MODULE 5 FOUNDATIONS OF SOCIAL STUDIES

I. WHAT IS THIS : Effective Instruction in Social Studies

II. DO THIS : Discuss the effective Instruction in Social Studies in teaching
social studies
III. READ THIS: Read the following and answer the assessments below.

The following instructional suggestions will hopefully provide some direction for teachers
interested in issues-based instruction.

1. Establish a "no discount" policy that prohibits disparaging, disingenuous, mean-

spirited, and related comments. Productive discussion of issues is most effectively
conducted in an environment marked by an open and respectful exchange of ideas. Due
to the actions or past actions of some classmates, many students remove themselves
from discussions early on or before the conversation even begins. Teachers as well as
students must abide by these rules, refraining from sarcastic comments, condescending
chuckles, mean-spirited jokes, or other put-downs.

2. Convey to students your interest in their ideas and your confidence in their ability to
think. Sending these two messages to students is essential to building an effective
learning community. This can be done in numerous ways, including the following: a
comment outside of class, a rewarding gesture after a student's comment during
discussion, reading aloud or posting on a bulletin board students' written work, asking for
elaboration during a class discussion, complimenting students on a progress report, and
so on. Although these instructional "moves" can be easily appropriated, they will not have
the intended effect if genuine care and a belief in students' potential are lacking.

3. Give students opportunities to explore ideas in small groups or with a partner prior to
whole class discussion. Small-group and one-on-one discussion formats provide
students with important opportunities for reflection. Relative to whole group discussion,
these formats also allow more students to actively participate in the conversation.
Students can more safely find out if their ideas make sense to classmates, and learn of
other ways to think about the issue. Students gain understanding and confidence, and
become more invested in their ideas. This, in turn, increases the likelihood that students
will share their perspectives in whole group discussion, a format that is typically
experienced as much more intimidating.

4. Encourage students to ask questions, not just offer answers. Working one's way
through an issue requires question-asking, even though students too often perceive
questioning as a sign of ignorance or stupidity.11 Help students cultivate the perspective
that asking questions reflects curiosity and a growing intelligence. One obvious method
for teachers to use is to compliment student questions to the same extent that answers
are acknowledged. Teachers might also model for or explain to students how they
themselves think through an issue, especially highlighting the central role questioning
plays in this process.

5. Promote the view that changing one's position is a sign of thoughtfulness and strength,
not weakness. Support and compliment students when they publicly admit the need to
rethink or change their views, whether it be a modification in their overall position, a
particular line of argument, a conceptual understanding, or factual claim. Adolescence is
a time of great uncertainty, and amplifying this uncertainty by publicly acknowledging
one's errant thinking requires courage and self-confidence. More students would be
willing to do this if they believed their peers respected and valued such behavior.
Teachers, too, will need to occasionally exhibit "a change in heart" rather than convey to
students the all too common (though often unintended) "I've-got-it-all-figured-out" attitude.

6. Frequently remind students during discussions that their ideas are being challenged,
not their personhood or central being. Students need to realize that when classmates
challenge one of their ideas, it is usually not done to implicate facets of their personality,
nor will it likely endanger their friendships. Relatedly, some students quickly abandon their
entire position if one or more of their ideas are called into question. Help students view
the expression of opinion and disagreement on matters of controversy as inevitable, and
as a sign of their growing maturity.

7. Depersonalize challenges to students' thinking by framing teacher reactions in a third-

person voice. The power imbalance inherent in teacher-student relations and the
importance of maintaining a facilitative role with students encourages the adoption of this
strategy. For example, the following reactions to students' ideas unnecessarily place
teachers in the middle of a disagreement: "I hadn't thought of that, Sue, but I'd have to
disagree for the following reason ..." or "That view may be problematic due to the fact that
... what do you think?" Teachers can distance themselves by appropriating another voice:
"That's interesting; however, I read an article the other day and the author claimed that
.... how would you respond?" or "What if someone were to respond to your claim by
saying...?" An even more effective response (because it increases student participation)
is to refrain from commenting altogether, instead soliciting reactions from the class. If the
desired point is not raised by students, then enter the conversation using a third-person
voice as described above.

8. Humor is the great elixir in many situations, including issues-oriented

classrooms. Persistent, serious, somber discourse is not a commonly valued or tolerated
activity in adolescent peer culture. Humor not only makes serious discourse more
engaging for students, it has the power to defuse disagreements that might otherwise
become inflamed and counterproductive. This does not mean that teachers are to avoid
conflict or become classroom comedians, injecting marginally relevant comments and
jokes to trigger a chuckle. Rather, what is needed is a sensitive use of humor to enliven
discussion and periodically infuse energy into the conversation.

9. Vary the use of dialogue and debate style discussions. Debate formats are defined
broadly as any discussion situation in which students defend a perspective or point of
view. Although these formats often create highly engaged, theatrical, and insightful
student expression, they also create participant resistance to serious consideration of
opposing points of view as students adopt lawyer-like postures, defending their "client" to
the bitter end. (See John Rossi's article in this issue, pp.15-21, for a related discussion.)
In addition, debate formats may reflect boys' preferred style of interaction and learning,
which can have a negative impact on girls' level of participation. These concerns
necessitate that dialogue formats also be used. Any discussion situation in which students
pursue understanding of an issue without yet adopting or defending a particular view is
defined here as a dialogue format. One strategy is to involve the class in the construction
of a compromise position or middle way that takes into account the perspectives of
opposing parties.

10. Have students assume a position counter to their own. The intent here, much like the
previous recommendation, is to encourage more open-minded, reflective analysis by
students, and to develop dispositions associated with thoughtfulness such as intellectual
empathy, mental flexibility, and reflectivity (Dewey 1933; Passmore 1967; Schrag 1988;
Walsh and Paul 1987). To promote intellectual empathy, students might become "one-
horned" devil's advocates, arguing with conviction from a single position inconsistent with
their own. Role-playing particular individuals (e.g., Martin Luther King justifying why he
broke the law as explained in his Birmingham letter), groups of people (e.g., the remaining
Branch Davidians explaining why the government acted improperly), or organizations and
government bodies helps students empathically enter the perspectives of others. Role-
playing also releases students from their peer group identity, granting them freedom to
contemplate and express viewpoints that would otherwise be assigned to their social self
or that might offend peer group sensibilities.

11. Remind students how individual lessons and activities are linked to the central
issue. This can be done in a variety of ways, including the following:

 Display the central issue somewhere in the room for easy and frequent reference;
 Frequently remind students of the overall unit goal (i.e., to answer the unit's central
question);
 At the beginning of class, explain to students or have them surmise how today's
lesson relates to the central unit issue;
  At the end of a lesson, have students summarize the ways in which the day's
activities contributed to their growing knowledge of and/or perspective on the
central issue;
 Brainstorm with students activities that need to occur in upcoming lessons to
further their understanding of the central issue; and,
 "Scaffold" reading and other homework assignments; that is, explain how
assignments contribute to the unit's mission of answering the central issue.

12. Create culminating activities for students to share their perspectives. Culminating
activities give students opportunities to demonstrate the fruits of their labor, that is, to
share their understanding of and perspective on the central issue. They are performance-
based activities involving more than traditional pen and paper tests, though written tasks
such as a well-crafted "letter to the editor" in the local paper or a position paper that is
shared with the class or broader community can serve this purpose. These projects
encourage group interaction, allow students to employ multiple learning styles, and could
include the following: a speech, skit or play, a radio broadcast, "live" or videotaped
television newscast, a whole class or small-group debate, poster display, newspaper
publication, metaphorical or other visual display of the issue, or a small-group
presentation.

______________________________________________________________________
IV.ASSESSMENTS: To be submitted on or before May 30, 2020.

A. ANSWER THIS Accomplish the following table and submit this to the assignment
page. Your score here will be computed as part of your Summative Assessment.

Module 5 Effective Instruction in Social Studies (10 points)

1.Briefly the
suggestions on the
effective instruction
in Social Studies in
teaching social
studies.
 B.ANSWER THIS: Accomplish the following table and submit this the assignment
page. Your score here will be computed as part of your Final Examination.

Module 5 Effective Instruction in Social Studies (15 points)

Answer the following in not more than 5 sentences each.

1. Explain why is there a need to
use issues-based instruction in
teaching social studies.

3.Choose the best 5 suggestions

which you believe will help in the
effective delivery of social studies
instruction. Justify your answer.

3.Discuss how the effects if

individual lessons and activities
are linked to the central issue in
the classroom discussion

Did you learn something from the modules? I hope so. Once you have done the
assessment above, you may now send all your answer in the assignment page. Check if
you have complete Assessments given in the 5 modules. You can still submit if there is
anything that you failed to submit on or before May 30, 2020.

Thank you and stay safe.