I first heard of Chris "Savage" Broussard from LinkedIn. Over several posts, Chris shared his classroom journey where Dungeons & Dragons is completely integrated into the coursework of his high school English classroom (what I call a Full Infusion from one of the frameworks in my book). But what was even more intriguing was the location of the classroom: Guatemala.
I teleconferenced with him to learn more, and after an hour of casual talk, I was determined to tell his story on Kentucky Educators for Role Playing Games. I then asked Chris if he would be willing to be interviewed for my blog, and I am delighted he said yes.
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| From Chris Broussard's website "Not Your Typical Teacher." |
Chris, welcome to Edtech Elixirs! Please share your educational journey.
I always start this conversation by saying I never wanted to be a teacher. I'm originally from Louisiana, and I graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with degrees in Modern Languages, concentrating in Spanish, and Criminal Justice.
In 2012, I traveled to Guatemala for what was initially intended to be a three-month experience abroad to improve my Spanish skills. During that trip, I fell in love with the country and its culture. I returned in 2013, and Guatemala has been my home ever since.
That same year, I began my teaching career with Education for the Children Foundation, an organization dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty through education. There, I worked with students across several grade levels, from elementary through secondary school. I taught English as a second language and eventually became the English Program Coordinator.
In 2016, I joined Intellego Bilingual School, where I've spent the past decade teaching high school English Language Arts. Over the years, my role has evolved beyond the classroom to include professional learning and instructional coaching, helping other teachers think more intentionally about how they design learning experiences.
Along the way, I earned my master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the American College of Education.
One of the most important things I've learned from teaching abroad is that education isn't confined to a single country, culture, or approach. Working with multilingual students has challenged me to rethink what engagement looks like and how we can create meaningful learning experiences.
That curiosity continues to shape much of my work today, including my exploration of TTRPGs as a tool for teaching literacy.
What is your personal experience with playing tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs)?
I actually had no personal experience playing tabletop role-playing games until I brought them into my classroom. In fact, I didn't even know what they were until late 2020!
However, I've been a lifelong gamer, playing video games for as long as I can remember. During my early years of teaching, conversations about video games became one of my favorite ways to get students talking and build relationships with them.
In 2021, I began incorporating video games into my classroom as an engaging way to explore concepts such as character motivation and narrative structure. My old PlayStation 3 is still one of my most valuable pieces of classroom equipment!
Every day during recess, my classroom transforms into an arcade. The first rule is simple: the room is an English-only zone. Students are welcome to come in and play video games as long as they maintain their conversations in English.
Imagine my surprise when some of the students with the lowest levels of English proficiency became the ones who regularly came in to play video games and speak English!
I believe this happens because the environment removes much of the pressure associated with making mistakes. Students aren't worried about getting an answer wrong or receiving a grade. They're focused on playing, having fun, and communicating with their friends. The motivation to participate is immediate, and the perceived risk of failure is much lower.
Through this experience, I've noticed that students who were initially hesitant to participate in class have become more willing to speak up and take risks with their English.
It was this experience that helped me recognize the potential of games as a tool for language learning and eventually led me to explore tabletop role-playing games in my classroom.
A great segue! Tell us more about how your journey began using TTRPGs instructionally.
I first discovered the concept of tabletop role-playing games and their potential in the classroom in 2020. At the time, we were conducting classes via Zoom, and student engagement had become one of our biggest challenges. We were competing with cell phones, televisions, and the newfound freedom students had to mute their teachers whenever they wanted!
Toward the end of that year, I had been binge-watching The Walking Dead, and my ninth-grade students were studying a unit about the end of the world. We had read several works by Ray Bradbury, as well as The War of the Worlds. Having finished our textbook content, I needed something that would keep students practicing their English for a few more weeks.
With zombies on my mind, I decided to create a survival game.
I presented students with a scenario: They were alone at school, and the entire campus was surrounded by zombies. A helicopter would land on our soccer court in five days, but they had to survive at school until then.
My first question was simple: "Who do you work with, and where do you set up your camp?"
Once students established their teams, I placed them into Zoom breakout rooms and visited each group to ask what they wanted to do next. Some ventured into the cafeteria to search for food, while others made weapons and built barricades to protect themselves.
On the second day of our game, something unexpected happened. When I started the session, the Zoom waiting room was full. As I admitted students, they immediately began asking whether they could do certain things in the survival game. They were already thinking about their next moves before class had even started!
Seeing that level of engagement, I knew I was onto something.
Later, while recounting the experience to a friend back in Louisiana, he told me, "You're basically doing Dungeons & Dragons in your class."
That was the first time I learned what D&D and tabletop role-playing games actually were. I spent the next month researching the concept and exploring how it could be used in education.
In 2021, I brought back the zombie survival game with another group of students and saw similar results. Encouraged by the experience, I ordered my first set of dice and a Player's Handbook from the one store I could find in Guatemala City that sold them.
Toward the end of 2021, I was given the opportunity to lead an enrichment program for students who were falling behind in English. I had the freedom to structure the program however I wanted, so I decided to build it around D&D.
Students created characters, designed costumes, and came to class dressed as their characters to introduce themselves to everyone. It was another huge success!
Over the following years, I gradually incorporated more and more elements of TTRPGs into my instruction. What started as a single lesson became an enrichment program, then an entire unit, and eventually the backbone of my curriculum, with TTRPG experiences designed to support and reinforce our textbook content.
That is amazing! Can you walk us through how your course begins for the school year?
Today, the experience begins with character creation.
I dedicate the first two weeks of school to helping students develop their characters. I want them to become fully invested in who they are creating, from their backgrounds and personalities to their motivations and abilities.
Their first major assessment is a character introduction activity. On presentation day, it's not unusual to see tieflings and elves walking toward my classroom, ready to introduce themselves to their classmates in the Common Tongue!
Once students understand their characters, we move on to worldbuilding.
I take them on a field trip around our school campus, which students from the original 2021 enrichment program transformed into a fantasy kingdom. They created a map of the entire school, turning familiar locations into points of interest within our game world.
The primary school playground became a small, welcoming village inhabited mainly by halflings and dragonborn. The soccer court became the orcs' military training grounds. One of our gardens became a settlement divided by a river, with tieflings living on one side and humans on the other. The two communities don't get along, creating opportunities for conflict and storytelling.
Our school even has a forest in the center of the campus, which adds another dimension to the world students can explore.
During the field trip, students take notes on the locations and their relationships to one another. This helps them understand the geography of the game world when we begin playing through our campaigns.
For example, if their characters need to travel from the village to the city, students understand that they must find a way to cross the river. They might need to locate a boat, negotiate with someone who owns one, or come up with an entirely different solution.
Because the fantasy world is based on a physical environment they know, students can visualize distances, understand where locations are in relation to one another, and make more informed decisions during gameplay.
Once students understand their characters and the world they inhabit, we begin our campaigns.
Each campaign is designed to give students experiences that connect to the themes and concepts they will encounter in our textbook. Rather than simply introducing a topic and asking students to discuss it, I create situations where they can experience aspects of that topic through their characters' decisions and interactions.
After each campaign, students complete a written reflection connecting their experiences to the overall unit topic or essential question.
The goal is for students to have something meaningful to draw upon when we begin exploring the textbook content. They've already encountered ideas, faced challenges, and made decisions related to the topic. Now, they can use those experiences to deepen their understanding.
What began as a spontaneous zombie survival game during the pandemic has evolved into an approach that allows my students to become active participants in the learning process rather than simply observers of it.
How did students react to the game? How do you know it positively impacted their learning?
Students have reacted very positively to the game, and their enthusiasm has been one of the biggest reasons I've continued developing this approach.
Sometimes, when the structure gets away from me or we become too focused on the textbook, a student will simply ask, "When are we going to use our characters again?" That question immediately reminds me that this is something students genuinely look forward to.
I've even had younger students approach me and ask if I'm the teacher who teaches students how to play D&D. It's exciting to realize that a reputation is being built and that there are students waiting for their opportunity to become part of our shared world.
One of my favorite moments happened this year. I structured our first unit so that students would begin with D&D experiences before moving into the textbook content. At the end of the unit, one student asked if we could reverse the order for Unit 2. She explained that she would rather get the "regular boring stuff" out of the way first so that we could save the fun stuff for later.
What made me smile was that she was referring to writing assignments, presentations, collaboration, and critical thinking as the fun stuff!
These are the very activities that students might normally approach with hesitation, but within the context of our shared world, they become something students genuinely want to do.
I see the positive impact on learning most clearly in students' willingness and motivation to participate. Students seek me out during their free time to talk about their characters and the decisions they've made. Some independently research their character classes even when they haven't been assigned homework. They're choosing to engage with the material beyond the time we spend together in class.
For multilingual learners, I believe this willingness to participate is especially important.
Similar to my experience using video games in the classroom, the fact that students perceive this as a game changes their relationship with the learning process. There is less pressure to perform perfectly, and mistakes become part of the experience rather than something to fear.
When students are focused on solving a problem, developing a character, or communicating with their teammates, they're less concerned about whether every sentence is grammatically correct. They're using English because they have something they genuinely want to communicate.
That willingness to take risks is often one of the biggest hurdles language learners need to overcome.
While I wouldn't claim that enthusiasm alone proves measurable improvements in academic achievement, I can see meaningful changes in how students approach learning. They're voluntarily practicing English, engaging with complex ideas, and showing greater confidence in their willingness to participate.
For me, that's an important indicator that the approach is making a difference. Students aren't simply completing assignments because they have to. They're becoming invested in the learning experience itself.
As a native American English speaker teaching in Guatemala, were there any student language or cultural challenges you had to overcome?
Language hasn't been a major challenge. Most of the time, I'm simply reminding students to use their English.
Culturally, the biggest challenge I've faced as a foreign educator has been navigating traditional expectations of what teaching and learning should look like. Guatemala is a country with strong traditions, and education is no exception.
During my early years in the classroom, I spent a lot of time trying to fit in and avoid making waves. I followed the established routines and taught in ways that were familiar to both students and colleagues.
Eventually, I started thinking more critically about the student experience. I considered what it must feel like to spend every day moving from one classroom to another, listening to teachers lecture and copying notes from the board. Period after period, the same routine. I began to understand just how bored students must feel.
I knew there had to be a more engaging way for them to learn.
As I started developing and embracing my own teaching style, I encountered resistance. I received criticism from colleagues, administrators, and even some students because my classroom didn't always look or function the way they were accustomed to.
That was challenging, especially as a foreign educator trying to establish myself in a different educational culture. I had to learn to trust my instincts while remaining open to feedback and demonstrating that my approach had a clear educational purpose.
The turning point came when teacher evaluation results began to show that I was among the top-performing teachers at my school. Suddenly, the unconventional things I was doing in my classroom began to be taken more seriously.
That experience taught me an important lesson: Sometimes, you have to be willing to challenge expectations before people can see the value in a different approach.
It also helped me understand that innovation isn't simply about introducing something new or exciting. It's about creating meaningful learning experiences and being able to demonstrate why they work.
Today, I see my approach to teaching, including the use of TTRPGs, as an extension of that philosophy. I'm not trying to abandon traditional education or suggest that everything we've done in the past is wrong. I'm simply asking whether there might be another way to help students connect with what they're learning.
And sometimes, that means being willing to teach a little differently.
You mentioned initially encountering resistance from your school leadership. Can you tell us more about how your administration reacted to your use of TTRPGs in the classroom, and how it evolved?
When I first started experimenting with TTRPGs in my classroom, I think my administration assumed I was simply putting on a play or something. After all, students were walking around dressed as wizards and druids.
They didn't fully understand the scale of what I was doing until late 2025, when I was accepted to speak at the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Annual Convention. My presentation focused on how I use Dungeons & Dragons in the classroom and introduced The DRAGON Codex, the framework I developed to help educators approach campaign design with an instructional mindset.
Before I left for the conference, my administration asked if I could deliver the presentation to the English teachers at my school.
That turned out to be a turning point.
During the presentation and workshop, I was able to explain the difference between simply playing a game in the classroom and intentionally designing a game to support student learning. I walked my colleagues through the framework, the planning process, and how the campaigns connect to our curriculum and learning objectives.
After the workshop, one of my administrators stayed behind to speak with me. She told me how impressed she was because she hadn't realized just how much went into the system or how deeply I had planned these experiences.
That conversation meant a lot to me. For years, people had seen students dressed in costumes, creating characters, and playing games, but they hadn't necessarily seen the instructional design happening behind the scenes.
It was an opportunity to show that what might look like an unconventional classroom activity is actually a carefully planned learning experience.
What was the biggest thing you learned last year that you are doing differently this year?
One of my biggest takeaways from this experience has been the importance of consistency in my planning.
I dare say it's much easier to pick up a textbook and follow along with the teacher's guide. Designing campaigns takes a tremendous amount of time and effort, and that's not always time I have available.
In previous years, when I was only experimenting with the occasional campaign or TTRPG-inspired activity, I could treat each experience as a one-off lesson. There wasn't necessarily an expectation that another adventure would follow.
But once I began fully integrating TTRPGs into my curriculum, I realized I'd opened Pandora's Box.
Students look forward to the campaigns. They ask about them even when I've gotten caught up in other responsibilities and forgotten that we were supposed to continue. They enjoy the challenges, and overcoming those challenges becomes part of the reward.
I've come to realize that inconsistency can be disappointing for students. When they become invested in their characters and our shared world, they expect opportunities to return to them. If those opportunities become too infrequent, that excitement can gradually turn into disinterest.
This year, I'm focusing on making the approach more sustainable. Rather than constantly creating new campaigns from scratch, I want to build a library of experiences we've already used, refine them based on what worked, and have several additional campaigns ready to go.
That way, I can spend less time reinventing the wheel and more time adapting the experiences to meet my students' needs.
What advice would you give to a teacher who wants to start using TTRPGs to improve literacy in their own classroom? Or for someone who wants to use TTRPGs with multi-language learners?
I could simply say, "Just start!" But I know the next question many teachers would ask is, "Where do I start?"
The good news is that you don't have to be an expert in the rules of tabletop role-playing games to bring them into your classroom. To get started, all you really need is the outline of a story, a way to determine whether students' decisions succeed or fail, and a clear learning objective.
For example, in an English class like mine, we could read Romeo and Juliet, or we could have students take on the roles of two rival families whose children have fallen in love. Through role-playing, students could explore the motivations, conflicts, and consequences that drive the story. They would still be engaging with the same literary concepts, but from a different perspective.
History and social studies offer similar opportunities. Students could step into historical scenarios, explore different perspectives, and consider how decisions might influence the events unfolding around them.
Subjects like math and physics might require a little more creativity when developing a story, but that doesn't mean they can't be incorporated. Imagine students discovering a locked door hiding a treasure. To unlock it, they must solve a series of equations or apply their understanding of a scientific principle. Suddenly, the problem has a purpose within the experience.
For multilingual learners, I believe the most important element is creating an engaging situation that gives students a genuine reason to communicate. The story itself doesn't have to be elaborate. It simply needs to capture their interest and encourage them to speak, ask questions, explain their decisions, and interact with one another.
When students are invested in what happens next, language becomes a tool they use to accomplish something rather than simply a subject they're studying.
To help teachers get started, I've developed a framework called The DRAGON Codex, which breaks the process into six steps:
- Design the World: Create the setting and establish the learning objective.
- Role Creation: Identify the characters or roles students will take on.
- Apply Through Play: Place those characters into the world and introduce the challenges they must overcome.
- Guide Through Story: Facilitate the experience, allowing students' decisions to shape what happens next.
- Observe and Adapt: Monitor student progress and adjust the experience based on their needs.
- New Perspective: Give students an opportunity to reflect on what they learned and how the experience changed their understanding of the topic.
The framework helps me approach TTRPGs as an instructional design tool rather than simply a game.
My biggest piece of advice is to start with something small and manageable. You don't need an elaborate campaign, expensive materials, or an encyclopedic knowledge of D&D rules. Start with a single scenario connected to something you're already teaching.
See how your students respond, reflect on what worked, and build from there.
You might be surprised by how much learning can happen when students are given the opportunity to become part of the story.
That DRAGON Codex is amazing! Chris, I’m so glad we met and talked online! If people want to reach out to you or follow your story, what’s the best way to do so?
First, thank you so much for inviting me to share my story with Edtech Elixirs! I've really enjoyed our conversations, and I appreciate the opportunity to connect with other educators who are exploring creative ways to make learning more engaging.
You can connect with me on LinkedIn or through the company page for Not Your Typical Teacher, where I coach and support educators in developing engaging, student-centered learning experiences. My work focuses on helping teachers move beyond traditional instructional approaches, rediscover their passion for teaching, and create classrooms where students become active participants in their own learning.
The best way to reach me directly is by email at chris@nyttcoach.com.
You can also find me on Instagram at @savagedragon1047, where I share a mix of education, travel, and everyday adventures.
This year, I'll be presenting a review of a year of D&D classroom integration at the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Annual Convention. [Editor's Note: the NCTE conference will take place in November 2026 in Philadelphia.] I'm always excited to connect with educators who are interested in game-based learning, teaching abroad, or simply trying something different in their classrooms.
I hope my story encourages other teachers to take a chance on an idea they've been curious about, even if it doesn't look like traditional teaching. Sometimes, all it takes is a little imagination and a willingness to try something different.
Thanks to Chris for taking the time to be interviewed and for sharing his insights! For more with Chris's story, check out his guest appearance on the Area of Effect: A TTRPG Show for Parents & Educators podcast, hosted by Allison Kunz of The Kids' Table. Listen to Episode 36 (54 minutes) on Spotify or your favorite podcast platform, and consider a subscription!
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