Reuters Japan reported yesterday that a Japanese girls middle school has begun utilizing Nintendo DS software inside the classroom to teach students everything from reading and writing, to vocabulary and listening comprehension.
Since May, teacher Soshi Okubo has been having class sessions that use the DS once a week. “The students have become extremely involved — it’s a fun way for them to learn spelling. At our school, we think learning English should be something fun.”
Since the year 2000, fifteen-thousand Japanese middle schools and high schools have resolved to find creative new teaching methods, and reduce route memorization.
“It’s fun and has really helped me in learning English,” says 9th grader Kanako Takahashi. “They even have DS software for learning math, so I’d like to try that too.”
The article has some DS details for the uninitiated, and explains that since there is still a ban on DS usage outside the classrooms, the students have to return their units once the English lesson is finished.
