Outdoor grammar

The outdoor classroom is a world full of opportunities for creating, exploring and learning. Much emphasis is placed on outdoor learning in the Foundation Stage but once children enter Key Stage 1, the outdoor environment is often not used to the same degree. Considerable evidence exists to indicate that outdoor learning allows children to develop their knowledge and skills in unique ways that add value to their classroom experiences.

The ideas that follow are based on some outdoor activities I did with my class. They aim to help children to consider the nature and use of nouns, verbs and pronouns in an engaging way, as well as developing their vocabulary and understanding of standard English. By taking my grammar lessons outdoors and through teaching in this multisensory way, I have found that my class has a greater motivation for learning about grammatical features. This increased interest has deepened their understanding of reading and has helped them to become more proficient and confident at writing.