Japan’s First E-Sports Academy

1. Set Focus 
Pose this essential question: What role should schools play in a society?

2. Read and Discuss 
Have students read the article, marking key ideas and questions. Then ask them to answer the following questions, citing text evidence:

• How is the e-sports academy different from traditional high schools in Japan? (The academy provides instruction on gaming tactics most days. Core subjects are taught only on Tuesdays and Thursdays. In addition, the academy is less structured. It starts later in the day, has no uniforms, and does not pressure students to conform.)

• What was the original purpose for the academy? What has it also become a model for? (The academy was originally opened to train students in gaming to feed the growing global demand for professional gamers. But it has also become a model for enticing students who weren’t going to school to return and get an education.)

• At the end of the article, what does Wataru say after his team is defeated in the tournament? What does he actually do? What idea does the author emphasize by ending the article with this contrast? (Wataru says, “I should probably go home.” Instead, he stays at the gaming campus with his teammates. By ending with this contrast between what Wataru says and what he actually does, the author emphasizes that the school is succeeding in helping students feel like they belong and to have a more positive outlook toward school.)

3. Core Skill Practice
Assign, print, or project the activity Sum It Up. Have students use the tips and the model summary to write an objective summary of the information presented in the article.

4. Writing Prompt
Review the sidebar, “Japan At a Glance.” How might e-sports academies help Japan increase its GDP? Explain in a brief essay.

5. Classroom Debate
Should your community open an e-sports academy

6. Quiz & Skills
Assess comprehension with the quiz. Use Be the Editor to review grammar skills.