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As a school counsellor trained in education counselling courses, building authentic connection with learners is among the significant aspects of their job. To build this relation and gain trust, gradually, keeping games in school counselling office can be of help.

Games have the potential to teach social-emotional learning skills while giving the learners a fun break from their daily study schedule.

You may be wondering how games can possibly help your learners in their development. But it actually has a surprise element to it when it comes to social-emotional skills, there’s actually a lot, your pupils can learn. Here, we will be discussing about the five key reasons why you should use/keep games in your school counselling office.

• It’s Evident!

A recent study claims that games with simulation elements provide a 23% gain over traditional learning, indicating that games can amplify learning outcomes by two grade levels.

Though this study was conducted with respect to simulation, however, it shows that there is value in the problem-solving and critical thinking facets that are the base of many games that you can keep in your school counsellor’s office.

You can, literally, use any game to yield such benefits, or you can look for games that are already made with social emotional learning topics. There are innumerable research findings on the advantages of gamification for students. Just use your spare time to give those a read on the internet.

• Games Teach Students to Respect Rules

Games are a wonderful way to teach patience to learners. It also teaches them the ways to follow rules which is a skill used throughout an individual’s lifetime.

Consider: workplace rules, rules of the law, and social situations rules.

Assisting learners to comprehend the ways to follow rules from a tender age is sure to help them learn and value the logic behind those, even if they disagree. Furthermore, teaching learners to disagree in a polite manner when they don’t feel in sync with any rule is just as crucial as teaching them the value of a rule. Apart from engaging them, games provide learning moments and also offer a clear picture of the choices and the consequences that may ensue.

Oftentimes, games exhibit a linear cause-and-effect condition that aids students understand and act when it comes to the consequences of certain choices.

• Emotional Regulation with Games

Games can help your learners practice emotional regulation when speaking of teaching them a logical way to disagree. E.g., if a pupil becomes distressed during a game, there’s a prospect to help him/her learn the ways to soothe them. Actually, it’s the appropriate time to teach them a mindfulness activity, which will help them build their social-emotional toolkit to be used throughout their life.

• Problem-Solving Skills

There are several games requiring problem-solving skills which has the potential to help young learners develop a healthy mindset regarding their choices. Overcoming obstacles, making goals, and forming strategies can aid learners in understanding that they too, can have, control over outcomes.

To be precise, your learners will realize that they can make decisions that will affect outcomes, which, in turn, teaches them accountability and to own their mistakes.

• Social Skills

Crucial social skills are infused generously within games that are used in a school counsellor’s office. E.g., good sportsmanship, taking turns, and politeness are the significant skills that get infused with the mindset of a learner while playing games in a school counsellor’s office.

Games often replicate practical scenarios; thus, learners get the opportunity to practice their social skills. They will learn how to handle larger issues they may face in their lives later on.

Social Distancing Games

During such an unprecedented time, it can be difficult for school counsellors equipped with student counselling techniques to find safe ways for students to work among themselves as social distancing has become the new normal. There are ample pandemic-friendly games that you can find online. In that way, even if learners can’t play games directly with each other, they can still get the educational, and social-emotional benefits from it.