Playing Around with Literature: Tabletop Role-Playing Games in Middle Grades ELA

The ever-increasing interest in gaming, both in and out of school, suggests the need for further examinations of the affordances and educational possibilities that lie within gaming, especially within English language arts and literacy classrooms. This article describes the experiences of two middle school ELA classes implementing a tabletop role-playing game in their literature study. Moreover, we share the related benefits to student learning and suggestions, support, and resources for teachers interested in utilizing gaming to foster literary and literacy learning in their own classrooms.