Navigator Lana

I’m working on incorporating more games into my classes this semester. This week, in ASL 1, the class wasn’t just about repeating signs or drilling prompted dialogue. I ended the class with the fun, quick-paced, slightly chaotic game of Spot It! Some might think of this as simply a kids’ game to use in passing, but as an educator, I found it has more power than it seems!

The Game Stats

Game: Spot It! (also known as Dobble)
Publisher: Zygomatic / Asmodee
Time to Play: 5 minutes
Best For: High energy and waking up the brain

The Teacher Talk

Let’s briefly discuss Visual Discrimination. This is the brain’s ability to spot the similarities and differences in images, shapes, patterns, etc. This leads to a broader skill: learning to distinguish between similar objects.

Why It Matters

For My Students: When learning a new language, the brain usually processes the image in the first language and then tries to translate it to the new language. When processing it in the first language, it’s instant and requires very little thought. Translating requires more steps. Spot It! forces the brain to bypass that slow translation step. They have to use visual discrimination to find the object and sign it immediately. It builds speed and confidence.

For Your Students: Even if they aren’t learning ASL, they still need Scanning Fluency, too! This is the ability to filter out that “visual noise” and allows the brain to quickly:

• Find a keyword in a textbook.
• Distinguish between p vs q.
• Scan a math problem.
• Notice the difference in puzzle pieces.

For You: As an adult, you can benefit from Scanning Fluency practice as well! How does it benefit you? Spot It! is basically gym class for your eyes. It helps you:

• Scan a spreadsheet for a specific number.
• Skim an email for a deadline.
• Find your keys on a messy counter.

The Homework

Keep a tin of Spot It! in your desk drawer, or closeby in your homeschool room. The next time you see students’ eyes glazing over, or you feel ‘brain fog’ at 3:00 PM, play a few rounds! Reset your focus in a fun way!

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Do you have a ‘brain warm-up’ game you love? Let me know in the comments!