Features

Enabling Environments: Outdoors - Outside in

One school is reaping the benefits of bringing the children's outdoor learning back into the classroom. Mary Evans hears what it's about.

A project initially aimed at combating low levels of language skills among reception class children is encouraging them to re-live indoors the exciting challenges and achievements of their outdoor learning.

The children capture their learning in the forest garden at Ashbrow Infant and Nursery School, Huddersfield, using recording microphones and digital cameras. They then review and recall their experiences indoors.

'By taking the learning that has taken place outdoors back indoors, children are able to make connections between different areas, experiences and concepts in their lives,' says Jo Liversidge, the school's Forest School teacher and ICT co-ordinator.

'In the autumn term 2008, 16 children in my class of 25 reception-aged children were boys. Many had low levels of language, so I wanted some way to promote the speaking and listening from the outside learning and bring it inside.'

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