District Administration - June 2007 - (Page 90)

ResearchCorner SOCIAL STUDIES ESSENTIALS ON EDUCATION DATA and RESEARCH ANALYSIS Mastering Content and Skills By Edvantia H ISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, economics, civics and government—subjects included beneath the “social studies” umbrella— are deﬁned in No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation as core subjects. But “social studies is getting short shrift in the classroom as teachers and administrators focus almost exclusively on achievement test results in math and reading,” claims the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS). Supporting the Council’s assertion are the results of a 2006 survey by the Center on Education Policy that found 33 percent of school districts reported reducing social studies instructional time “somewhat or to a great Improving LiteracyRelated Instruction in Social Studies RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON research in adolescent literacy: 1. Provide explicit instruction and supportive practice in the use of effective comprehension strategies throughout the school day. 2. Increase the amount and quality of open, sustained discussion of reading content. 3. Set and maintain high standards for text, conversation, questions and vocabulary. 4. Increase students’ motivation and engagement with reading. 5. Teach essential content knowledge so that all students master critical content. Source: Academic Literacy Instruction for Adolescents: A Guidance Document from the Center on Instruction, www.centeroninstruction.org extent” to devote more time to reading and math. According to the 2003-2004 Schools and Staﬃng Survey, instructional time for math and English/language arts has increased, but time spent on history and science has decreased. Calling this shift in priorities an unintended consequence of NCLB, NCSS sent a letter to Congress in early 2007 reminding the nation’s elected representatives of the importance of social studies in preparing K12 students as citizens. Such preparation must begin in elementary schools. For example, the 2001 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results in U.S. history found that fourth-graders whose teachers spent more than 180 minutes a week on social studies scored higher in U.S. history than those whose teachers devoted less time. Experts are therefore concerned that too little time in the content area in the early grades will leave students unprepared for social studies classes at the secondary school level and for high school exit exams that currently include social studies or history in 11 states. Improving Instruction What instructional practices might help students do better in social studies? The 2001 NAEP data oﬀer insights: In U.S. history, higher average scores were associated with reading from a textbook almost every day (grade 4), using primary historical documents weekly (grade 8), and reading extra materials such as biographies (grade 12). Use of computers for report writing and Internet research was also associated with higher average scores (grades 8 and 12). Cooperative learning Curriculum Standards for Social Studies NCSS DEFINES SOCIAL STUDIES as “the integrated study of the social sciences and humanities to promote civic competence.” NCSS recommends the use of social studies standards to guide overall curriculum design, while standards in individual disciplines such as history provide content detail. The NCSS standards include 10 thematic strands: 1. Culture 2. Time, continuity and change 3. People, places and environments 4. Individual development and identity 5. Individuals, groups and institutions 6. Power, authority and governance 7. Production, distribution and consumption 8. Science, technology and society 9. Global connections 10. Civic ideals and practices Source: NCSS, www.socialstudies.org also received attention as a strategy well suited to the purposes and requisite skills of social studies, and several studies have linked cooperative learning to improved student achievement across grade levels and subject areas (e.g., Slavin 1991; Karnes & Collins 1997). Recently, greater attention has been given to improving students’ literacy skills in the content areas. In 2004, the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) issued a reminder that middle District Administration 90 June 2007 http://www.socialstudies.org http://www.centeroninstruction.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - June 2007

Contents
Editor's Letter
Letters
News Update
Security Update
Technology Update
Curriculum Update
Inside the Law
Admistrator Profile
District Profile
Refreshing the ISTE Technology Standards
Action Teams
RE-Construction
Professional Development for the New Century
Multimedia LIT
New Products
Leadership Books
Problem/Solution
Online Edge
Speaking Out
Supervisor's Opinion
Professional Opinion
Research Corner
Calendar of Events
Understanding the Times

District Administration - June 2007