Nintendo Used in School?

CHEN:
A growing trend is emerging in Japan. High schools are opening their doors and hearts to the popular video game console, Nintendo. Students are quickly discovering that learning English can be fun. Here's more on the story.

STORY:
Nintendo is banned in all parts of the Tokyo Joshi Gakuen School, except for this classroom. Here, junior high school students do not need to hide them away from their teacher, Ms. Motoko Okubo.

Okubo uses hand-held Nintendo DS systems and textbook software to help students become more proficient in vocabulary, penmanship and audio comprehension.

The software asks students to spell out words or phrases and uses games and scores to keep the learning process more interactive for users.

[Motoko Okubo, English Department]:
"For those that have lagged behind in class, it's a great way for them to work on their vocabulary, at their level, and at their individual speed."

Japan has been pushing for a more "relaxed" environment aimed at fostering creativity and reducing rote learning. But parents and the media have complained that the reforms have gone too far and demand a return to rote learning.

[Kana Kawasaki, First-Year Student]:
"It's like a normal game and it's fun to learn this way."

Though it is still in its early stages, the results have been encouraging. But while it looks like fun and games, vice-principal Junko Tatsumi, says it's still a very serious educational effort.

[Junko Tatsumi, Vice-Principal]:
"I don't think the idea is for the children to only have fun with the Nintendo DS's and for the exercise to end there. The point is for these children to use these DS's and learn as many new words and phrases in order to build up their communication skills with the world outside."

Global DS sales have exceeded 70 million units since it was first introduced in 2004 and the figure is expected to rise.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• NTD
• NTDTV
• news
• Nintendo
• trend
• creativity
• Tokyo
• Japan

[SakuCake]

I wish my class did that -.-;;

[MotionlessWindmill]

Thats cool. I would like it if our school did that. (Or if our school even taught second languages) But of course; Georgia sucks.

[setheries]

egoraptor

[MPOTW]

Funny how the English Teacher speaks to Aussie interviewers in Japanese

[etrinh00azn]

it's only easy because there's 26 letters, just wait until they learn grammar

[mnmguy94]

Wow that classroom looks dull

[FMAEdwardFMA]

@Gman867 i was thinking the same thing! Hahahaha

[GMan867]

So she's an english teacher who doesn't speak english

[drout0]

@SakuCake if you're an average-smart kid, then you can do it yourself. just buy an "R4i-3d" card ( ebay sells it for about $30 ) , then, download "DS Game Maker" ( a 16yo kid created this software ), and then, watch some tutorial vids here on youtube ( ie: ?v=aA6TXkrI9fo )

[omgstoptakingnames]

how would they know if the kids are just playing with each other with the wi-fi

[DeathDude72]

"Damnit, Trisha! Put your notebook away, take out your DS." Now that would be a day.

[xXslyferskyXx]

I actually introduced brain games to my math teacher and he says hes gonna buy one and bring it to school one day XD