Blog 2 – Is a cross-curricular approach in the new Successful Futures Curriculum beneficial to children’s learning?

Is the concept of teaching subjects a thing of the past? Is the way forward in education to leave subjects behind and take on the new approach of Areas of Learning and Experience? 

I personally believe that the Areas of Learning and Experience in the new curriculum can increase the opportunity for cross-curricular learning, and as a result could lead to a more inclusive education and children playing a more active role in their learning experience. 

In the new Successful Future’s curriculum, there will be six areas of learning and experience which are; expressive arts, health and well-being, humanities, languages, literacy and communication, mathematics and numeracy and science and technology (Donaldson, 2015, p.39). The idea of teaching in Areas of Learning and Experience is not a new concept as many countries such as Australia, New Zealand, The Netherlands, Northern Ireland and Scotland have adopted this curriculum style (Donaldson, 2015), therefore I believe Wales is taking a step in the right direction steering children to a more inclusive and flexible education.

Donaldson (2015) mentions in the report that ‘the ‘subject against skill/competence’ debate represents an unhelpful polarization, since both make important contributions to fulfilling the purposes of the curriculum.’ This statement is in line with findings of a report commissioned by the Welsh Government in 2013 which concluded there ‘is evidence, internationally, of a move toward more skill-based curricula that are focused on identifying and defining essential overarching competences alongside the more traditional subject-based curriculum content’ (Donaldson, 2015, p.36)

As well as the six Areas of Learning and Experience, Donaldson will also incorporate a cross-curricular approach to the curriculum as a review by the Welsh Government found that digital competence is increasingly fundamental to learning and life that it should have a similar status within the curriculum to that of literacy and numeracy. 

According to Barnes (2015) cross-curricular learning is when the skills, knowledge and attitudes of a number of different disciplines are applied to a single experience, problem, question, theme or idea, we are working in a cross-curricular way. 

I believe that a cross-curricula approach is beneficial as everything in life is interlinked one way or another therefore teaching singular subjects instead of taking a holistic view of teaching has no relevance in everyday life. Barnes (2015) states that the world beyond the classroom is cross-curricular. Through my window I see walls, trees, people walking by, cars, birds, clouds and the occasional airplane – I understand none of them fully from the perspective of just one curriculum subject … We each look on the world, its objects, patterns and experiences, with different eyes. Cross-curricular learning recognizes these multiple viewpoints and seeks to build more knowledgeable, lasting and transferable understandings of the world around us. 

One of the exercises Barnes (2015) uses to launch creative and cross-curricular thinking is emotional frames;

Everyone is given a viewfinder with a different key word written on it (for example red, sad, lonely, awesome, dangerous, circle). Using your viewfinder to frame it, look around for details (small ones are usually best) that visually illustrate or summarize that key word. Capture your decision in a photo and also include the key word on your viewfinder in the photo. This will remind you of the theme. Take five different photographs using the same word. 

This exercise is physically and emotionally engaging as the word used for the viewfinder could be a feeling to capture as well as a physical object. The activity is cross-curricular as it incorporates literacy (the adjective) and photography which is a form of digital competency.

We could argue that this cross-curricular idea is an idealistic view of teaching as Barnes (2015) says that many of the most meaningful experiences for children happen outside the classroom. Casual, unplanned, social and multi-sensory modes of learning are often as influential as any brilliantly planned and well-taught lesson. 

This sounds ideal in a perfect world, but the reality is that every lesson has to be planned. The teacher has to show what is going to be taught in the lesson, what the learning outcomes are, how the lesson is going to be taught, what resources are needed, the list goes on. As Barnes (2015, p.274) says ‘Planning, progression and assessment are central to ensuring challenge and progress in school learning’. He also states that ‘cross-curricular learning is not without its dangers … Progress towards particular subject objectives is not easy to manage even when only two subjects are involved and detailed planning towards clear and achievable objectives is central.’

What is your opinion on cross-curricular learning? Do you believe it is beneficial to children’s learning?

References

Barnes, J. (2015) Cross-curricular Learning 3-14London: Sage Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/274313611_An_Introduction_to_Cross-Curricular_Learning(Accessed 14 November 2018)

Donaldson, G. (2015) Successful Futures Available at: https://beta.gov.wales/new-curriculum(Accessed 14 November 2018)

Jones, C. (2017) Cross Curricular Teaching Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcacGpY4lyk0.00-5.33 (Accessed 14 November 2018)

Six Areas of Learning and Experience photo Available at: http://www.woodlandshs.com/page/?title=6+Areas+of+Learning+%26amp%3B+Experience&pid=31(Accessed 14 November 2018)