Teaching Secondary Social Studies

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Teaching Secondary Social Studies to Second
Language Learners
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Social Studies TEKS Awareness
to do history is not to memorize, but to
question and imagine.
j
j
Tom Holt, Thinking Historically Narrative,
Imagination, and Understanding (1990)
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Workshop Overview
Purpose of Workshop
General Organization of Social Studies TEKS
Importance of Implementation of TEKS for Second
Language Learners
Selected Strategies and Activities
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Purpose
The primary goal is to ensure that all students
experience high levels of academic success.
This guide provides professional development
with information about second language learners
and effective content area instruction.
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Agenda

Organization of TEKS document

Strategies for teaching social studies
to second language learners

Summary
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The Legislative
Background
House Bill 72 mandates a state
1984
curriculum Essential Elements (EEs)
First review of EEs on a
mandated
1992
five-year cycle
Senate Bill No. 1 requires the state to develop
1995
essential knowledge and skills for all
students
State Board of
Education
approves
1997
TEKS Texas Essential Knowledge and
Skills
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What is Social Studies?
Science Technology Society
History
Social Studies TEKS
Culture
Geography
Citizenship
Economics
Government
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TEKS Format Social Studies K-12
Subchapter A. Elementary Subchapter B. Middle
School Grades 6, 7, 8 Subchapter C. High
School United States History Studies Since
Reconstruction World History
Studies World Geography Studies Government P
sychology Sociology Special Topics in Social
Studies Social Studies Research
Methods Subchapter D. Other Social Studies
Courses Social Studies Advanced
Studies Advanced Placement (AP) United State
History Advanced Placement (AP) European
History Advanced Placement (AP) U.S.
Government and Politics Advanced
Placement (AP) Comparative Government and
Politics Advanced Placement (AP) Psychology
International Baccalaureate (IB History,
Standard Level
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Organization of the TEKS Document
Introduction

• Gives a brief overview of the grade or course
• Defines skills that can be implemented
• throughout the curriculum
• Provides supporting ideas that enhance student
• learning

Essential Knowledge and Skills
Definition The concepts, skills, or strategies
to be learned Example (2.12) Government The
student understands the role of public officials
Student Expectations
Definition The demonstration of the concept,
skill, or strategy Example (A) compare the
roles of public officials including mayor,
governor, and president (B) identify ways that
public officials are selected, including
election and appointment to office
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How are the TEKS different from the Essential
Elements?
MIDDLE SCHOOL
u Similarities - Texas History at Grade and
U.S. History through 1877 at Grade 8 -
Emphasis on American heritage and benefits of
the free enterprise system
u Differences - Establish standards for
learning - Focus on contemporary world
societies at Grade 6 - Content organized by
strands - Historiography skills included -Contain
more specific and rigorous content
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How are the TEKS different from the Essential
Elements?
HIGH SCHOOL
u Differences - Establish standards for
learning - Content organized by strands -
Historiography skills included - New electives
Social Studies Research Methods and
Advanced Studies - Contain more specific and
rigorous content
u Similarities - Required courses include U.S.
History since 1877, World History, World
Geography, Government - Electives include
Psychology and Sociology - Emphasis on American
heritage and benefits of the free enterprise
system - Special Topics in Social Studies, a
skills-based elective, takes the place of
Advanced Social Science Problems
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Activity 1 K-W-L Handout
What do I know about teaching social studies
to second language learners?
K
W
L
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The Student Languages Spoken
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Common Languages
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Who is the second language learner?
Over half a million in the state
Bok!
Bonjour
Sat siri akal
Hola
Hello!
Sallam
Ibaulachi
Asalaam alequm
Nî hâo!
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Who Are Secondary Newcomer and Linguistically
Different Youth? 1. One in six of all youths who
are 14 to 19 in the United States either speaks a
language other than English at home, was born in
a foreign country, or both. 2. The majority of
newcomer and linguistically different youth are
native-born. 3. Hispanics, ages 14-19,
constitutes about half of all youth who are
linguistically different, foreign-born, or both.
Mexico is the country of birth of the majority of
Hispanic newcomers. There were about 381,000
Mexican-born young people 15 to 19 in the United
States in 1990. Newcomers from Mexico, El
Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Honduras
constitute larger proportions of the school-age
population than they do of the adult
population. 4. The former Soviet Union, Iran,
Germany, Portugal, and Poland are the principal
birthplaces of foreign-born linguistically
different non-Hispanic white youth. Youth born
in the United Kingdom and Canada are the largest
groups among non-Hispanic white newcomers born in
English-speaking countries. 5. Vietnam, the
Philippines, and Korea are the principal
birthplaces of young newcomers from Asia. 6.
Asians and Pacific Islanders are the third
largest group among newcomer and linguistically
different youth. Dorothy Waggoner
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Second Language Learner
(2) For students whose first language is other
that English, the native language serves as the
foundation for English language acquisition.
Cognitive skills transfer from one language to
another, and students literate in their first
language will apply these skills and other
academic proficiencies to the second language.
(A) The development of receptive
(listening/reading) and expressive
(speaking/writing) skills in second language
learners may be at different stages. In some
instances, second language learners undergo
silent periods of varying durations when they
first begin to learn a new language. Students
often understand more than they can produce and
may repeat words in sentences that they do not
entirely understand. Second language learners
may also draw upon the resources of their
language and culture as they acquire a new
language and culture. (B) It is important to
understand that limited knowledge of English
structure and vocabulary is neither related to
the students intellectual capabilities nor their
ability to use higher-order thinking skills.
Literacy development across the content areas is
essential in building academic skills in a second
language and can accelerate the learning of both
English language skills and higher-order thinking
skills.
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Students English Proficiency
The content area of social studies can serve as a
vehicle
for English language acquisition. These are the
levels of
language proficiency.
(A) Beginning
(B) Intermediate
(C) Advanced
(D) Additional first
language and/or
academic needs
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Classroom Environment

• Let students explore--ask questions, develop
  their own explanations
• Play the role of coach
• Ask open-ended questions.
• Support the different learning styles of your
  students.
• Continually assess how well your students are
  learning

GETTING STARTED
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ESL Strategies in the Classroom
Classroom Strategies
MOTIVATION
BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
ASSESSMENT
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Motivating Students
MOTIVATION
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Speaking Activity
Name_______________________________ Reasons
ESL Students May Be Reticent to Ask or Answer
Questions During Class 1. 2. 3. ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.
Kate Kinsella, San Francisco State
University, 3/99
Focused Listing
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Speaking Activity
Language to Express Opinions
think guess infer conclude believe predict specula
te speculate imagine presume hypothesize deduce I
would venture to say that. . . It occurs to me
that . . . In my opinion, . . . It seems to me
that . . . Example response I speculate that
many ESL students are reticent to participate in
group work because they dont perceive any
pedagogical merits in the activity. I_____________
________that_______________________________ I__
___________________that___________________________
____ I_____________________that________________
_______________
Kate Kinsella, San Francisco
State University, 3/99
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Background Knowledge
Strategies that I use or know
How to assess or build
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Background Knowledge
BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE
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Concept Development
VOCABULARY
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Vocabulary Activity
Visual Verbal Word Association Modified Version
Scaffold
Providing contextual supports for meaning,
instruction and assessment
Using literature to scaffold students language
development
Write a sentence on the back of the card using
this vocabulary word.
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Vocabulary Activity
Visual Verbal Word Association Modified Version
Vocabulary Term
Visual Association
Personal Association
Definition
Write a sentence on the back of the card using
this vocabulary word.
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TEKS
Materials Textbook Supplemental
materials Visuals Graphics Manipulatives
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Technology
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Technology
Instruction Construction Classroom
Activity Teacher centered Learner
centered Didactic Interactive Teacher
role Fact teller Collaborator Always
expert Sometimes learner Student
role Listener Collaborator Always
learner Sometimes expert Instructional
emphasis Facts Relationships Memorization Inquiry
invention Concept of knowledge Accumulation T
ransformation of facts of facts Demonstration
of success Quantity Quality of understanding A
ssessment Norm referenced Criterion referenced
Multiple-choice items Portfolios and
performances Technology use Drill and
practice Communication, collaboration,
information access, expression
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Technology
How technology is used in the social studies
classroom
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Video
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Assessment
ASSESSMENT
Traditional
Alternative
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Assessment Activity
Traditional
Alternative
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Alternative Assessment
Examples of Alternative Assessment
? Experiments/Demonstrations ? Teacher
Observations ? Portfolio ? Text Retelling ?
Interviews ? Oral Reports ? Journals
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Planning a Unit
Determine
Plan
Identify
Select
List
Evaluate
1. Select topic. 2. Identify key concepts. 3.
List student expectations. 4. Determine focus
for unit. 5. Select appropriate activities. 6.
Identify strategies that facilitate
understanding 7. Select appropriate
assessment. 8. Evaluate lesson and if the
activities were effective.
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Working Model of Instructional Plan
Concept Strand
Teaching Strategies
Vocabulary
Manipulatives
Learning Styles
Curriculum Integration
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Working Model of Instructional Plan
Explain Exclusion State Powers Concept
Strand TEKS Government (10) The student
understands federalism
(A) (B) (C) (D)
Vocabulary federalism exclusive
powers concurrent powers levy
taxes limitations
Teaching Strategies Students divide into small
groups representing federal and state. Group
members brainstorm and create a list of powers
exclusive to their group. Use graphic organizer
to debrief group responses and exclusive federal
powers, exclusive state powers and concurrent
powers. Mix the order of powers to check if
students understand the division of
powers. Students role play different powers that
are discussed such as conducting elections,
governing school laws.
Manipulatives chart paper/markers graphic
organizer, such as VENN diagram and 3 column
format pictorial representations
Learning Styles Visual Kinesthetic Auditory

• Curriculum Integration
• math - statistical information
• language arts - related to US constitution.

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Summary
What do I know about teaching social studies
to second language learners?
K
W
L
(Ogle, 1986)
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Reflections
Three things I learned today
Two things I liked
One thing that I will implement