02 February 2019
iSSues Explorer
Developing Informed, Concerned & Participative Citizens
Brought to you by the Social St u dies (S econ dary) Un i t
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Selection of the Month
03 Dice It Up 06 What's Simmering 10
What's Cooking
Selection of the Month Activating Authentic Student Voices in the Social Studies Classroom In July 2018, Mr Craig Divis was engaged by AST as an Outstanding Educator-in-Residence. Mr Divis is a Social Studies teacher at Bremerton High School, Washington, USA. He conducted Master Classes for more than 200 teachers and had dialogue sessions with the fraternity and taught in a Secondary 3 Normal (Academic) class, where he demonstrated strategies like Structured Academic Controversy (SAC). In this section, we share the learning points and materials from his Master Class, ‘Activating Authentic Student Voice in the Social Studies Classroom’.
The Fishbowl Strategy Fishbowl is a discussion strategy that promotes participation through active contribution or active listening during discussions. Students can hone their skills of questioning, observing and challenging perspectives through this activity. It is a strategy that can be used when discussing issues with differing perspectives. As its name suggests, the discussion activity occurs within the fishbowl, and the audience observes the proceedings from outside the fishbowl. There are ten steps involved in the fishbowl strategy: Students study an assigned reading (e.g. image or article) and generate open-ended questions based on the source. Students form groups of 12, which is further split into two sub-groups. The first sub-group gathers in a circle (inner group), while the second sub-group (outer group) forms another circle around the inner group. To start the discussion, a member of the inner group poses an openended question based on the article. Other members of the inner group share their views in response to the question posed. As the first sub-group engages in discussion, members of the inner group observe. When the discussion slows, another member of the inner group poses another open-ended question. As the discussion within the inner group is ongoing, the members of the outer group will record the relevant points of discussion. The inner and outer group would swap places, and the process repeats. At the end of the allocated time, teacher summarises the discussion and debriefs the students.
Value of the Fishbowl Str ategy This strategy may require much preparation for teachers as they would need to prepare readings for the activity. However, the strategy is a very student-centric one. Students can scope and frame their discussions and arguments with almost no guidance by the teacher. In doing so, student engagement in the class would be high, and teachers can play a more facilitative role through preparing readings that would help spark students’ prior knowledge and also by asking probing questions when checking in with students during the activity. Through the process of a Fishbowl discussion activity, students participate by asking questions, co-constructing knowledge, looking at various perspectives and gathering data from observations. These are essential components of inquiry in the classroom, which would help students understand issues better. Access resources (instruction sheets, worksheets, examples) on the Fishbowl strategy here. February 2019 | 01
Selection of the Month Public Service Announcemen ts As part of Issue Investigation, consider getting students to create a Public Service Announcement (PSA). A public service announcement (PSA) is like an advertisement that informs us about something important. A PSA provides an authentic platform for students to present the information they have gathered and advocate for issues that affect society. For example, for an Issue Investigation where students inquire into the interactions between locals and migrants, students would typically suggest ways to encourage interactions through a PowerPoint presentation targeted at the teacher and classmates. However, a PSA presented in audio, video or print form, depending on the confidence and ability levels of students in using ICT tools, is a wonderful alternative.
Sample PSA on Reducing Food Waste
Assessing the PSA Task
Click on the icons below to access sample PSA tasks.
In evaluating the PSA created by students, teachers should consider if students have addressed the following: 1. Target Audience: Whom is this PSA intended for? 2. Message: What is the proposed message? What do I want the person who watches this video to understand? 3. Action Step: What is the call to action? What do I want the person to do? What can an individual do in the home or community? How will the action solve the problem? 4. Significance of Issue to the Public: What is the proposed issue? Why is the issue important to the public? Are there any statistics which might be useful?
What can be included in th e PS A task?
The creation of a PSA makes the process of inquiry engaging and meaningful for students, as they would be equipped with the necessary knowledge, skills and values to become participative citizens in future.
Some suggested requirements for a video PSA include: Duration of PSA, e.g. 30 – 90 seconds The inclusion of audio and background music The inclusion of text The inclusion of statistics or facts A clear statement of the issue to explain the importance/ relevance of the issue The inclusion of visuals such as images or video clips The inclusion of a specific action to be taken by the target audience
Value of the PSA Task
Getting students to create a PSA makes the task meaningful and authentic as students have the opportunity to address an issue of concern. Just as the PSA in the MRT trains remind us of the actions to take in case of an emergency, the PSA that students create would be able to raise awareness and influence others around them to take action. In this case, students could create PSA as a call for action targeted at locals, migrants or both groups. When done compellingly, PSA can get the message across, resulting in improved interactions between locals and migrants. Inquiring and investigating to create the PSA contributes towards the development of students’ competencies for national assessment. Students would have to analyse and evaluate the data gathered, before arriving at wellreasoned and substantiated conclusions, which are communicated to others in the form of the PSA. Access resources (instruction sheets, worksheets, For access to more resources shared by Mr Craig Divis examples) on the Public Service Announcement Task here. during his stint at AST, click here. February 2019 | 02
Dice It Up SLS Resources on Issue Investigation SLS Resources on Issue Investigation Issue Investigation provides a platform for students to demonstrate the knowledge, skills and values needed for participative citizenship. As students conduct investigations on societal issues of meaning to them, they extend their inquiry skills. This year, to better support teachers in achieving these outcomes, we will be publishing a series of SLS lessons on the skills and processes involved in Issue Investigation. We hope you find them useful.
The SLS Lesson The objective of this SLS lesson is to introduce students to the inquiry processes, through the four stages of inquiry, by showing how a group of students are inspired to tackle a challenge they found in their community. In the videos, the students will craft questions, gather data, exercise reasoning and reflect on their responses to the societal issue they had selected as informed, concerned and participative citizens. The following lesson ideas show different uses of the SLS lesson in the classroom. The specific instructional objective for both lesson ideas is to get students to complete an investigation plan. Before the lesson, students would have had some discussions on what their Issue Investigation would be. As such, the lesson ideas serve as a check-in for students to clarify their plans before embarking on their investigation.
Click HERE to access the SLS lesson.
Overview of the Issue Investigation Process in the SLS lesson
One of the videos featured in the SLS lesson February 2019 | 03
Dice It Up SLS Resources on Issue Investigation Lesson Idea #1: Using the SLS lesson as a pre-lesson activity This lesson idea envisions students taking greater ownership of their learning by completing the SLS lesson before the class and using classroom time for group discussion to finalise an Issue Investigation plan. The teacher’s role is thus to be a strong “knowledgeable other” who can address students’ various concerns and clarifications in planning their investigation. Direct students to view the SLS Lesson and complete the accompanying questions at home before the classroom lesson. Teachers should also review students’ responses to check for students’ understanding and use the faceto-face time in class to address any misconceptions noticed in the responses. In class, have students briefly recall the following information from the videos and note the responses on the board: Video 1 (Sparking curiosity): From the video, what was the rationale for the students’ choice of issue investigation? Video 2 (Gathering data): From the video, how did the students plan to gather data for their investigation? Video 3 (Exercising reasoning): From the video, how did the students make sense of the data they have gathered?
Using the responses from the students, get them to reflect on their investigation plan by completing a onepage butcher sheet with four quadrants containing similar questions: Quadrant 1: What is the rationale for your choice of issue investigation? Quadrant 2: How would you plan to gather data for your investigation? Quadrant 3: What are some responses you anticipate receiving during the investigation? Quadrant 4: Leave this space blank During the group discussion, the teacher would be roving and checking-in with the various groups to address their concerns and clarifications as they plan their investigation. At the end of the group activity, conduct a gallery walk with each group displaying their Issue Investigation plan and encourage the students to provide comments and suggestions on their peers’ work by pasting post-it notes in the empty quadrant. Finally, get the groups to review the comments and suggestions provided by their peers and refine their investigation plan before submitting it.
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Dice It Up SLS Resources on Issue Investigation Lesson idea 2: Using the SLS lesson in class
This lesson idea envisions teachers being a strong facilitator empowering students to coconstruct knowledge in the classroom together. Thus, the SLS lesson is used in class in a structured and guided approach to elicit and build on knowledge to create an Issue Investigation plan. Before going through the SLS lesson, get students to share some of their concerns and clarifications which arose from their Issue Investigation plans and discussions which took place before the lesson. The teacher should note these concerns and clarifications by recording them on the board or, if possible, by addressing them immediately. Next, the teacher informs students that they have to prepare an “elevator pitch” * of their Issue Investigation plan by the end of the lesson. To help students prepare for their elevator pitch, teachers can use the SLS lesson by playing the videos in class and conduct a group discussion using the accompanying questions in the SLS lesson OR use the following questions after every segment to facilitate a discussion among the students in their groups:
Video 1 (Sparking Curiosity): From the video, what was the rationale for the students’ choice of issue investigation? What is the rationale for your choice of issue investigation? Video 2 (Gathering Data): 1. From the video, how did the students plan to gather data for their investigation? How would you plan to gather data for your investigation? Video 3 (Exercising Reasoning): From the video, how did the students make sense of the data they have gathered? What are some responses you anticipate receiving during the investigation? At the end of the group discussion, get every student to verbally exchange their group’s investigation plans with another peer by doing an elevator pitch of one minute using their responses to each of the highlighted questions above. At the end of the pitch, students must provide feedback or suggestions on their peers’ pitch.
Finally, instruct students to return to their groups and share within the group feedback they have gathered during the pitch. Students should address the feedback they have gathered by refining their investigation plan. Depending on the profile of the students, teachers can support students in their elevator pitch by providing flash cards or a one-page handout for them to record their pitch before commencing the activity.
*The “elevator pitch” is a concise statement that average strangers could understand. As a classroom activity, it helps students to hone their research problem and get useful audience feedback as they prepare their proposal. For more details about this activity, click HERE. February 2019 | 05
What 's Simmering What makes Social Studies engaging for students is the relevance, relatability and currency of the issues discussed. This section looks at three current societal issues and provides suggestions on possible discussion questions that teachers can use in the Social Studies classroom.
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Issue 1: Exploring Citizenship & Governance Will the measures proposed by the government be effective in the war against diabetes?
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Issue 2: Living in a Diverse Society What else can be done to address classbased discrimination in Singapore?
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Issue 3: Being Part of a Globalised World How can Singapore's counter-terrorism efforts be enhanced?
February 2019 | 06
Will the measures proposed by the government be effective in the war against diabetes? "We need to tackle the diabetes challenge. Therefore, I am declaring war on diabetes," said Health Minister Gan Kim Yong in 2016 when he announced the establishment of a new Diabetes Prevention and Care Taskforce. Singapore has close to half a million people with diabetes, and about the same number with impaired glucose tolerance, also called pre-diabetes. This means that one in four people in Singapore either already has diabetes or is at high risk of getting it. In a bid to fight the disease, which is the second leading cause of ill health in Singapore, the Ministry of Health (MOH) is proposing measures to cut down sugar intake from sugar-sweetened beverages. These include a nationwide ban on the sale of higher-sugar, pre-packaged beverages; a tax on manufacturers and importers of these beverages; extended advertising regulations for these beverages beyond the current voluntary guidelines; and mandatory front-ofpackage labels detailing the beverage’s nutrition value, to help consumers identify healthier options and those that are less healthy. Will the measures imposed by the government be effective in the war against diabetes?
Knowledge Outcome Students will be able to understand how citizens and organised groups can participate in working for the good of society.
Discussion Questions Will the measures imposed by the government be effective in the war against diabetes? Apart from the government’s efforts, how can Singaporeans play their part in the war against diabetes?
Click HERE to access possible responses to discussion questions
What 's Simmering Issue 1: Exploring Citizenship & Governance
Links
Article 1: MOH consulting public on banning, taxing some sugary drinks to fight diabetes Article 2: Canned cola, chendol or bubble tea affected or not? Singapore’s proposed tax on sweet drinks explained Article 3: War on diabetes will have effect on 'innocent' bystanders
Article 4: High-sugar drinks taxed in many countries Article 5: High-sugar drinks: Ban or mandatory nutrition labels? Readers have their say in ST online poll Article 6: Tackling diabetes: A place for sugar tax?
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What else can be done to address class-based discrimination in Singapore? The documentary ‘Regardless of Class’ recently explored the issue of class divides in Singapore, which has been identified as a worrisome fault line for Singaporeans. Through interviews with Singaporeans from lower-income groups, it highlights the class-based discrimination that still exists in Singapore today. Despite their contributions to society, lower-income workers in Singapore are viewed as ‘invisible’ and experience discriminatory acts by other individuals and groups in society. While there are efforts in place to encourage Singaporeans to embrace this ‘invisible’ group in society, it is clear that more needs to be done. What else can be done to address class-based discrimination in Singapore?
Knowledge Outcomes Students will be able to understand: the experiences and effects of living in a diverse society; and the various ways in which governments and individuals can respond to the effects of living in a diverse society.
Discussion Questions Why do you think class-based discrimination exists in Singapore? What else can be done to address class-based discrimination in Singapore?
Click HERE to access possible responses to discussion questions
What 's Simmering Issue 2: Living in a Diverse Society
Links
Video 1: How You Treat Me, A Lowincome Singaporean | Regardless Of Class | CNA Insider Article 1: The Big Read: The 'invisible' people in a classconscious society Article 2: IPS 30th Anniversary: Diversities — New and Old Panel I: Unequal and Immobile Structures Article 3: Who is your friend? Bursting social-class bubbles
Article 4: In the search for solutions to the class divide, a call for more financial help Article 5: Social services don't necessarily replace support networks Article 6: The Government needs to do more to bridge the class divide, but so do we
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How can Singapore's counterterrorism efforts be enhanced? The interconnectedness and interdependence of the globalised world has exposed countries around the world to security challenges. One such challenge is the continuing threat from terrorist groups. The Singapore government has counter-terrorism measures in place since 2001 to fight terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda and Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and the rising threat of lonewolf terrorism. In Singapore, the SGSecure movement was launched in 2016 as a national movement to sensitise, train, and mobilise Singaporeans to prevent and deal with a terror attack. Despite these efforts, the recent Singapore Terrorism Threat Assessment Report 2019 by the Ministry of Home Affairs highlighted that only one in five Singaporeans sees terrorism as an imminent threat, even though most acknowledge that Singapore is a target for terrorists. How can Singapore's counter-terrorism efforts be enhanced?
Knowledge Outcome
What 's Simmering Issue 3: Being Part of a Globalised World
Links
Article 1: Singapore Terrorism Threat Assessment Report 2019 Article 2: Only one in five feels attack may happen here in next 5 years Article 3: Fighting terrorism cannot be the responsibility of the Government alone
Students will be able to understand the different responses to tensions arising from the security impact of globalisation.
Article 4: Need to relate SGSecure at community level: Josephine Teo
Discussion Questions
Article 5: Quick as a Heartbeat: Jurong Mall workers make counterterror exercise a success
In your opinion, how effective are Singapore’s counter-terrorism measures? How can Singapore's counter-terrorism efforts be enhanced?
Click HERE to access possible responses to discussion questions
Article 6: New initiatives to target malls, condos on terror emergency preparedness
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What 's Cooking Upcoming Professional Development Courses Feb - May 2019 Social Studies: Effective Instructional Teaching
Social Studies: Incorporating SLS Resources in Lessons
TRAI SI Code: 21531 Date: 3 April 2019, Wednesday & 25 April 2019, Thursday Time: 1430 - 1730 Venue: AST Training Room 21 (D a y 1) & AST Training Room 5 (Day 2)
TRAI SI Code: 21532 Date: 2 May 2019, Thursday Time: 1430 - 1730 Venue: AST Training Room 11
Synopsis: Participants will learn to unp a ck the sylla bus and integrate the use of inqui ry-ba sed lea rning in lesson design. The workshop will cl a rify how content is f ramed in the 20 16 S S E/ N (A ) syllabuses and guide the p a rti cip a nts on t he ef f ective use the TLS, TLG, a nd coursebook to plan for instruction. Particip a nts will a lso ha ve opportunities to ref lect on the teachi ng of concepts, content, skil ls a nd values in l ight of the signif icant issues a nd tensi ons rela ted t o social studies education in Singa p ore.
Synopsis: Participants will learn to na viga te the SLS platf or m and plan a l esson using SLS resources. During the workshop , teachers will get to expl ore the sui te of SLS lessons available for `Second a ry Social Studies and learn more a bout pedagogical strategies that fa cilitate learning with technolog y.
February 2019 | 10
What 's Cooking Upcoming Professional Development Courses Feb - May 2019 Social Studies: Assessment Workshop for Newly-deployed Teachers for Revised ENA Syllabus
Social Studies: Issues-based Seminar (Issue 2)
TRAI SI Code: 22638 Date: 6 & 7 May 2019, Monday & Tuesd a y Time: 0800 – 1730 Venue: AST Training Room 14
TRAISI Code: 22639 Date: 14 May 2019, Tuesda y Time: 1430 – 1730 Venue: AST Training Room 8
Synopsis: Participants will have a grea ter und ersta nd ing of the new assessment questi on types i n the Revised GCE ‘O’- and ‘N(A )- Level ‘O’ a nd ‘N(A)’ level exami nation papers a nd und ersta nd and apply the basic princi p les of cra fti ng the new assessment types. They w ill a lso und ersta nd the principles of levels of response marking a nd apply their understandi ng in marking sel ect ed scripts.
Synopsis: Participants will acquire a deep er und ersta nd ing of content related to Issues i n the R evised Syllabuses. Particip a nts will exami ne perspectives through vid eos a nd a ssigned readings, which will t hen be d iscussed a t th e session. This issue s- ba sed semina r will critically examine a range of vi ews on i nequalit y, including views about d ifferent measures, a nd their ef f icacy, to address inequality. Issues of social mobility and meritocracy will also be examined to explore rela ti onship s between inequality and soci a l mobi lity, wheth er meritocracy is ‘working , ’ the role of ed uca ti ona l policy and practice, and others. February 2019 | 11
What 's Cooking Additional Resources for Classroom Activities Click on the links below to access the resources.
Minimum legal age for smoking raised to 19 from Jan 1
A two-in-one statement about Singapore’s 4G leadership
Singapore third most corrupt-free country in the world: Transparency International
Issue 2
Getting Singaporeans to be more culturally intelligent
The beauty industry aims to be more inclusive
Commentary: Behind the public shaming of one wealthy elite, a disturbing but growing divide
Video: Why It Matters 2: Ep 3: Poverty: The Price & Perils
Issue 3
The need for joint counter-terrorism frameworks in South-east Asia
Terror threat to S'pore remains high, but only one in five sees it as an imminent threat: MHA report
The Advent of “CyWar”: Are We Ready?
Issue 1
Singapore, UK launch ‘partnership for the future’
Video: Cities On The Move
February 2019 | 12
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February 2019 | 13