Martin Sedaghat

Bio: Martin Sedaghat is a preschool teacher and university lecturer at Niigata University of Health and Welfare. He has been teaching in Japan since 2003 and received his MA in TESOL in 2023. He has a background in illustration and his professional interests include picturebooks, game design for young learners, and second language acquisition for children.

Abstract: This workshop will cover a variety of aspects of creating, remixing, and playing non-digital games with young learners. We will start off by discussing the definitions and benefits of games with a focus on children and early developmental skills. Next, I will share some of the principles of good game design, along with suggestions on how to adapt and remix games to suit the young learner context. Finally, the audience will be invited to work in groups and use some simple materials to design their own games. My hope is that you will leave with a new perspective on classroom games and some ideas on how to use them.