How could cross-curricular learning impact on primary education?

Donaldson (2015), establishes that in 1988, the fundamental features of a curriculum replicate a universe that was yet to meet the world wide web, technology and globalisation enhancements that have malformed the way we live and work. Consequently, “the curriculum, then, has become overloaded, complicated, and in parts, outdated” (Donaldson, 2015, p.11). Evidently, the existing national curriculum and assessment structures no longer encounter the requirements of the pupils of Wales (Donaldson, 2015). 

Similarly, Barnes (2011) acknowledges that in education, schools must embrace cross curricular learning, as these approaches have proven to deliver high levels of motivation in children. As a result, Hus and Grmek (2011) reinforce that besides obtaining fresh knowledge the emphasis in ‘project’ based lessons opposed to learning specific subjects, benefits children’s incentive, practical knowledge whilst advancing their social learning.

  

Nonetheless, “the variability between us is surely humankind’s greatest resource” (Barnes, 2011, p.70). Accordingly, cross curricular methods reflect and amplify this cherished diversity (Barnes, 2011). Therefore, Donaldson (2015) believes primary schools should incorporate a curriculum that is structured into areas of learning and experience that determine the extensiveness of the curriculum. This enhancement will embrace divergent styles of thinking whilst stipulating refined contexts for evolving the initial four purposes in primary education (Donaldson, 2015). In addition, these areas of learning and experience should encourage and support stability and development and help to construct the arrangement simpler to comprehend (Donaldson, 2015). Alternatively, Professor Paterson (2017) argues against cross curricular approaches as it identifies an absence of academic rigour and no longer presents an organised, thorough and structured curriculum. Essentially, teachers should have the proficiency to support all children to draw comparisons across their learning, compressing diverse features to adopt imperative matters relating, for instance, to citizenship, enterprise, financial capability and sustainability (Donaldson, 2015).

Correspondingly, in groups, seminar sessions for the module areas of learning and experience, we constructed personalised lesson plans for a cross curricular project which could be integrated in primary schools. My group decided on a Guy Falk’s themed project which would be addressed with a WOW event, meaning a visit from a Guy Falk’s mascot and using the app ‘Chatterbox’ to introduce the project to pupils. Children would carry out research after collaborating with one another sharing what they already know and expanding their existing knowledge. This could be progressed through children writing their own scripts of the story, presenting these through role play, then filming and composing them into short films/trailers edited on imovie. This is a prime example of embracing cross curricular responsibilities in primary schools such as literacy, digital competency and numeracy as well as other areas of learning and experiences, throughout the duration of this themed project. Noticeably, learning beyond subject boundaries stipulates children with the chance to familiarise themselves thought-provoking and appropriate learning (Education Scotland, 2008).

However, the challenges with implementing cross curricular approaches in education remain with the tradition of subject learning (Kerry, 2015). Kerry (2015) distinguishes that schools follow a coherent routine with structured timetables made up of subject based lessons, hence comparable pigeonholing of individuals is more convenient in education. Conversely, cross curricular assessment must guarantee that studies maintain authentic structures to the children that embrace them (Kerry, 2015). Likewise, Dean (2001) demonstrations apprehension for the diluting of subject teaching due to substantial concern that themed project work, absences development in learning and consequences artificial, disjointed and repetitive teaching. Regardless, all adaptations to the curriculum ought to be fabricated with the prominent purpose of educations enhancement in mind (Lawson et al, 2007).

In conclusion, the case for fundamental change in education is powerful (Donaldson, 2015). However, the aptitude of primary schools and educators to react to promptly changing requirements is constrained (Donaldson, 2015). Fundamentally, learning is an explanatory system which distributes across fields, so the further you link knowledge the better you learn (Kerry, 2015; Clyde, 1995). However, when implementing cross curricula in education, organisation is crucial from teachers in both short and long term to provide establishment for enriching skills, knowledge and experience (Barnes, 2011). Therefore, coherent understanding of subject progression is crucial to form suitable challenges and appropriate skill development for children in primary education (Barnes, 2011). In essence, the transformation of cross curricula unified in the curriculums design requires only positive intentions for children to progress their learning in a pleasurable and engaging way (Lawson et al, 2007).

Reference List

Barnes, J. (2011) Cross-curricular learning 3-14 (2^nd ed.). Los Angeles, (Calif.) ; London: SAGE

Dean, J. (2001). Organising Learning in the Primary Classroom (3rd edn). London: Routledge. 

Donaldson, G (2015). Successful futures. Independent review of curriculum and assessment arrangements in Wales. Welsh Government.

Education Scotland. (2008). Early Years and Early Intervention. A joint Scottish Government and COSLA policy statement, [online] (978-0-7559-5714-9). Available at: http://www.gov.scot/Resource/Doc/215889/0057733.pdf [Accessed 27 Nov. 2017].

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

Lawes, S., Ledda, M.,McGoven, C., Patterson S., Perks, D. and Standish, A. (2007) The Corruption of the Curriculum. London: Civitas

Hus, V. and Grmek, M. (2011). Didactic strategies in early science 

Paterson, L. (2017). The Edinburgh History of Education in Scotland. Journal of Scottish Historical Studies, 37(1), pp.106-108.