><thead valign="bottom"><tr><th>Participant name</th><th>Country</th><th>School context</th><th>Number of years teaching</th><th>Regular gamer</th><th>Curricular/extracurricular</th><th>Project focus</th></tr></thead><tbody valign="top"><tr><td>Rabia Arif</td><td>England</td><td>St Annes Church of England AcademySecondary Academy teaching 11–16 year olds in Greater Manchester, part of the Cranmer Academy Trust, approximately 800 pupils on roll</td><td>Early career teacher—first year of teaching</td><td>Yes</td><td>Extracurricular, across Years 8–11, 12–16 years old</td><td>Cultural literacy and creative writing, through the games Thief (Eidos‐Montréal, <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr19">2014</xref>), the Assassin's Creed series (Ubisoft, <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr57">2007–2023</xref>) and Ghosts of Tsushima (Sucker Punch Productions, <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr53">2020</xref>)</td></tr><tr><td>Carol Carter</td><td>England</td><td>Headlands Primary SchoolPrimary Academy teaching 4–11 year olds in suburban Northamptonshire, part of Northampton Primary Academy Trust, approximately 450 pupils on roll</td><td>Qualified secondary teacher but working as a primary school librarian for 5 years</td><td>Occasional gamer</td><td>Extracurricular, Year 5/6, 9–11 years old</td><td>Oracy, through the game Quandary (Learning Games Network, <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr30">2023</xref>)</td></tr><tr><td>Nathan Hawthorne</td><td>England</td><td>Mayfield SchoolSecondary state comprehensive school with sixth form teaching 11–18 year olds in Outer London, approximately 2000 pupils on roll</td><td>6 years</td><td>Yes</td><td>Extracurricular, Year 10, 14–15 years old</td><td>Narrative structures, visual language and discussion of socially relevant themes through the game Hades (Supergiant Games, <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr54">2018</xref>)</td></tr><tr><td>Patrick McAnea</td><td>Northern Ireland</td><td>Slemish CollegeIntegrated state secondary school teaching 11–18 year olds in Ballymena, both grammar and non‐grammar streams, specialist humanities college, approximately 750 pupils on roll</td><td>4 years</td><td>Yes</td><td>Curricular, Year 10, 13–14 years old</td><td>Developing GCSE readiness through a comparative study of the novel The Woman in Black (Hill, <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr28">1983</xref>) and the game Hogwarts Legacy (Avalanche Software, <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr5">2023</xref>)</td></tr><tr><td>Paul Matthias</td><td>England</td><td>Little Heath SchoolSecondary state comprehensive school teaching 11–18 year olds in Berkshire, approximately 1600 pupils on roll</td><td>10 years</td><td>Yes</td><td>Curricular, Year 10, 14–15 years old</td><td>Creative writing, through the game The Vanishing of Ethan Carter (2014)</td></tr><tr><td>Alex Stephenson</td><td>Wales</td><td>St Cyres SchoolEnglish‐medium community secondary school teaching 11–18 year olds in Penarth, approximately 1150 pupils on roll</td><td>6 years</td><td>Occasional gamer</td><td>Curricular, Year 9, 12–13 years old</td><td>Comparative study of the novel To Kill a Mockingbird (Lee, <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr31">1960</xref>) and the game Life is Strange (Dontnod Entertainment, <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr18">2015</xref>)</td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <p>The teachers were positioned as participant researchers, working together with the academic researchers as a 'community of practice' (Lave & Wenger, [<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref58">29</reflink>]). Teachers were supported through a free continuing professional development (CPD) programme to undertake their own action research projects in which they used a narrative videogame to teach a literacy/English topic. There were seven group sessions in total, as detailed in Table 2.</p> <p>2 Table Schedule of project sessions.</p> <p> <ephtml> <table><thead valign="bottom"><tr><th>Meeting</th><th>Purpose</th></tr></thead><tbody valign="top"><tr><td>1.</td><td>Discussion of research on using videogames to teach literacy/English, including a critical guide to analysing videogames as literary texts (Ehret et al., <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr20">2022</xref>). Participants used the critical guide to map curriculum goals to support their use of videogames to teach literacy/English.</td></tr><tr><td>2.</td><td>Discussion of practicalities and pedagogies for using videogames in the classroom and identifying possible approaches for participants' research projects.</td></tr><tr><td>3.</td><td>Discussion of possible games participants might wish to use for their projects.</td></tr><tr><td>4.</td><td>Discussion of action research methods and time for participants to begin to develop their research design.</td></tr><tr><td>5.</td><td>Workshop to finalise the design of participants' action research projects.</td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <p></p> <p> <ephtml> <table><thead valign="bottom"><tr><th>Participants undertook their action research projects</th></tr></thead><tbody valign="top"><tr><td>6.</td><td>Midway point of action research projects—troubleshooting any problems and sharing experiences.</td></tr><tr><td>7.</td><td>Sharing day. Participants presented findings from their individual projects and reflected on their experiences. Discussion of participant perspectives and experiences, making links across the individual projects and identifying key findings.</td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <p>The academic researchers chaired these sessions and shared relevant research, whilst all participants contributed to the discussions, sharing their experiences and questions about using videogames to teach literacy/English. Participants undertook individual action research projects (see Table 2), which enabled them to develop their own practice in areas relevant to their individual contexts and interests as educators. This approach enabled the theorising of practice within context, whilst the cyclical nature of action research allowed us to not only identify barriers to teaching literacy with narrative videogames but also develop ways to overcome those barriers and assess the outcomes (McAteer, [<reflink idref="bib37" id="ref59">37</reflink>]). During the sharing session, participants shared their individual project findings. This was followed by a discussion of the participants' perspectives and experiences of the barriers and benefits they encountered whilst teaching with videogames, in line with the overarching project's research questions. Similar and contrasting experiences were compared, and key findings were identified.</p> <p>We used multiple methods of data collection, with a focus on qualitative methods, to explore the participant researchers' perspectives and experiences (Simons, [<reflink idref="bib46" id="ref60">46</reflink>]). Participants completed questionnaires at sign‐up, at the midway point and at the conclusion of the project. This allowed for consistent comparison across all contexts. Participants also undertook individual, semi‐structured interviews at the beginning and end of the project, which allowed us to explore local differences and relevant factors that had not been identified through the literature review or raised during the group sessions (Robson & McCartan, [<reflink idref="bib44" id="ref61">44</reflink>]). In addition, each group session was recorded to capture decision‐making processes and identify key barriers and solutions, and resources created by participants (e.g., lesson plans) were examined as part of the end of the project interviews.</p> <p>The initial questionnaire was developed based on factors identified through the literature review. All subsequent questionnaires and interview schedules were developed by drawing on both the existing literature and the contributions of the participants, in line with the participatory approach and following Rose's ([<reflink idref="bib45" id="ref62">45</reflink>]) recommendation to let the data guide both the investigation and the analysis. As the project focus was on the perspectives and experiences of the teacher participants, the academic researchers did not examine the work of any learners. This approach was also in keeping with GDPA ([<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref63">23</reflink>]), the ethical guidelines set out in BERA ([<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref64">10</reflink>]) and the ethical approvals granted by the Open University's Human Research Ethics Committee. The academic researchers did not have professional responsibility for any of the participant researchers, so there were no conflicts of interest. Participation was entirely voluntary, no pressure to participate was applied and participants volunteered themselves and were not volunteered by managers. Participants had the right to withdraw at any time.</p> <p>In line with the exploratory nature of the research, all data was analysed using content analysis with two rounds of coding (Charmaz, [<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref65">15</reflink>]). Each academic researcher individually conducted a first round of open coding to inductively generate codes, drawing on both areas of interest identified through the literature review and the contributions of our participants. We then met and discussed these codes, using the constant comparative method to find connections between codes to develop categories, which were then merged or altered to create final thematic categories (Glaser & Strauss, [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref66">25</reflink>]). The data was then coded again using the agreed‐upon categories. Analysis took place several times during the project to allow the contributions of the teacher participants to inform our questionnaires and interview schedules, so that the data we collected was based not only on the concerns identified in the literature review but also on the experiences and perspectives of our participants. The final thematic categories were determined following the completion of all data collection (see Table 3).</p> <p>3 Table Analytical codes and categories.</p> <p> <ephtml> <table><thead valign="bottom"><tr><th>Examples of open codes</th><th>Final thematic categories</th></tr></thead><tbody valign="top"><tr><td>Literacy skills</td><td>Practical considerations</td></tr><tr><td>Textual analysis</td><td>Curriculum goals/learning objectives</td></tr><tr><td>Critical analysis</td><td>Game choice</td></tr><tr><td>Expanding ideas and worldviews</td><td>Pedagogical approach</td></tr><tr><td>Broader learning skills</td><td>Attitudes</td></tr><tr><td>Experience of games</td><td /></tr><tr><td>Accessibility of texts</td><td /></tr><tr><td>Curriculum</td><td /></tr><tr><td>Pedagogy</td><td /></tr><tr><td>Barriers and overcoming barriers</td><td /></tr><tr><td>Teacher ingenuity</td><td /></tr><tr><td>Curricular or extracurricular</td><td /></tr><tr><td>Relationship with subject (feeling, loving, passion, play)</td><td /></tr><tr><td>Game choice</td><td /></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <p>Upon completion of the analysis, this article was written by the academic researchers and reviewed by all participants to ensure they agreed with our findings and felt their contributions had been represented accurately.</p> <hd id="AN0185030881-9">Discussion of findings</hd> <p>The findings of this study provide nuanced insights into the complexity of integrating videogames into literacy/English classes by discussing barriers as well as their benefits. Regarding the barriers of narrative videogames, the teachers reported some challenges associated with the integration of videogames into literacy/English learning, such as lack of funding, accessibility and prior experience. Others included mitigating game choice to ensure its suitability, pedagogical knowledge of how to use games within existing curricula and dealing with negative attitudes. On the other hand, teachers reported positive outcomes across a range of literacy skills, including language acquisition, oracy, textual analysis and creative writing. Most of the participants noted the effectiveness of videogames as texts that are co‐constructed by the player(s) during lessons, a feature they believe improved learner ownership and engagement, critical thinking and the development of personal responses.</p> <hd id="AN0185030881-10">Identified barriers and strategies to overcome them</hd> <p></p> <hd id="AN0185030881-11">Practical challenges and considerations</hd> <p>One of the main barriers reported by almost all participants was that of finance, in line with Nash and Brady's ([<reflink idref="bib39" id="ref67">39</reflink>]) findings. Participants reported difficulties allocating the school budget and relying on their own incomes or personal devices to aid implementation. Rabia reported, "Funding is a big issue because of course it's like, it is a lot of money, a PlayStation's a lot of money to consider especially when you are looking at quite a few controllers in the mix." Similarly, Paul brought in his personal console, stating, "We haven't got a very big budget but also we've got a very high rate of disadvantaged students. There would be no way we could expect students to bring in their own gear."</p> <p>Linked to this issue of finance was the broader concern of technology. Financial restrictions resulted in limited device options, and Nathan indicated in the post‐project interview that PC gamers in the classroom had to adjust to the new controllers. Other technological issues concerned Internet connectivity issues, problems with memory when playing with multiple players and ensuring device workability in schools. Licencing also proved to be a significant barrier for Nathan, as he was unable to download his chosen game onto the school server for learners to use on school PCs due to the publishers of the game not having the option of an educational licence. Participants overcame this barrier in two ways: Either they adapted their game choice and pedagogy to the technology available or they used their own devices. For Carol, budget restrictions meant that using her school's existing technology increased the likelihood of videogames being used beyond her individual project, but it did restrict her options for game choice. Additionally, four participants who used their own devices found that having the game already downloaded overcame barriers of licencing or restrictions on Internet use and supported lesson delivery by saving the game at key points and having control over available device memory. For Nathan and Patrick, this required adapting their pedagogy, with students working collaboratively rather than engaging in individual gameplay. Whilst all participants who used their own devices were able to overcome barriers by doing so, they commented that they would have preferred to use school devices.</p> <p>Another key practical consideration was accessibility. Four of the participants commented that some of their learners had no previous videogame experience, making them hesitant to play in class. In addition, Nathan reported concerns about games containing flashing or stroboscopic effects, stating, "One student ... was sensitive to light and I was very worried that this would affect him." By consulting with the learner, Nathan was able to ensure they could participate safely.</p> <p>Integrating videogames into the curriculum was also mentioned by all participants. This barrier was due to either scheduling issues of finding a suitable time to incorporate games or concerns over the additional workload that was needed to plan new lessons. Three participants overcame these issues by moving outside curriculum time, whilst Patrick changed his original plans and adapted an existing unit of work with an established time frame. For all participants, considerations around time and scheduling required working with senior leadership, and the levels of support from leaders impacted the ability of participants to plan and schedule their projects.</p> <hd id="AN0185030881-12">Mitigating game choice</hd> <p>Another barrier concerned game choice. Alex reported that finding rich games for English classes and discussions posed a challenge, stating, "I found a lot of the games when I was looking at, they were a bit, not rubbish, but they weren't the best." A further hurdle concerned safeguarding, as teachers found that some content was inappropriate. Patrick stated, "One thing I actually found difficult was finding a videogame with the right age certificate." Carol, working with primary‐aged children, found it particularly difficult to identify suitable games. The difficulty in choosing games was reported as less of a barrier by those teachers who described themselves as avid gamers and had a wealth of knowledge of different games that would be suitable for classroom use. For those who were less familiar with games, sources such as Steam, Twitch, and recommendations from other participants were invaluable. Alex reported using walkthrough videos and websites to find games, and both he and Rabia also used walkthroughs in class.</p> <p>Budget constraints also influenced participants' game choices. Some participants opted to use free games, though this raised other barriers. Using free games limited choice, especially for Carol, as there were few free games on the available devices suitable for primary‐aged children. Alex described balancing cost with quality to ensure that the free game chosen could develop the skills required by the curriculum. As for the suitability of the games selected, most participants reported using the PEGI (Pan European Game Information) age rating to ensure the game was suitable. Alex and Rabia also addressed the issue of content suitability by using extracts in line with their schools' policies, which enabled greater choice of game whilst maintaining safeguarding requirements. Most participants also used extracts to address barriers to game length and as a deliberate pedagogical approach.</p> <p>Paul and Rabia took a flexible approach to game choice by responding to and working with their learners. Both chose initial games, which their learners did not respond well to, and they used that feedback to steer their subsequent game choices, with Rabia taking recommendations from her learners. This flexibility was possible as both took a skills‐based approach to curriculum goals and were familiar with a wide range of games.</p> <hd id="AN0185030881-13">Pedagogical knowledge and integration</hd> <p>Another barrier the participating teachers identified concerned the pedagogical knowledge of embedding videogames seamlessly into the curriculum without seeming 'gimmicky', as argued by Paul. This view is in contrast to the findings of Beavis et al. ([<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref68">6</reflink>]), who found that teachers were concerned about the novelty of teaching with videogames wearing off, suggesting that whilst for some teachers the value of videogames lies in the excitement and variety they can bring to the classroom, for other teachers, such as Paul, having the medium taken seriously as a legitimate form of learning is more important.</p> <p>Similarly, all participants mentioned the importance of effective pedagogical strategies, knowledge of appropriate games and confidence in technology as vital to incorporating videogames into teaching effectively. Patrick reported that teachers must be trained:</p> <p>It does require training and education, the same way anything does, but yeah actually that's probably my big barrier, was the day I was off no one that, a sub simply couldn't come in and pick that up in any real way at all actually, so that's probably the main thing I saw that it was really down to me and if I went off, again if it was a long term thing and I went off who would step in there to continue a topic like that? It'd be a difficult one I think.</p> <p>Alex also agreed with the importance of training, stating that the training sessions provided necessary insight into how best to implement videogames in classrooms. He commented: "If I didn't have the CPD sessions and you said, 'Just off you go to do this', I'd sort of not know where to start in terms of linking it to my course content." This barrier corroborates the findings of scholars such as Theodoulou and Curwood ([<reflink idref="bib55" id="ref69">55</reflink>]) about a lack of teacher confidence in using videogames in the classroom. Importantly, whilst Nash and Brady ([<reflink idref="bib39" id="ref70">39</reflink>]) raised particular concerns about confidence for teachers who lack familiarity with videogames, these findings highlight that this barrier was felt even by the participants who were experienced gamers, including those who taught videogames as part of a media, rather than literacy/English curriculum, such as Patrick and Alex.</p> <p>Pedagogical barriers that did arise were usually related directly to gameplay. All participants adopted some form of collaborative gameplay, whether that was partnered gameplay or turn‐taking with collective decision‐making. These collaborative approaches supported less confident learners, as peers would model and advise on controller use, and all learners could take part in gameplay without needing strong game literacy. Five participants reported adapting their own pedagogy towards a more collaborative approach with learners, a possibility noted in research by Cope and Kalantzis ([<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref71">16</reflink>]), Thompson et al. ([<reflink idref="bib56" id="ref72">56</reflink>]) and Theodoulou and Curwood ([<reflink idref="bib55" id="ref73">55</reflink>]). The nature of videogames, where the text is co‐created by the player(s) during gameplay, led to unexpected outcomes that could be explored collectively. All participants reported high‐quality discussions, and these were more likely to be led and developed by the learners than during standard literacy/English lessons. Participants also reported utilising learners' videogame literacy to address technological issues, support peers or support engagement by valuing learners' existing knowledge.</p> <p>As identified by Nash and Brady's ([<reflink idref="bib39" id="ref74">39</reflink>]) meta‐analysis, a frequent theme of scholarship on using videogames to teach literacy/English is the barrier of curriculum demands. However, despite working across several different curricula, none of the participants in this study identified this concern as a barrier. This may be due to the approaches they took to ensuring curriculum goals were met. All participants focused on developing key literacy skills, such as synthesis, oracy and creative writing, and reported that videogames were as or more effective at supporting learners to develop these skills than the standard texts they used. Alex and Patrick both started with existing schemes of work, which they adapted, comparing videogames to established set texts. They reported that this approach not only allowed them to meet their curriculum goals but also reduced the workload of integrating videogames into teaching.</p> <hd id="AN0185030881-14">Confronting negative attitudes</hd> <p>A final barrier faced by the participating teachers was the school community and parents' unfavourable attitudes towards integrating narrative videogames into literacy classes, mirroring Nash and Brady's ([<reflink idref="bib39" id="ref75">39</reflink>]) findings of the impact of cultural stigma on videogame use in schools. In both the interviews and the endpoint survey, Carol indicated resistance among staff, so to justify this pedagogy, videogames were incorporated into an after‐school club. Carol indicated further, "I also hoped the SoW I wrote would be strong enough and show enough learning outcomes to justify inclusion ...."</p> <p>Patrick similarly indicated stakeholders' need for reassurance that the integration would promote desirable learning outcomes and achievements:</p> <p>I had to let the parents know and everyone was really on board, ... but ... you shouldn't have to have everything so ratified and so data‐driven and so outcome‐driven, because really it's an experience as well if nothing else, and it's something new and something interesting.</p> <p>This need to justify pedagogical tools in the classroom indicates resistance to videogames in general as well as to nonconventional teaching/learning tools.</p> <p>Paul reported similar attitudes among colleagues, who misperceived the difference between incorporating videogames and still images into teaching writing, eventually leading the school to neglect their promise of support: "... there was a promise given to me that I would be able to run training on it just to show what I'd done, but it just never happened." Paul felt that this lack of support was "disappointing but unsurprising."</p> <p>Cynicism and negativity were also observed among some learners, as whilst most participants reported enthusiastic learner responses, Paul noted some learners, especially those from a highly academic family background, did not initially see videogames as a medium worthy of study.</p> <p>These negative attitudes were overcome through standard pedagogical approaches, such as directly relating the work they were doing to the learners' upcoming GCSE exams. However, support from other teachers was more challenging.</p> <p>All participants felt that research on the value of videogames would help change teacher attitudes. However, a significant body of research on the benefits of games already exists, suggesting that this research is not being effectively disseminated in schools. As a more direct approach, Patrick and Carol both used their projects as a pilot study so that other teachers, including senior leaders, could see the outcomes of using videogames first‐hand.</p> <p>Four participants mentioned the importance of actively championing the use of videogames through peer support, such as by sharing schemes of work, running staff meetings and working collaboratively with other teachers. Schools must continually balance competing priorities, which can make the introduction of new approaches, especially those that require financial investment, more challenging, and as Carol commented, "there needs to be a committed motivator who is agitating for change."</p> <hd id="AN0185030881-15">Barrier relationships</hd> <p>As the participants described how they overcame barriers, a relationship emerged between four key areas: practical considerations such as available technology; the need to meet curriculum requirements; game choice; and pedagogical approach. These areas were highly interdependent, and participants found that most barriers could be overcome by making adjustments either within or between these categories. For example, lack of access to ideal technology could be overcome by choosing a game that would work on the technology available and then adapting the pedagogical approach taken to ensure curriculum outcomes were being met. This relationship can be represented in Figure 1.</p> <p> <img src="https://imageserver.ebscohost.com/img/embimages/rdk/0LO/01may25/lit12384-fig-0001.jpg?ephost1=dGJyMNXb4kSepq84yOvqOLCmsE6epq5Srqa4SK6WxWXS" alt="lit12384-fig-0001.jpg" title="1 Overcoming barriers in using videogames to teach literacy/English: examples of interdependent relationships. LOs, learning objectives." /> </p> <p></p> <p>The one major barrier that did not fit into this relationship was that of negative attitudes from fellow staff members, and this barrier had a significant impact on success. Where senior management was highly supportive, teachers found it much easier to overcome other barriers. Where managers, other teachers or support staff, such as IT departments, were indifferent or unsupportive, it was much harder for teachers to overcome barriers.</p> <hd id="AN0185030881-17">Benefits perceived by teachers using videogames in their classrooms</hd> <p>The benefits reported from the incorporation of videogames into literacy/English lessons largely reflect the findings of existing scholarly literature. What is notable from this research is that these benefits were seen not only in single cases but also across a range of educational contexts, despite different curriculum requirements.</p> <hd id="AN0185030881-18">Vocabulary enrichment</hd> <p>One primary benefit was the development of language skills, identified by researchers such as Steinkuehler ([<reflink idref="bib49" id="ref76">49</reflink>], [<reflink idref="bib50" id="ref77">50</reflink>]), which participants in all contexts reported on. Instances of language development included exposure to new vocabulary, with Nathan stating that "In many videogames, players must read/listen to instructions carefully and understand them to be effective players. This improves vocabulary and may help the players become more proficient in understanding and writing instructions." Carol noted that the learners themselves realised that they had improved their vocabulary, and Alex reported that gains in language development lasted beyond the videogame unit, stating, "We've now moved on to Shakespeare's Macbeth, and some of the language we used in the videogames scheme, they're now using appropriately to apply to Shakespeare."</p> <hd id="AN0185030881-19">Development of textual analysis</hd> <p>Participants also reported the development of textual analysis skills, including narrative structure, authorial techniques and character development. Patrick noted that experiencing tension through gameplay enabled his learners to identify techniques used to create tension in a novel, whilst Alex indicated that the visual gameplay aids in <emph>Life Is Strange</emph> helped with textual analysis, especially around exploring character motivation. His learners were able to apply these analytical skills both to the game and to the novel <emph>To Kill a Mockingbird</emph>, which Alex taught alongside as a comparative text. They were also able to apply their new understandings to their creative writing, with Alex commenting:</p> <p>The motivational side as well, why characters react in a certain way, helped them create characters and made them think about what they were writing rather than just, I'm going to write a story about Max like 'My name is Max'.</p> <hd id="AN0185030881-20">Enhanced creative writing skills</hd> <p>Paul, Patrick and Rabia also noted improvements to creative writing, in line with the findings of Altura and Curwood ([<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref78">2</reflink>]) and Marlatt ([<reflink idref="bib36" id="ref79">36</reflink>]). All three discussed the immersive nature of gameplay as providing valuable experiential stimulus. Paul also commented that exploring a 3‐D environment with changes in lighting and atmosphere proved a more effective stimulus than using images or even films. Rabia commented that the learners having control over the actions of the character enabled them to distinguish between description and narrative and apply those distinctions within their writing.</p> <hd id="AN0185030881-21">Oracy skills and improved pedagogical approach</hd> <p>In‐class gameplay was also found to prompt rich discussions and improve oracy skills for all participants. Carol reported that learners used decision‐making skills, took into account everyone's viewpoints and demonstrated understanding that it may not be possible to please everyone. These discussions, which reflected Gerber et al.'s ([<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref80">24</reflink>]) findings of the potential of videogames to support connected learning through creating classroom experiences that are social, participatory and equitable, were also indicative of the way in which videogames encouraged the participants to adopt a more democratic, Freirean‐style pedagogical approach (Freire, [<reflink idref="bib21" id="ref81">21</reflink>]), which they sometimes struggled to use with more traditional texts, such as novels. With live gameplay, the teacher is no longer positioned as an omniscient figure but rather as one who co‐constructs meaning with the students. Carol highlighted how videogames helped her: "see the value of valuing what the kids do, like how well they responded and how excited they were that I was listening to them talking about the things that they were passionate about."</p> <hd id="AN0185030881-22">Learner autonomy</hd> <p>This open pedagogical approach also contributed to learners' increased autonomy and confidence in sharing their personal responses. As they were co‐constructing the text during lessons through emotionally immersive gameplay, Patrick found that personal responses were much more visible than with other forms of media, and his learners were more willing to express their individual opinions rather than trying to express the 'correct' answer. Similarly, Rabia noted that having control over the character gave her learners the confidence to take control of the direction of their learning and follow the elements they were interested in. Both felt that this ownership of learning led to better quality learning outcomes.</p> <hd id="AN0185030881-23">Benefits of using videogames in classrooms outweigh the barriers</hd> <p>Whilst a robust catalogue of benefits emerged across the six cases, these findings primarily confirm that benefits identified by previous scholarship can be seen across a wide range of learning contexts. For this study, we also wished to bring these findings into conversation with the barriers experienced by the participants to assess whether these benefits truly outweigh the difficulties of implementation.</p> <p>For the participants in this study, the answer emerged as a resounding <emph>yes</emph>, with every participant categorically stating that the benefits to learning outcomes far outweighed the barriers, regardless of their context or the level of barriers that they faced.</p> <p>It should, however, be noted that some barriers cannot be overcome. The issue of carving out the space and time for a full game‐based unit impacted the majority of our participants. Whilst most expressed wanting to integrate longer units due to the positive outcomes experienced, one participant could only complete a limited project, and another had to withdraw from the study due to workload constraints. Further, there was a noticeable difference in experience based on the level of support educators received from senior management in the form of encouragement, resources and funding.</p> <p>In addition, it is important to recognise that all participants in this study had at least some familiarity with videogames. They were also all motivated and interested in exploring this pedagogical approach, having volunteered to undertake the project. Given the significant barriers reported in terms of technology, appropriate pedagogy and knowledge of suitable games, it is likely that for teachers with no experience with or interest in playing videogames, the balance between benefits and barriers may not be as clear‐cut. As such, further research is recommended to explore the experiences of novice gamers integrating videogames into literacy/English pedagogy.</p> <hd id="AN0185030881-24">Conclusions and recommendations</hd> <p>Despite working in a range of different contexts with differing curriculum requirements, the teachers in this study all firmly stated that the benefits of using videogames to teach literacy/English vastly outweighed the barriers they faced. In order to make the most of these benefits, however, certain conditions did need to be met. Most notably, all participants felt that without training in videogame‐specific pedagogy and a knowledge of how to find suitable texts, they would not have been able to successfully incorporate games into their teaching. It is therefore recommended that videogame‐specific pedagogy be included in teacher training courses, both for trainee and in‐service teachers.</p> <p>There were also barriers that must be addressed by the games industry, such as the greater availability of educational licences for schools and a wider range of suitable games for younger players. As such, a next step for this research team is to consider the dissemination of these findings into industry as well as academic and professional spaces.</p> <p>Successful implementation of games into literacy/English curricula also requires commitment from schools' senior management teams. Whilst our participants demonstrated that games can be incorporated into teaching inexpensively by using existing school technology and free games, the most successful outcomes are likely to be achieved by schools investing time and money in training, resources and support for teachers. If schools are willing to make this investment, the benefits to learning outcomes and learner engagement are likely to be significant.</p> <hd id="AN0185030881-25">Conflict of interest statement</hd> <p>There is no conflict of interest.</p> <ref id="AN0185030881-26"> <title> Footnotes </title> <blist> <bibl id="bib1" idref="ref21" type="bt">1</bibl> <bibtext> Funding information This research was funded by a United Kingdom Literacy Association (UKLA) Research Grant, Reference AMS 1805196.</bibtext> </blist> </ref> <ref id="AN0185030881-27"> <title> References </title> <blist> <bibtext> Al‐Jifri, A. A. (2017) The impact of video games in the acquisition of English language: the case of Saudi youths. 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  Data: Overcoming Barriers and Improving Outcomes: Teachers' Perspectives on Using Narrative Videogames to Teach Literacy/English
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  Data: English
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  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jen+Aggleton%22">Jen Aggleton</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6396-2213">0000-0001-6396-2213</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Emily+Mannard%22">Emily Mannard</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1734-6529">0000-0003-1734-6529</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mona+Humaid+Aljanahi%22">Mona Humaid Aljanahi</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7321-3603">0000-0001-7321-3603</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Christian+Ehret%22">Christian Ehret</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7589-1974">0000-0002-7589-1974</externalLink>)
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  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Literacy%22"><i>Literacy</i></searchLink>. 2025 59(2):165-176.
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  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
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  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
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  Data: 12
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  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
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  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Attitudes%22">Teacher Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Technology+Uses+in+Education%22">Technology Uses in Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Video+Games%22">Video Games</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teaching+Methods%22">Teaching Methods</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Literacy+Education%22">Literacy Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Technology+Integration%22">Technology Integration</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Barriers%22">Barriers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Games%22">Educational Games</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Action+Research%22">Action Research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Narration%22">Narration</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pedagogical+Content+Knowledge%22">Pedagogical Content Knowledge</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22English+Instruction%22">English Instruction</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1111/lit.12384
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  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 1741-4350<br />1741-4369
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Research strongly supports the use of narrative videogames in the literacy/English classroom. However, for many teachers, incorporating videogames into their teaching practice is highly challenging. This article offers new insights into the potential of videogames as a pedagogical tool for literacy/English by exploring the barriers that teachers face when teaching with videogames, identifying how these barriers might be overcome and assessing whether the benefits of narrative videogames outweigh the practical difficulties of using them in the classroom. This participatory multiple-case study explores the experiences of six teachers, working in a range of contexts, who each undertook an action research project to assess the barriers to and benefits of teaching literacy/English with narrative videogames. The findings show that although the participants faced barriers related to practical considerations, game choice, pedagogical knowledge and negative attitudes, almost all barriers could be overcome, and the benefits of learning far outweighed the difficulties faced. This article offers a new model for how to overcome barriers to using videogames to teach literacy/English and makes recommendations for both educational practice and the games industry.
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: EJ1470532
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        PageCount: 12
        StartPage: 165
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Teacher Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Technology Uses in Education
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      – SubjectFull: Video Games
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      – SubjectFull: English Instruction
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      – TitleFull: Overcoming Barriers and Improving Outcomes: Teachers' Perspectives on Using Narrative Videogames to Teach Literacy/English
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