How does D&D fit in with the Curriculum?
(Outcomes documents currently being updated)
D & D can be linked to several key Curriculum for Excellence outcomes within Health & Wellbeing, Literacy, and Numeracy. The skills used within the context of the game (role playing; creativity; listening; talking; maths) are transferable to the real world.
Health & Wellbeing
- social interaction
- inclusion
- building & maintaining positive friendships
- taking responsibility
- decision making
- being part of a group – teamwork & partnership
- resilience – dealing with ‘setbacks’ within the game
- learning to express feelings & emotions through roleplaying characters
- critical thinking
- problem solving
- leadership
- making friends
“I’ve discovered a lot of new interests and made a lot of new friends through D&D! It’s also helped me become more confident! :)” (S4)
“It’s helped me to become more confident!! It’s also lead to me discovering other new hobbies and interests which have all really helped to lift my mood and help me feel better in times of stress.” (S4)
Building Emotional Literacy through Dungeons & Dragons. International Literacy Association. July 2022
King, Austin. “Why (& How) Dungeons & Dragons Is so Good for Mental Health.” ScreenRant, Screen Rant, 3 Mar. 2021, screenrant.com/dungeons-dragons-mental-health-benefits-good-why-how/. Accessed 27 Mar. 2023.
ROLLDARK. Why Dungeons and Dragons is Great for Your Mental Health. (2023).[online] ROLLDARK. Available at: https://rolldark.co.uk/the-blog/whydndisgreatformentalhealth [Accessed 27 Mar. 2023].
Literacy
listening & talking; communicating; explaining; summarising information; making relevant contribution; selecting and using relevant information; reading; note taking; organising; linking information; creating texts (designing own adventures to run as a DM); persuading.
Literacy done, Sep ’18. Click on image to go to document.
Play, Read, Create (how gaming can be used as a gateway to literacy) (Scottish Book Trust) Aug 2022
Leveling Up Reluctant Readers With Dungeons & Dragons. International Literacy Association. Aug 2022
Numeracy
addition & subtraction; negative numbers; rounding up or down; fractions; measurement; money (copper, silver, gold coins) and budget management; timekeeping.
