New Models Reflection

(National Literacy Trust, n.d.)

I was pleasantly surprised to see that one of the readings for this module was an article from the National Literacy Trust which talks about how playing video games can apparently help promote literacy in youth and children. They claim that playing video games can help immerse young people in stories, improve confidence in their reading skills, support positive communication with their friends and family members, increase their level of empathy and understanding, and provide a clear path for youth and children to become more interested in activities such as reading for pleasure and creative writing (National Literacy Trust, n.d.). Video games have not typically been associated with such benefits to literacy, but as a longtime gamer myself, I find myself strongly agreeing with a lot of these claims and feeling that a lot of these benefits could apply equally well to people of all ages.

I already mentioned the ability of games to deeply immerse players in their stories and environments in my last reflection, and I can understand how they might also help players with their reading, writing, and communication skills as well as foster a sense of empathy and understanding. I have probably encountered just as many new words while gaming as I have while reading, and I am just as inspired to look these new words up and add them to my growing vocabulary. In terms of empathy and understanding, the level of immersion I tend to feel in the games I play helps me to feel a much closer connection to the game’s characters, especially characters with detailed, well-written backstories.

Which brings me to my next point, the fact that the story and narrative in games, especially many games released in the past decade or two, can easily be on par with a good fiction novel. According to author and video game writer Rhianna Pratchett in an interview with NLT journalist Andy Robertson, a considerable amount of attention is being paid to the writing in video games nowadays compared to the earlier days of video game development. She went on to explain that even the most action-heavy games such as first-person shooters can still feature narrative elements, including their use of game environments to tell stories without words, and that the immersive nature of games helps the stories they tell to sink in deeply with players (National Literacy Trust, 2020).

This module encouraged the brainstorming of new ways to serve library communities, and on that note, I believe that there should be more of a focus on actively encouraging library patrons to play and maybe even design their own video games. A number of libraries already offer games to be checked out alongside their other materials, which is great to hear; on top of that, more libraries might consider offering programs focused on game design or even just offer more clubs or spaces for gaming enthusiasts to hang out regularly and share in their love of gaming. The ability of video games to help promote literacy, communication skills, and empathy has still not received enough recognition in my opinion; I have always felt that games possess a unique potential compared to other forms of information and deserve to be recognized for their distinctive qualities.

References:

National Literacy Trust. (n.d.). Video games and literacy. Retrieved October 29, 2025, from https://literacytrust.org.uk/information/what-is-literacy/video-games-and-literacy/

National Literacy Trust. (2020, August 12). Andy Robertson in conversation with Rhianna Pratchett [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKkMVrwSGEM