Immersive Learning in EYFS

Immersive Learning in EYFS Creating an immersive learning environment is at the heart of the Early Years experience at The International School of Moscow. Rich learning opportunities, with hands-on challenges, develop children’s thinking skills and promote their active engagement throughout these younger years.

Creating an immersive learning environment is at the heart of the Early Years experience at The International School of Moscow. Rich learning opportunities, with hands-on challenges, develop children’s thinking skills and promote their active engagement throughout these younger years.

When faced with the challenge of continuing this immersive learning experience during Virtual School, our skilled teaching teams saw an incredible opportunity to make use of technology and the home environment to keep children engaged in their learning - even at a distance.

As we draw closer to summer, we would usually use our surroundings on Lower Campus to expose children to nature: from minibeasts to planting and water play to mud kitchens. Learning about the natural world develops children’s ability to investigate, explore, and even empathise. This year, we utilised all our technological skills and ideas to replicate this experience.

Our daily videos shared in Virtual School used green-screens to give a feeling of exploration and adventure, without even leaving the house! Throughout the term, our Reception classes have often woken up to find their teachers trapped in spiders’ webs, meeting snails, and under attack from a flock of birds.

The children quickly responded to their teachers’ experiences by engaging in such activities as building and escaping from spiders’ webs, designing their own minibeasts on computers, and developing their mathematical skills by solving number problems along the way. At every opportunity, ‘real life’ situations kept children eager to develop their knowledge and understanding of the world around them.

Research tells us that creating a world of wonder and awe sparks discussion, exploration, discovery and contemplation. These are important skills to cultivate and grow within our youngest pupils. As we continue on our learning journey in Virtual School and when we return to classes, we look forward to immersing our youngest students in exciting learning experiences every step of the way.

Written by Emily Vysoven, Reception Class Teacher and Early Years Phase Leader