Among the party games available on the Internet there exists a Clue Treasure Hunt Game. Many hosts and hostesses have entertained their guests with this particular game. Any of those guests who happened to be a teacher probably realized to what extent this clue treasure hunt playing could also serve as a valuable educational tool. The value of a treasure hunt clue derives at least in part from its ability to spur the practice of fundamental reading skills.
The treasure hunt clue normally contains both words and pictures. This word and picture combination, a combo seen repeatedly in the course of a game, could be used to help reluctant readers grasp more readily the link between printed letters and what they represent. How would that be accomplished?
When a student is asked to play a treasure hunt game and is then given a treasure hunt clue, he or she will eagerly try to take-in as much information as possible from that clue. If the treasure hunt clue is composed of words and pictures then the student will unknowingly be practicing the very skill that is needed for the reading of a basic reader.
A skillful reading teacher could undoubtedly devise a game with a treasure hunt clue that focused on whatever letter combination the students needed to learn. Suppose for example, that the teacher wanted the students to concentrate on learning that the "ie" combination usually tells the reader to pronounce the word using a long "e" and a silent "i." What could he or she give to those students doing the treasure hunt playing?
If the game is indoors, the teacher might look for something that acts as a shield. Then one treasure hunt clue could contain the word shield and a picture of an ancient type of shield. This particular treasure hunt clue would help the student to appreciate the fact that a shield does not have to be something carried by a warrior.
A teacher might want instead to have each treasure hunt clue contain a word that rhymes with each of the other treasure hunt clues. Perhaps one day the teacher would ask the students to follow clues with words like rose, hose, toes and nose; then on another day the students could be given clues with words such as rice, ice, mice and slice.
The treasure hunt clue provides an excellent way to review the meaning of prepositions. Suppose for example that each clue contained a phrase such as "flower in vase" or "books on shelf." Then the student would need to read the treasure hunt clue and use that information to find the next clue. By the end of the game every student would be better able to read each preposition and to "picture" in his or her mind the position of an object.
The above examples are intended to motivate the reading teacher and to inspire him or her to create an even better treasure hunt clue. Perhaps the teacher could eventually get the students themselves to make their own treasure hunt clues. Perhaps the teacher could manage to get his or her students to make a game of creating the materials for a game. Then the treasure hunt clue would have again demonstrated its value as a potential learning tool.