Cross-Curricular Learning

Hello Bloggers, I hope you enjoyed reading my last blog. Today I will be focusing on cross-curricular learning and how it has an impact on primary education. I shall be outlining the purpose and the reason it is important for schools to foster it within their pedagogy.

A Cross-curricular approach in teaching is characterised by sensitivity towards, skills, knowledge and an understanding for a range of subject areas, where all are applied to a single experience, prompting children to use multiple skills for learning multiple objectives (Barnes, 2007). Introducing cross-curricular in learning and teaching is beneficial as it draws on similarities in and between individual’s subjects, in terms of learning processes and subject content. By providing an active and experiential learning for children they develop meaningful co-operation and collaboration. Cross curricular learning promotes cognitive, personal and social development in an integrated way, where they are able to learn and explore new ideas and knowledge, by making connections between prior knowledge and the new information being introduced (Birchinall, 2013).  It is important to be able to involve the curricula in more than one educational subject as children discover and face new challenges, which they can reflect onto personal experiences, and use in the real world. An example of this was shown in university where we looked at the case of burnt body. The first people on the scene of a burnt body would usually be the community police officers, however, the case cannot be solved without detectives, forensics, scientist, coroner or the solicitor. Collaboration is key as everyone needs to be working together to solve the case. It is important that they all communicate and solve the problem, where a range of skills takes place. This is one example of many experiences happening in the real world, which influences the importance of mirroring this in education as it is beneficial for children’s learning for the future. Donaldson (2015) highlights how the world is constantly changing with rapid developments and argues the importance of schools preparing children for the unstable and volatile culture, and believes by teaching cross-curricular learning children can connect ideas together from different areas. By looking at successful futures, Donaldson is implementing six areas of learning and experience in the curriculum.

·         Expressive Arts
·         Health and well-being
·         Humanities
·         Maths and numeracy
·         Science and technology
·         Languages, literacy and communication

Highlighting how these should help and support concerns about compartmentalisation, by encouraging teachers to work together collaboratively and creatively across subject boundaries in the context of the four curriculum purposes. By teaching cross-curricular learning, teachers should be able to help children to make links across learning, bringing together different aspects of the important issues relating to enterprise, citizenship, sustainability and financial capability. Commenting on how these areas of learning will be influential, rather than the water tight compartments (Donaldson, 2015). 

Kerry (2015) states how cross curricular teaching in the classroom is believed to endure greater breadth and balance. There have been various amounts of research into this, and by looking at the Ofsted report ‘the curriculum in successful primary schools’, it has found that many schools have made good use of time keeping, by enabling children to undertake sustained work on themes and topics which cover two or more subjects. Barnes (2011) mentions how subject progression is complicated and quite hard to achieve, even when only two subjects are involved, Barnes argues that it is almost impossible with three or more. However, Rogoff (1995) contradicts this by stating how children who learn in a cross-curricular environment, create more of an interactive setting where they learn through each other, lesson are more engaging and motivation is influenced. It has been argued that teaching an engaging lesson is one of the most challenging factors a teacher will face, as children are surrounded by entertainment and the digital world it seems near impossible for children to sit down, listen and work on demand (Savage, 2010). There are endless amount of stories on the news of children and their lack of attention and motivation when it comes to education and to attend school, yet they are the future leaders of the world and the future depends on their learning (James, 2009). This is where cross-curricular learning has an impact in schools, as research shows how there is an increase in motivation as lessons are exciting and valuable. Barnes (2011) also mentions how cross curricular learning has been argued to provide a very high degree of motivation in children, as creativity is influenced when there is more than one subject involved. However, many children can become distracted and unenthusiastic about a topic, it is therefore the teacher’s responsibility to ensure that they listen to their class, planning lessons and activities with their interests in mind, which will also challenge them to new experiences.  

James (2009) mentions how some teachers feel secure if they are able to label themselves as many teachers fear change in teaching, and the lack of knowledge they may have on particular subjects, such as a PE teachers who need to introduce science a lesson, this can become quite difficult, frustrating and will take time. However, Fuschman (2009) highlights how teachers and educators who integrate traditional curricula with learning tools from other subjects promotes and influences children to apply understand one subject such as science, to identify and perform tasks for another subject, such as maths, which reinforces learning. An example of this in a classroom is seen when an English teacher who naturally integrates vocabulary, writing and research into a lesson, involves technology, where the children are able to research online for ideas. Curiosity takes place as children are freed to become creative thinkers by debating, communicating and researching within tasks. On the other hand, lessons may become too distracting for children if there is more than one subject being explored. An example of this was seen when I attended placement this year. The class project was focusing on writing a research project on a game online, however, the game became time consuming where the children had lost interest in the writing and forgot about the whole purpose of the lesson. This influences the importance of the teacher’s role, to ensure that planning is key, both short term and long term to provide provision for developing knowledge, skills and experience. It is essential that there is a clear balance, and that lessons are re-visited after each session to ensure the children have understood the task and have a clear understanding (Fautley, 2011).

In university we worked collaboratively in a cross curricula lesson where we used green screen, specials effects and animations to create a video based on a welsh nativity – we even used a dragon! This activity would be very useful and fun for children to be a part of, and I will definitely be using it in the future of teaching. This links to Donaldson’s areas of learning and experience as we used a range of different skills within the activity. Language was used through communicating together and planning, digital competency was also explored as we were taking pictures, adding music and searching for backgrounds. The overall project was enjoyable, creative and engaging, where we all worked and learnt as a group.  

https://t.co/NWSgN8pApp  << This is the link to the Welsh Nativity Video.

 

These are a few pictures taken when we were discussing, planning and taking pictures of the activity as a team. 

Reference List

Barnes, J. (2011) Cross-curricular learning 3-14. London: SAGE.

Barnes, J., and Shirley, I. (2007) Strangely familiar: cross curricular and creative thinking in teacher education, Improving schools. London: SAGE.

Birchinall, L. (2013) ‘Case Study of Trainee Teachers' Responses to the Impact on Engagement and Motivation in Learning through a Model of Cross-Curricular Context-Based Learning’, Keeping Fit and Healthy. Curriculum Journal, 24(1), pp. 27-49.

Donaldson, G. (2015) Successful futures: Independent review of curriculum and assessment arrangements in Wales. Available at: file:///C:/Users/Acer/Downloads/Donaldson%20Report%20-%20Successful%20Futures%20-%20Independent%20Review%20of%20Curriculum%20and%20Assessment%20Arrangements%20in%20Wales%20(5).pdf (Accessed 17 November 2017). 

Fautley, M. (2011) Cross-curricular teaching and learning in the secondary school-the arts : drama, visual art, music and design. New York: Routledge. 

Fuschman, S. (2009) ‘Re-thinking integration in integrated studies’, Issues in Integration Studies. Curriculum Journal, 27(2), pp. 70-85.

James, O. (2009) Britain on the couch: How keeping up with the Joneses has depressed us since 1950. London: Vermilion.

Kerry, T. (2015) Cross-curricular teaching in the primary school : Planning and facilitating imaginative lessons. London: Routledge.

Rogoff, B. (1995) Pedagogy, Culture & Society. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Savage, J. (2010) Cross-curricular teaching and learning in secondary school. London: Routledge.