A thematic approach to teaching and learning
What is a thematic approach?
This is a way of teaching and learning, whereby many areas of the curriculum are connected together and integrated within a theme.
It allows learning to be more natural and less fragmented than the way where a school day is time divided into different subject areas and practice exercises frequently relate to nothing other than what the teacher thinks up, as he or she writes them on the chalk board.
It allows literacy to grow progressively, with vocabulary linked and with spelling and sentence writing being frequently, yet smoothly, reinforced.
It guides connected ideas to follow on easily.
It is, after all, how we, as adults, learn new things. Don't we start at a point of interest and branch out from it like ripples from a stone thrown in the water?
The result of working the thematic approach way is that often, children:
will have fun,
will be more actively involved,
will develop learning skills more quickly as each one is connected to and reinforced by the other,
will be more confident and better motivated,
will present fewer discipline problems.
The result of working the thematic approach way is that often teachers:
will find teaching more fun,
will find teaching less hard work….
but will still find teaching exhausting!
(Sorry, I have not yet found out how to overcome the exhausting bit, so can give no tips here!
But I can wish you all, good luck!)
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