iSSues Explorer Social Studies (Secondary) Unit Developing Our Students as Informed, Concerned and Participative Citizens
Selection of the Month Useful lesson idea — Article of the Week In the Revised Social Studies Syllabuses, students engage with a wide range of sources to gather multiple perspectives regarding various societal issues, in order to make reasoned conclusions. Through the exposure to developments and debates about these issues, we hope that students will become citizens who are informed, concerned and participative. However, in order for students to do so effectively, there is a need to guide students in their reading and analysis of these sources of information.
In this issue, we are sharing a reading strategy –“Article of the Week”. This strategy provides useful suggestions on how students’ reading can be scaffolded so that it is more directed and purposeful.
What is this strategy about? In order for students to engage with sources pertaining to societal issues effectively, there is a need to guide students in their reading and analysis of sources of information.
For five to ten minutes before the start of lessons, students engage with an article on a current issue. Students read the same article for one week, annotating it, answering teacherassigned questions and discussing the issue with their classmates. The schedule for a week looks something like this: Monday: Read the article Wednesday: Re-read and annotate the article Friday: Answer the questions assigned and engage in group discussion
A specific set of symbols is taught for students to use when annotating the article. This can help make their thought process and analysis visible to the teacher and other students.