A thematic teaching approach is an approach to instruction that centers around a particular theme or topic, with the goal of helping students make connections between different subjects and concepts.
Mandarin Homeschool is reader supported. Please note that when you click on the links in this post, we may earn commissions for purchases made, at no cost to you. Thank you.
Benefits of the thematic teaching approach
Here are some of the benefits of a thematic teaching approach:
- Promotes interdisciplinary learning: By focusing on a particular theme, students can explore different subjects and see how they relate to one another. This can lead to a more comprehensive understanding of the topic and encourage critical thinking.
- Engages students: Thematic teaching can be a more engaging way to learn, as it can be more interactive and hands-on than traditional methods. It also allows for student choice and encourages creativity.
- Provides a context for learning: When students learn about a topic in the context of a theme, it can make the learning more meaningful and relevant to their lives. They may be more motivated to learn and retain the information better.
- Encourages collaboration: Thematic teaching often involves group work and collaboration, which can help students develop important social skills and learn from their peers.
- Fosters curiosity and inquiry: Thematic teaching can spark curiosity and encourage students to ask questions and seek out answers. This can lead to a deeper understanding of the topic and a love of learning.
How we use the thematic teaching approach at Mandarin Homeschool
We use the thematic teaching approach here at Mandarin Homeschool as it is an organised approach for me. With three children, the challenge is how do I adapt my Mandarin Chinese homeschooling to their levels within a singular session? Organising their learning by theme allowed me the ease of preparation and catering to their needs all in one lesson.
For instance, when my children were learning about colours, we did the following teaching activities:
- Read books about colours
- Watch videos about colours
- Learn to sing a song about colours in Chinese
- Learn with colours flashcard
- Have a colour poster on display
- Use vocabulary worksheets about colours
- Write Chinese characters for the different colours
- Play games that teaches colours
- Make crafts that uses lots of colours
- Do science experiments to explore colours
My oldest who was better at reading and writing would be prating writing Chines characters on colour, while my youngest would be matching identical flashcards about colours.
When I needed a breather to prepare/check on their work/help, I popped a video about colours on YouTube for them so they can also work on generalisation of what they have just learnt.
Using this approach has really helped me to frame my homeschooling, prepare and organise the lesson plans for my children.
