Dungeons and Dragons and literacy: The role tabletop role-playing games can play in developing teenagers' literacy skills and reading interests

Author

Stefanie L. B. Kaylor, University of Northern IowaFollow

Availability

Open Access Graduate Research Paper

Keywords

Fantasy games; Reading (Middle school); Reading (Secondary); Books and reading;

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the role that tabletop role-playing games (TRPGs) play in developing the literacy skills and leisure reading interests of teenagers who play them. Additionally, this study sought to determine what role or roles educators should play in developing the gaming culture of teenage students. In order to answer these questions, seven people who played TRPGs as teenagers were interviewed about their past and current TRPG interests, past and current leisure reading habits, and the effects that playing TRPGs had on their literacy skills. This study revealed that all participants felt that playing TRPGs improved at least one literacy skill and that greater depth and breadth of TRPG experience helped some participants to surmount real or perceived difficulties with reading or speaking; TRPGs also helped participants improve listening skills . In most cases, playing TRPGs also led to a greater quantity of leisure reading. However, TRPGs did not appear to influence which genres participants read; some who previously read fantasy appreciated the connections they saw in TRPGs; yet others did not see TRPGs relating to their reading interests. While some participants saw their schooling and TRPG interests overlap, none saw a need for educators to take an active role in encouraging TRPG gaming among students.

Find Additional Related Research in UNI ScholarWorks

To find related research in UNI ScholarWorks, go to the collection of School Library Studies Graduate Research Papers written by students in the Division of School Library Studies, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, College of Education, at the University of Northern Iowa.

Year of Submission

2017

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Department of Curriculum and Instruction

Department

Division of School Library Studies

First Advisor

Karla Krueger

Date Original

2017

Object Description

1 PDF file (46 pages)

Copyright

©2017 Stefanie L.B. Kaylor

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

Recommended Citation

Kaylor, Stefanie L. B., "Dungeons and Dragons and literacy: The role tabletop role-playing games can play in developing teenagers' literacy skills and reading interests" (2017). Graduate Research Papers. 215.
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/grp/215