Place-Names and Childhood Education
Place-names offer a unique insight into past landscapes, and can easily be developed into tools for teaching. Using place-names, pupils can learn how the landscape was viewed in the past, and how it was shaped by people living and working locally. Place-names can help to reconstruct the historical environment in a variety of ways - for example, tracing local agricultural and industrial practices, assessing topography, and determining communication and travel networks.
​
The Institute for Name-Studies at the University of Nottingham is the home of academic research into place-names, and is keen to work with education and learning professionals to develop teaching resources for schools.
​
If you are interested in joining our project, you can contact us for further information here.
​
​
Our Recent Events
We recently ran training days for Shropshire teachers and educators. Here's what they said about using place-names in cross-curricular lessons:
" I now have a greater understanding of how place-names can lead to so many learning opportunities!"
​
Teacher, Key Stage 2
"So many local contexts and opportunities for History and Geography teaching."
​
Head Teacher
"I am inspired to [create] classroom-based experiences, e.g. mapping, maths graphs, storytelling [and] historical research."
​
Forest School Teacher
If you would like to learn more, please contact Susan Kilby at susan.kilby@nottingham.ac.uk
