An Introduction to Teaching Social Studies in the Bilingual Classroom

Prepared by Global Language Solutions, LLCfor the

Institute for Second Language Achievement (ISLA) at Texas A&M - Corpus Christi

and the Texas Education Agency (TEA)

International BINGOSign your name in the center “free” boxYou will need a pen or pencil and your BINGO sheet for this activityAsk your classmates the questions on the BINGO sheet. If they can answer “Yes,” ask them to sign the boxYou may only sign a classmate’s BINGO sheet one timeWhen you get 5 signatures in a row, call out, “BINGO!”

Objectives

Address TEKS for social studies and Spanish and English language artsFocus on the effective teaching of social studies content through the use of appropriate methods for developing bilingual proficiency in students

Social Studies TEKS Grades K-6Pre-Kindergarten Guidelines—nature of people and their world, the heritage of the past, and contemporary living and cultureKindergarten—introduction to basic social studies conceptsGrade 1—home, school, and communityGrade 2—community, state, and nationGrade 3—communities (past/present, here/there)Grade 4—Texas in the Western HemisphereGrade 5—United States studiesGrade 6—Contemporary World Societies

Structure of the TEKSEight Strands—integrated for instructional purposes

HistoryGeographyEconomicsGovernmentCitizenshipCultureScience/Technology/SocietySocial Studies Skills

Description of the Social Studies Curriculum

Promotes knowledge and cultural understanding, democratic and civic values, and skills attainment and social participationStresses historical and geographical literacy, important concepts about human society, approaches to solving problems

Description of the Social Studies Curriculum

Teaches democracy’s development, values and current practice in the U.S.ADesigned to teach procedural knowledge (study skills and social skills) needed for participation in cooperative and democratic activities

What’s Difficult about Social Studies for ELLs?

Curriculum assumes prior historical, geographical, and civic knowledge and culturally based values which may be unfamiliar to studentsSpecialized vocabulary often refers to abstract conceptsDiscourse is primarily expository; language functions include both lower and higher-level thinking skills

What’s Difficult about Social Studies for ELLs?

Reading texts include sentences with multiple embedded clauses, complex past tense forms, and extensive use of pronounsDecontextualized language is used in relationship to unfamiliar conceptsStudents may have had little experience locating information, using maps and graphs, and using effective strategies for listening, reading, and writing

Teaching Guidelines for Social StudiesAssess students’ prior knowledge about social studies topicsSelect high priority content objectives from the TEKS; include both lower and higher-order thinking skillsProvide academic language activities in which students read, listen to, discuss, make presentations on, and write about social studies contentTeach and have students practice learning strategies with all social studies activities

Addressing the TextbookWork with a partnerFold a scratch paper in halfOn the left side of the paper brainstorm all the things that make reading your social studies textbook difficult for ELLsOn the right side of the paper brainstorm all the things that make reading your social studies textbook easy for ELLsDebriefConsider how you can incorporate more of the things that make the textbook easy and overcome the things that make the textbook difficult

Addressing the TextbookProvide opportunities for spoken and written connections to the textbookProvide supplementary reading materials that are related to the textbook and allow students to choose and read independentlyUtilize a before, during, and after approach when reading the textbookGuide students in how to read the textbook, including the organization and the format

Adapting Written MaterialsUse a predictable text structure (i.e., topic sentence followed by supporting details)Reduce the number of pronouns and synonymsSimplify the vocabulary, but retain key concepts and technical termsUse active and simple verb tensesProvide contextual definitions for new vocabulary termsAvoid indefinite terms, such as “it,” “there,” and “that”Minimize the use of negatives, especially those like “no longer” or “hardly”

Adapting Written Materials

Rewrite the following sentences to make them more comprehensible for ELLs:

The Declaration of Independence was signed by John Hancock.There were many reasons people left Europe for America.The discovery of tobacco as a cash crop to be traded in Europe guaranteed that the colony would do well.John Smith is remembered for his pragmatic leadership.

Well-Equipped Classroom

Current world map and globeRealia, visuals, and hands-on materialsCulturally relevant reading materialsAudio-Visual materialsClassroom reference librarySocial Studies Center

Social Studies CenterFlags of different culturesThematic booksRealia from different cultures, coins, etc.PhotographsVisuals of heroes and famous peopleTimelinesPostersMusic from different cultures and different historical periodsWorld map

BICS CALP

Basic Interpersonal CommunicationSkills

Conversational

CognitiveAcademicLanguage Proficiency

Textbook language

The Nature of Language Proficiency:

Cummins, 1979

Levels of Language Proficiency

Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills

(BICS)Everyday languageCommunicativeUniversal across all native speakersNot related to academic achievementUsually attained within 2 years

Levels of Language Proficiency

Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP)

Abstract, decontextualized languageNon-interpersonalRelated to literacy skills and academic achievementCALP in L1 and L2 overlap despite differences in surface featuresUsually develops in 5 to 7 years or longer depending on individual and contextual variables

Iceberg Analogy

BICS

CALP

The “Dual Iceberg Representation of Bilingual Proficiency”

A C

B D

Cognitively Undemanding (BICS)

Cognitively Demanding (CALP)

Con

text

E

mbe

dded C

ontext R

educed

Viewing Talking

Doing Transforming

Cummins’ Four Quadrants

View

Pictures and primary source documentsActive video viewing

Pictures

Suggestions for Implementation

Generate random vocabularyDescribe the picture Interpret the pictureBrainstorm a list of possibilitiesTalk and write answer questions specific to the pictureRead the passage and make connections

Active Viewing

As students view any video clip, they should take notes on an active viewing handoutAny graphic organizer or scaffold used with a video will allow students to gain more information

DoTPRPicture StoriesBINGO

Total Physical Response

Picture Timeline

Arrange the items, dates, descriptions, and pictures in the correct chronological order to create a timelineTake turns telling a partner about the important acts and events that lead up to the American Revolution

Talk

Information GapGames

Information GapWork with a partnerOne partner will be A and the other will be BStand back to back with your partnerUse the stem questions to ask your partner for the missing information and record the answers you getUse the information on your sheet to answer your partner’s questionsCheck with your partner at the end to make sure you have all the appropriate information

Games

What kinds of games have you used with your students?Why were those games effective?

Transform

Language experienceHuman sentencesJournals

Language Experience Approach

The “experience” to be written about may be a drawing, something the student brought from home, a group experience planned by the teacher (i.e., field trip, party, etc.), or simply a topic to discuss.The student is asked to tell about his/her experience.The student then dictates his/her story or experience to the teacher, aide, volunteer, or another student. The writer copies down the story exactly as it is dictated verbatim.The teacher reads the story back, pointing to the words, with the student reading along.

Language Experience ApproachThe student reads the story silently and/or aloud to other students or to the teacher.The experience stories are saved and can be used for instruction in all types of reading skills.When student are ready, they can begin to write their own experience stories.Students can rewrite their own previous stories as their language development progresses, and then illustrate them to make books for other students to read.

Human Sentences

You will be given a card with a word on itArrange yourselves in order to make a sentence that is historically accurate and grammatically correctHave a spokesperson read the sentence aloud

Dialogue JournalsMake sure each student has a notebook to use for journal writingBe sure students know they can write about anything in their journals, that they won’t be graded, and that noone but the teacher will read themBe sure to respond to each journal entryWith pre-literate students, you must write your response while they are watching, sounding it out as you write, and point to the words as you reread your response

Dialogue Journals

Never correct student entries. You may ask about something that is unclear or you may choose to model a correct form in your response if that seems naturalTry not to dominate the “conversation.” Let the students initiate topics

Vocabulary

Word SortsConcept Definition MapVerbal-visual word association

Word Sorts

Sort the following words into these categories (-tion, -sion, -tation):

Revolution, tension, frustration, taxation, representation, vision, plantation, mission, participation, solution, passion, transition, nation

Concept Definition Map

Verbal-Visual Word Association

Term

BICS

Personal Association

Definition:

Basic Interpersonal

Communication Skills

Synonym:Conversational,

social, everyday,

interpersonalAntonym:

CALP

Linking Instruction to AssessmentTests are appropriate for varying levels of Spanish and English language proficiencyUse a diversity of measures, such as: portfolios, observations, anecdotal records, interviews, checklists, and criterion-referenced tests to measure content knowledge and skillsTake into account students’ backgrounds, including their educational experiences and parents’ literacyAdd context to assessment tasks with familiar visual prompts, questions for small group discussion and individual writing, and activities that mirror learning processes with which students are familiarAllow extra time to complete or respond to assessment tasksMake other accommodations, such as permitting students to use dictionaries or word lists

Practical Ideas on Alternative Assessment for ESL Students

Jigsaw

CASH Graphic

C CognitiveWhat is something you learned about how and why you should develop language in social studies?

A AffectiveHow do you feel about incorporating culture into your classroom?

S SuccessWhat strategy/activity are you willing to implement that will have a direct impact on student success?

H Help What resources will you use to help you in your classroom?

Module Assessment

Complete the assessment provided in the handouts.Participants are expected to get at least 70 percent of the assessment items correct to demonstrate mastery of the content of this module.