michael a. kopish, ph.d. plymouth state university
TRANSCRIPT
Challenges to Social Studies Literacy
Michael A. Kopish, Ph.D.Plymouth State University
Challenges of Social Studies Instruction1. Limited background knowledge
Chronology of events (i.e. students “miss” a portion)
Geography (i.e. distances) Cultural variations
Challenges of Social Studies Instruction2. Limited points of view in many social studies
materials Textbooks tell the “story” from the point of
view from “heroes” or “victors.” Perspectives from those effected are often
missing – Eurocentric perspective
Challenges of Social Studies Instruction3. Unfamiliarity with the formats and the
instructional styles used in social studies classes.
i.e. procedures for report writing, oral presentations, classroom discussions
How might one form a paragraph; compare and contrast issues, perspectives; provide warrants to support claims; or communicate cause and effects?
Challenges of Social Studies Instruction4. High vocabulary density in social studies
materials Terms and concepts go far beyond the
highlights of the text Terms can be abstract as opposed to concrete
Federalism, division, democracy, government, economy, citizen, constitution, subjects, supreme
Manifest destiny, imperialism, civil rights SNCC, TVA, GAO
What is a Text Structure?Text structure refers to the internal
organization of a textAs authors write a text to communicate an
idea, they will use a structure that goes along with the idea (Meyer , 1985)
Challenges of Social Studies Instruction5. A complex variety of genre and sentence
structures in social studies materials Expository writing vs. narrative writing Unclear referents
Sentences that begin with “It” – referring to? Confusing visual organization
Headers do not preview or summarize the section Illustrations are unconnected “add-ons”
Complicated sentences Embedded clauses and complicated verb structures
“supposed to have taken” and “need no longer fear”
Challenges of Social Studies Instruction6. Heavy reliance on advanced literacy skills,
with limited opportunities for hands-on activities
Assumption: High degree of literacy Assumption: Student connection of abstract
to concrete
Reflective Cycle
Successful Social Studies Instructional Strategies1. Offer opportunities to communicate
about social studies – in oral, written, physical, or pictorial forms
2. Make connections between the content taught and students’ real-life experiences.
3. Use the students as resources for information about lives, culture, native background.
4. Activate students’ background knowledge.
Successful Social Studies Instructional Strategies5. Provide hands-on and performance-
based activities6. Promote critical thinking and study
skills development7. Pay attention to language issues and
employ strategies that will help students learn the language of social studies
8. Use graphic organizers to help students represent information and identify relationships
Successful Social Studies Instructional Strategies9. Incorporate cooperative learning activities
and seek peer tutors among classmates10.Be process-oriented and provide modeling for
students to make transitions to academic tasks
11.Open discussion to different perspectives of history
12.Adjust instruction for the different learning styles of the students
13.Offer students choices and access to tools for learning
Golden Nuggets
Visual representations Opportunities to act out physically Tie to student experiences Develop sentence structures and skills with
more extensive discourse patterns Teacher & students learn to paraphrase Connect with shared concrete experiences Follow-up literacy activities (read about the
election and conduct an election Role play
Golden Nuggets
Guided practice for writing Narrative writing (writing that tells a story) Descriptive writing (to describe a person,
place or thing in such away that a picture is formed in
the reader's mind) Persuasive writing (main goal is to persuade or
convince someone) Expository writing (to explain, describe, give
information or inform)
Golden Nuggets
Identify structures in social studies texts Sequential (chronological) – a main idea is supported by
details that must be in a particular order [first, next, later, and finally]
Cause-effect – supporting details of two or more main ideas indicate how those concepts are similar or different [cause, effect, as a result, consequently]
Problem-solution – shows a problem and how it can be solved [problem, solution, solve, effect, hopeful]
Description/Enumeration – a major idea is supported by a list of details or examples [next to, on top of, beside, so forth]
Comparison-contrast – supporting details of two or more main ideas indicate how those concepts are similar or different [like, similar, unlike, on the other hand, also, too]