LOTC e-mag

Learning outside the classroom for Primary Schools

storying the outdoors.

What is storying outdoors and how can you bring it to life?

Why take learning outdoors?

At first glance, the idea of taking your class outside to learn may be off putting However, when children are awarded the opportunity to be taught outdoors, more meaningful learning can occur as a result of sustained engagement (Green and Rayner, 2022)

These days children are spending much more time indoors using technology and less time participating in outdoor activities (Martin et al 2020) As teachers, we need to help children develop positive connections with nature to help tackle not only children’s growing inactiveness but also their creativity and imagination, whilst increasing their nature connectedness and environmental consciousness (Grigg and Lewis, 2016; Yigit-Gencten and Gultekin, 2022)

Taking children outdoors to learn provides them with an exciting space as opposed to remaining in the same classroom environment which helps to boost their motivation and creativity (O’Brien, 2009) It also allows children to just be children for a little while, to embrace the freedom of the outdoors and be able to explore without the fear of being too loud or messy (Maynard, Waters, Clement, 2013) This is incredibly valuable for an increasingly indoor generation, particularly for those children who do not have access to greenspaces at home (Barrette et al, 2022).

Does it really work?

Storying outdoors is not a modern phenomenon Ancient cultures used oral storytelling, an element of storying outdoors, to enable them to pass on historical, cultural and social messages through generations (Witt, 2017).

Even more convincingly, the DfES recommended in their 2006 manifesto that every child should experience learning beyond the classroom as part of their learning and development. Additionally, the Ofsted report into Learning outside the classroom (LOtC) in 2008 recommends LOtC to be integrated into long-term planning to ensure success Thus showing the approach is recommend by policy makers

How you can bring storying outdoors to life

When interacting with woodland areas and other greenspaces, children’s imagination flourishes and they become increasingly inspired (O’Brien, 2009) As teachers we can facilitate this by providing natural materials such as charcoal to write on driftwood, or sticks to write in the sand or mud Not only does this help to develop children's fine motor skills but it stimulates their senses, helping to inspire their writing further (Skea and Flulford, 2021)

Being outdoors provides a real-context place to discuss and create stories for (Grigg and Lewis, 2016), which gives children a purpose to their learning The promotion of active learning in unfolding stories outdoors means that children are much more likely to recall their experiences and use the skills they have developed when it comes to future writing tasks (Hopwood-Stephens, 2013)

Top tip: Place the setting of the story at the heart of the outdoor experience. Consider the 4 aspects of storying outdoors: exploration, engagement, connection and response (Witt, 2017).

As teachers we have the opportunity to shape children’s minds. We can create learning environments that feel safe and supportive and encourage children to be creative and explorative throughout their learning journeys.

. Taking learning outdoors is a great way to introduce and motivate children into the magic of the written world.

Hopwood-Stevens (2013)

What are the benefits of storying outdoors?

Attainment

It may be difficult to make direct connections between learning outdoors and children’s attainment, but it is inarguable that experiences storying outdoors can support children’s developing understanding and ability (Harris and Bilton, 2017) As we know, children learn better through active and direct experiences than through passive learning (Dewey,1971; Beam, Higgins and Nicol, 2012,; Wilson, 2011) Children’s learning and ability to recall knowledge can therefore be benefited by taking learning outdoors, increasing enjoyment, interest and activeness of learning (Barrable and Lakin, 2019)

Broadening children’s experiences through outdoor learning can sharpen and enrich children’s vocabulary and imagination (Honig, 2019; Constable and Green, 2012; O’Brien and Murray, 2007) Together with exciting encounters with nature, listening to stories and telling stories to one another, LoTC helps to improve children's language and communication skills (O’Brien, 2009) and makes it much easier for children to write descriptive, encapsulating stories (Gurholt, 2014)

Nature Connectedness

Nature connectedness is at the heart of outdoor learning Nature connectedness refers to ‘an individual’s subjective sense of their relationship with the natural world’ (Martin et al, 2020) Currently, most children have limited access to nature and developing their connection with nature due to the growing quantity of alternative activities available (O’Brien, 2009) Taking learning outdoors is just one way teachers can help to create positive experiences with nature for children.

Greater nature connectedness means that children are more likely to engage and connect with the outdoors (Witt, 2017) and help to conserve the environment in the future (Honig, 2019) As teachers, our nature relatedness and enthusiasm for the outdoors is crucial for creating effective outdoor learning opportunities (Barrable and Lakin, 2019)

Connecting literacy to the outdoor classroom can be especially beneficial for lower-achieving learners due to the boost of self-esteem the environment provides Literacy attainment for children of disadvantaged backgrounds is a common concern across educational establishments, especially because literacy skills are needed across subjects (See and Gorard, 2020; Morris et al, 2020)

Children of disadvantaged backgrounds can be less likely to have access to green spaces Storying outdoors could therefore be one way to engage and develop lower attaining children’s progress as a result of more engaging, memorable and contextualised learning experiences (Prince, 2019; Winstanley, 2018) Studies (Eick, 2012; Mcgeown et al, 2015) have shown that when children are motivated and inspired, they are able to have more positive experiences with writing Storying outdoors provides children with an authentic context to develop their narratives and encourage imagery rich narratives (Gardener and Kuzich, 2018; Corden, 2007)

Development

Storying outdoors is great for children’s social development due to increased opportunities for peer-peer learning (Quibell, Charlton and Law, 2017; Friedman et al, 2022) (This will be expanded upon in article 4)

Nature based learning improves children’s cognitive function and critical thinking skills (Barrette et al, 2022; Yigit-Gencten and Gultekin, 2022) as well as their language and communication. Children who are able to access outdoor learning often have higher intellectual curiosity and more creative imaginations (Barrette et al, 2022), skills that are critical for effective storying Storying the outdoors also poses vast opportunities for developing children’s speaking and

listening skills (Grigg and Lewis, 2016)

Well-being

Children who have low levels of exposure to the outdoors are much more likely to experience mental health struggles (Barrette et al, 2022). Taking your class outdoors can help to develop their selfesteem, confidence and independence (Constable and Green, 2012) Providing all the more reason to facilitate opportunities for children to engage in outdoor learning

What concerns may you have?

Weather Parents

Taking children outdoors to learn can be worrying for teachers, parents and children To reduce some of this anxiety, it is beneficial to communicate openly and honestly with children and their parents to ensure they are prepared for outdoor learning (Parson and Traunter, 2020) Ensure the children are all prepared for the weather by having a clothes library in the classroom to prevent the issue of not having appropriate clothing (Oberle et al, 2021).

Learning can be taken outside in most weathers Do not be discouraged by a little rain or snow, different weather conditions can provide excellent learning opportunities Restricting learning to indoor settings impedes freedom of exploration and the learning opportunities available as a result (Constable and Green, 2012) Making outdoor learning a regular habit helps to reduce the likelihood that children are deterred by ‘bad’ weather (Davies and Hamilton, 2016). This could not be more beneficial given the growing indoor climate children are faced with and the need for reconnecting with nature (Grigg and Lewis, 2016)

Space

If you are unable to venture beyond school boundaries, consider hidden spaces around the school grounds or secret spots that are often unused This allows the children to experience learning in an exciting place that sparks their engagement and imaginations, without being limited to the regularities of the playground (Hopwood-Stevens, 2013) As teachers we are responsible for keeping children safe in their learning environments. Therefore, it is essential to remember to check and prep the site for any objects or plants that could cause harm before taking children (Hopwood-Stephens, 2013)

Curriculum

Learning outdoors does not mean you cannot still teach the curriculum, it just means you can teach it differently (Waite, 2019) Lesson objectives and leadership expectations can still be met whilst being outdoors, and in fact more children are likely to be able to exceed expectations in this environment. When children have nature as a stimulus, their writing and vocabulary tends to be more adventurous and advanced than when they are in the classroom (Gardner and Kuzich, 2018)

Storying outdoors provides a different environment for delivering the curriculum in a way which is engaging and motivating for learners (Skea and Fulford, 2021) Nature provides an excellent stimulus for oral storytelling, which involves and engages children more than written stories due to the participatory and situational tendency (Wilson, 2011) We also often rely on memory when learning, especially when telling stories Outdoor learning is more memorable and therefore creates an ideal environment for storying the outdoors with children effectively (Schick and Melizi 2010) Through storying outdoors, children are able to partake in activities that would not be possible in the confines of the indoor classroom, giving them much wider experiences to boost their imagination and progress (Honig, 2019)

Storying the outdoors does not just afford excellent opportunities for language development, it also has vast opportunities for cross-curricular learning One subject it can work really effectively with is history Storying the outdoors can support and improve children’s developing historical awareness, retention of information, and attitudes towards history (Harris and Bilton, 2017)

Top tip: Use LOtC as a way to boost parental and community involvement with the school (Pather, 2012).

Understandably, a big worry with taking a new approach is how the parents will respond At first parents may worry about the safety and impact on learning for their children by taking them outdoors. However, Parsons and Traunter (2020) found that 75% of parents view outdoor learning to be just as effective as indoor learning

If used effectively, using a ‘big book’ can be one way of showing children’s learning to parents. Whilst a ‘big book’ can produce nice photographs, parents do not just want to see pictures of their children outside. Some parents feel that photographs only show what their child is doing, and provide little information about what they have been learning (Rouse, 2015) It is important to incorporate BOTH Teachers can reduce parents’ anxieties by being open and honest about the realities and expectations of learning outdoors as well as explaining the benefits for their children

RiskFocus on risk benefit rather than just risk (Prince, 2019; Alfresco Learning 2022) This allows you to plan from a more positive perspective

Often in the climate we live in now, children are no longer trusted to manage their own risk It may at first seem that children’s exposure to risk is greater outdoors, but in practice, exposure to risk is no greater than indoors (Davies and Hamilton, 2016) It is important for children to be able to experience an extent of risk to help them build resilience, self-belief and confidence, which are key qualities of independence (Stan and Humberstone, 2011). Children have a natural appetite for risk and being in a controlled outdoor environment offers a safe practical way for children to experience risk (Pether, 2012).

Teaching storying outdoors inclusively

We have not just taken the classroom outdoors

Storying outdoors can be especially challenging for children who need additional support It is important to reinforce that the priority is not always to have correct spelling, punctuation and grammar, but to concentrate on just looking around, embracing and writing what comes to mind (Sedgewick, 2012)

Being outdoors also means that children are often in an unfamiliar environment with different expectations to their usual classroom environment Setting a clear meeting spot can reduce anxiety and time between transitions as children will know exactly where to go at the end of activities and where they can find support (Hopper, 2017)

Consider that not all children respond well to change

Plan ahead Prepare children for any out of school visits so they know what to expect outside the normalities of the classroom (Winstanley, 2018) One way you can prepare learners is by providing some structure and routine to outdoor learning, which is particularly comforting for children with additional needs such as autism that prefer to have consistency (Friedman et al, 2022)

Speech, Language and communication

Clear communication is essential when taking learning into a different environment, especially for children with special educational needs (Hopper, 2017) Storying the outdoors is not just beneficial for children’s academic skill development There is significant potential for developing social and communication skills as children are offered greater opportunity for social development in a flexible space where social ‘norms’ are different (Friedman et al, 2022) It offers an excellent way to promote positive peer collaborations as well as facilitating children’s enjoyment and appreciation of the things around them (Honig, 2019)

Storying outdoors provides much opportunity for role-play Role-play is a versatile tool that creates opportunity for active and collaborative play, whilst developing vocabulary and language (Grant and Mistry, 2010) Skills used in role play can be particularly beneficial for children with English as an additional language (EAL) Children are regarded as having EAL if they are exposed to a language other than English at home, which (as of 2018) relates to 19% of children in English schools (DfE, 2020) Children with EAL need concreate experiences that allow them to develop their language in a fun but meaningful context (Guilfoyle and Mistry, 2013), something which storying the outdoors provides perfect opportunity for.

Adaptive teaching

Outdoor learning may not be suited to the needs and interests of all your learners (Friedman et al, 2022) It is important to facilitate the inclusion of learners interests and needs outdoors just as you would in the classroom (Hopwood-Stephens, 2013) Learning outdoors poses many qualities for learning in line with the key outcomes for inclusion set out by the DfE in the 2003 ‘Every child matters’ document Learning outside the classroom improves children’s development in line with the Every Child Matters (DfE, 2003) outcomes, particularly in three areas: being healthy, enjoying and achieving and making a positive contribution to the community and society This helps to ensure that every child has the chance to be successful and have meaningful, enjoyable experiences in life

One way you can support children is by creating an outdoor routine and associate key words with each stage to help them remember (Hopper, 2017) When planning activities in a different learning context, it is crucial to consider how you would typically conduct the activity, and then make appropriate adjustments from there (Loeffler and White, 2022) This way children are all able to participate in the same activity and learning outcomes, just with varied support or additional equipment

Outdoor learning is an ideal context to promote student-led learning (Neville, Petrass and Ben, 2021) This means that children are able to have autonomy over their learning experiences, which can be especially motivating for children with additional needs When storying outdoors, you are able to provide more opportunities for flexible writing (Sedgewick, 2012) which means that there is less pressure for children to perform the same as their peers, creating more room for differentiation

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How can I ensure the children are safe if I am encouraging them to take risks?

A: Providing opportunities for risk does not mean safety is forgotten Ensure you will be aware of potential hazards in advance and take measures to make sure the children are safe (Stan and Humberstone, 2011)

Q: How is it different to learning in the classroom?

Q: Will children’s behaviour be harder to manage outside?

A: There is no reason for children to have worse behaviour just because you are outdoors. Try to remain consistent and set clear expectations and boundaries for each space you visit. Children often display better behaviour when outdoors because they are motivated and active, which reduces low level disruption and off task behaviour (Ofsted, 2008).

A: Storying outdoors does not just involve picking up the classroom and taking it outdoors. Replicating the indoor classroom provides little opportunity to interact and learn from nature, whereas genuine learning outdoors puts nature at the heart of the learning (Parsons and Traunter, 2020)

Q:

A: For some children, a different learning environment is incredibly exciting, but this is not the case for all children You can help motivate children by integrating activities that are multisensory and engage their imagination and curiosity (Neville, Petrass and Ben, 2021). The best results will come when you integrate learning in the natural environment while still using classroom learning strategies (Wilson, 2011)

Q: Can I still deliver the curriculum effectively through storying outdoors?

A: Absolutely! Delivering the curriculum outdoors can be unfamiliar and daunting (Green and Rayner, 2022) but it certainly can be done Not only can you still achieve objectives, but also heighten children’s engagement, wellbeing and environmental awareness (Waite. 2019). Outdoors, children’s senses are heightened and there is greater opportunity for attentive, rich learning (Quibell, Charlton and Law, 2017)

Q: How will I assess learning outdoors?

A: Being outdoors provides fantastic opportunities for casual formative assessment as children often do not realise that they are being questioned and assessed, leading them to respond more freely (Davies and Hamilton, 2016)

Top tip: have a donation box of clothes in the classroom for children to access appropriate clothing for learning outdoors.

How can I ensure every child enjoys learning outside the classroom?

Activity ideas

ICT and storying

Adapting a traditional tale. Children can participate in role-play while also developing their speaking, listening and writing skills Begin by sequencing the events in the story Children then work together to adapt the story, orally rehearsing it before writing it down. Children are able to actively participate which helps to maintain their attention and focus, as well as have the incorporate drama into narrative

(Alfresco Learning, 2022)

On a cloudy day:

Children lay on their backs looking up at the sky They use the drifting clouds alongside their imagination to create stories and characters.

(Honig, 2019)

Story sticks

Each child collects a stick. Thinking of their story they will need to then find a few (ideally 3-5) natural objects that represent elements of their story to attach to their stick The children will then use the sticks to help to recall and re-tell their story accurately (similar to the Native American technique)

This activity provides opportunity for children to develop their story writing skills and oracy, as well as to increase their understanding of different cultures and their historical knowledge

(Constable and Green, 2012; Hopwood-Stephens, 2013).

Children can use their experiences outdoors to create a factual news story. This could be something they work on while they are outdoors, and then type in a follow-up lesson to then be performed and filmed like a real news story in the next outdoor lesson.

(Grigg and Lewis, 2016)

Tree faces – literacy with art and design

(Learning through Landscapes)

These can provide an alternative stimulus for children’s narratives They can consider if their tree character is going to be grumpy, kind, wise, cheerful, serious, or any other trait that comes to mind

Walk around and examine the shapes and natural textures that you see. Consider how features of natural objects could relate to facial features like warts, eye sockets, wrinkles, or scars Children will all need a lump of clay and access to natural materials to help create their characters

To record their learning, children can either draw their character or take photographs

Pebble poems

You will need: • Lots of pebbles • Pencil or chalk (The Woodland Trust, 2016)

Narrative – Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

All photographs are either my own or sourced from PowerPoint stock images.

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