Holidays inspire disadvantaged children to learn, says study
Holidays could serve as a valuable extension of the national curriculum for the UK鈥檚 disadvantaged youngsters, new research has suggested.
They provide a significant source of learning for children from low-income families who are otherwise stuck in 鈥渞outine and mundane鈥� environments, say academics at Nottingham University Business School.
According to a study for the Family Holiday Association, the experience can improve their confidence, decision-making, relaxation, attitude and ability to bond.
Dr. Scott McCabe who led the research, said: 鈥淟eaning never takes a break 鈥� it doesn鈥檛 stop when the school bell rings.
鈥淏ut children from low-income families are often in the same environment their whole life and never get a chance to learn from adapting to new settings and surroundings.
鈥淚n light of this problem, our study shows how holidays can be considered an added value for education and can effectively function as an extension of the national curriculum.
鈥淚deally, the enthusiasm for learning that disadvantaged children develop in an unfamiliar setting can be taken home and can continue to flourish in an everyday environment.鈥�
Social tourism
The study comes after a major cross-party inquiry, published last year and entitled Giving Britain a Break, called for further research into the benefits of 鈥渟ocial tourism鈥�.
The concept is roughly defined as the provision of holidays and other leisure activities for the benefit of individuals and families on low incomes.
Britain has been accused of lagging behind many European nations, with the likes of Spain and France ploughing sizeable resources into social tourism schemes.
The Family Holiday Association, a London-based charity, provides breaks both in the UK and overseas for around 2,000 disadvantaged families every year.
Schools
Schools are always involved in the process of approving and arranging the trips, irrespective of whether they take place in term time or during school holidays.
The study interviewed a number of parents, children and 鈥渓earning mentors鈥� who took part in recent breaks organised by the charity in the UK, Belgium and Turkey.
It drew on the idea of experiential learning 鈥� making meaning from direct experience 鈥� developed in the 鈥�70s and 鈥�80s by American educational theorist David Kolb.
Dr. McCabe, an Associate Professor of Tourism Management/Marketing, said: 鈥淭here鈥檚 been a surprising lack of work on social tourism鈥檚 educational benefits.
鈥淢ore comprehensive research is obviously still needed, but our study certainly suggests holidays can influence children鈥檚 educational achievement and attainment.
鈥淔or a start, some of these children have all kinds of worries that damage their confidence. They learn better when they鈥檙e relaxed 鈥� and that鈥檚 how holidays make them feel.
鈥淕enerally, the youngsters and families we spoke to linked their experiences with acquiring new knowledge and skills, as well as improving decision-making and attitude.鈥�
Unplanned learning
Study author Lilian Bos added: 鈥淢ost tourists don鈥檛 choose 鈥榣earning鈥� as a motivation for their holiday, but learning can occur in all sorts of unplanned ways.
鈥淚n that regard social tourism really is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for some children, because it gives them a precious chance to learn from a new environment.
鈥淭he fact is that holidays can create that one memorable moment that has the power to change a young person鈥檚 outlook and influence the rest of his or her life.鈥�
Researchers say the findings raise the question of whether holidays might eventually serve as a genuine addition to the national curriculum for some youngsters.
Bos said: 鈥淭he responses we encountered indicate it could be well worth considering the benefits of holidays as recognition for hard work at school.
鈥淢any of our subjects spoke positively of a sense of acknowledgment and reward and how their attitudes towards learning and school in general had changed.鈥�
Provided by University of Nottingham
