The Minnits - School Account

++BEST EDUCATIONAL APP FINALIST++ at 2015 Bett Awards

The English Minnits is an adventure game that is intended for children learning English as an additional language between the ages of 10-13. It was originally developed for children with special needs and was funded by The National Agency for Special Needs Education and Schools (SPSM in Swedish). However, as the game follows the national school syllabus, many schools have chosen to use this game as a complement to traditional teaching materials.
The game includes more than 6000 useable phrases that the student uses to solve the major problem affecting the Kingdom of Minutia. The game is entertaining and educational. It has been especially developed to stimulate the student’s word acquisition, memory and knowledge of the English language. With the help of attractive graphics, clear spoken instructions and challenging quests, the game is estimated to provide 25 hours of playing time.

THE STORY

Minnits and dragons lived peaceably together. They were not friends, but neither were they enemies. Then the railway came – some Minnits liked it but others were not so sure. The dragons were absolutely sure – they hated it! The railway had destroyed the environment in which they used to roam freely with the result that they are now, jittery, angry and extremely … dangerous!
In order to resolve the problem the Minnits need a hero, someone who can rescue them from the current chaos and the dragons. That hero is called Wheeze.

HOW IT WORKS

The English Minnits is a question based adventure game. The player assumes the role of Wheeze - the brave dragon hunter. The player learns English by listening to and following instructions and by taking part in hundreds of dialogues and carrying out quests that he is requested to do. The student learns to use English in normal daily situations.
The English Minnits has been developed for non-native speakers who need to learn English.

ADVANTAGES

There are no advertisements, no blood and no bad language. Studies have shown that children learn English by playing the Minnits ‘without realizing it’. As the focus is on dealing with daily situations and the listen-and-learn approach, The Minnits is the perfect complement to other language learning material. As the game follows the national syllabus it is used by many schools. Studies show that not only are the students thoroughly engaged, but the teacher is also provided with an exciting and motivating lesson.

PLAY IT AT HOME

If you want to play it at home – and many already do – there is a private version. The advantages of playing it at home are many. For those students who have come a little further in their learning, The Minnits provides an extra stimulus to develop their knowledge. For those that need a little more support, the game provides a more exciting environment in which to practise their knowledge.
Another advantage is that the The Minnits only uses modern day English. The dialogues have been developed based on the English language that is used today. The idea behind this is to teach children a language that will help them to cope in everyday ‘English‘ situations.