Tails from the Classroom: Learning and teaching through animal-assisted interventions
About this ebook
There is growing interest in the idea of bringing animals into the classroom, but it is only recently that researchers have gathered clear data to show the impact of AAIs on the behavioural, emotional, physical and cognitive development of children and young people.
Tails from the Classroom brings together this research in a highly accessible way, illustrated with real-life case studies from a range of classroom contexts. It also includes lots of practical guidance on how to set up, manage and evaluate a project, ensuring that the welfare of all participants, including the animals, is a priority.
Helen and Russell discuss how AAIs can contribute towards learning in different subject areas and across the curriculum, sharing a wide range of examples to illustrate possible starting points for teachers in a range of subject and thematic contexts - even in less obvious areas such as the arts, literature, and religious and moral codes.
They also provide a historical overview of human-animal interactions, highlighting how animals have played a central part in humans' social, spiritual and cultural development. This then underpins the authors' exploration into animals' potential role in enhancing particular dimensions of children's social, emotional, intellectual and physical development and well-being.
This groundbreaking book is not just for animal-loving educators, however. It is for anyone who is serious about inspiring learners of all ages and prepared to explore new ways of doing so.
Suitable for educators working with learners of all ages.
About the author
Dr Russell Grigg was previously Associate Professor at the Wales Centre for Equity in Education. He has extensive experience in teacher training and has written widely on primary education including five books and more than forty articles. He has recently taken up a new post as school inspector and consultant for the Ministry of Education in the United Arab Emirates.
Dr Helen Lewis is Director of Initial Teacher Education at Swansea University School of Education. A former primary school teacher and local authority adviser, she has been involved in teacher education for the past 12 years. Her research interests include the development of young children's thinking, teacher enquiry and research and the use of animals in educational settings.