What Does It Mean To Be Literate in the Social Studies?

Disciplinary Ways of Thinking and Doing

In order to be literate in Social Studies, an individualmust acquire the skills, content, understandings and habits of mind from each of the sub disciplines that will enable the individual to make reasoned decisions for the public good. This task may be accomplished at the K-12 level by designing curriculum and instruction that systematically builds conceptual knowledge, understandings, and processes/skills for each sub discipline that becomes increasingly more complex and varied at each grade level. Because each sub discipline of Social Studies has its own unique processes, approaches, tools and knowledge base, students should be engagedin learning experiences that allows them to become “practitioners” in each sub discipline in order to apply these unique processes, approaches, tools, and theknowledge base to solve authentic, complex problemsand issues. (Erickson, 21) Consequently, students will begin to develop intra-disciplinary ways of knowing, understanding and doing that builds over time. Not only will students become literate in the sub disciplines, but they will also begin to use this intra-disciplinary knowledge in interdisciplinary studies.

NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR THE SOCIAL STUDIES(NCSS) defines social studies as:

“…the integrated study of the social sciences and humanities to promote civic competence. Within the school program, social studies provides coordinated, systematic study drawing upon such disciplines as anthropology, archaeology, economics, geography, history, law, philosophy, political science, psychology, religion, and sociology, as well as appropriate content from the humanities, mathematics, and natural sciences. The primary purpose of social studies is to help young people make informed and reasoned decisions for the public good as citizens of a culturally diverse, democratic society in an interdependent world.”1

1 The definition was officially adopted by National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) in 1992. See National Council for the Social Studies,Expectations of Excellence: Curriculum Standards for Social Studies(Washington, D.C.: NCSS, 1994): 3.

In general, “Social Scientists usemultiple perspectives and questioning habits of mind to think and take action on their decisions through inquiry, dialogue, activism, and their daily decisions about how to live so that they help make a better world.” (The Social Studies, May/June 2003; p.102)

Some questions social scientists ask include:

  • Whose knowledge is this?
  • Where did this knowledge base come from?
  • Whom might this knowledge (or perspective) benefit?
  • What perspectives are missing?
  • What voices are silenced?(The Social Studies, May/June 2003; p.103)

HISTORICAL LITERACY

Historical Literacy addresses both learning historical content and being able to make sense of that knowledge through reason and interpretation. (National Center for History in the Schools)

A historianstudies and writes about the past and is concerned with the continuous, systematic narrative and research of previous events. Historical literacy requires students to engage in the five interconnected dimensions of historical thinking:

  1. Chronological Thinking – refers to the way that historians make sense of events by placing them in their order of occurrence in time.
  2. Historical Comprehension- to take into account what the narrative reveals of the humanity of the individuals and groups involved – their motives and intentions, their values and ideas, their hopes, fears, doubts, strengths, and weaknesses. Comprehending historical narratives requires that students develop historical perspectives, the ability to describe the past on its own terms through the eyes and experiences of those who were there.
  3. Historical Analysis and Interpretation- students engage in investigation and dissecting of competing ideas, facts and purported facts to create coherent narratives to explain some phenomena.Investigations and analysis draw upon other social sciences i.e. economics, politics, sociology, geography, anthropology
  1. Historical Research Capabilities – When historical thinking becomes “doing history.”In this process students' contextual knowledge of the historical period in which the document or artifact was created becomes critically important. Filling in the gaps, evaluating the records they have available, and imaginatively constructing a sound historical argument or narrative requires a larger context of meaning.
  2. Historical Issues-Analysis and Decision-Making - Issue-centered analysis and decision-making activities place students squarely at the center of historical dilemmas and problems faced at critical moments in the past and the near-present. Entering into such moments, confronting the issues or problems of the time, analyzing the alternatives available to those on the scene, evaluating the consequences that might have followed those options for action that were not chosen, and comparing with the consequences of those that were adopted, are activities that foster students' deep, personal involvement in these events.

Some questions that historians ask include:

  • What was the author’s purpose in writing?
  • Why was the document created?
  • Who is the audience?
  • What is the competing version of this time in history?
  • Did the writer have firsthand knowledge of the event, or report what others saw or heard?

GEOGRAPHIC LITERACY

How do Geographers acquire new knowledge and process data to solve problems? “Geo-literacy is the ability to use geographic understanding and geographic reasoning to make decisions….” (National Geographic’s Geo-literacy site)

The three components are:

  1. Understanding human and natural systems- A geo-literate individual is able to reason about the creation, movement, and transformation of materials in human and natural systems.
  2. Geographic reasoning- A geo-literate individual is able to reason about the characteristics of a location and its connections to other locations.
  3. Systematic decision-making- A geo-literate individual is able to articulate decision-making criteria, project outcomes of alternatives, and evaluate those outcomes in terms of the established criteria.

Some questions that geographers ask include:

  • Where is it located?
  • Why is it there?
  • What is the significance of the location?
  • What are the consequences of its location and associates?
  • What is this place like? (National Geographic’s Geo-literacy site)

CIVIC & GOVERNMENTAL LITERACY IS…

How do political scientists acquire new knowledge and process data to solve problems? How do political scientists make sense of the world in which we live?Political scientists study the origin, development, and operation of political systems. They research political ideas and analyze the structure and operation of governments, policies, political trends, and related issues. Political scientists also use humanistic and scientific perspectives along withtoolsand a variety of methodological approaches to examine the process, systems, and political dynamics of all countries and regions of the world.

Some questions that political scientists ask include:

  • What factors influence the number of political parties?
  • Do some forms of government cause great stability than others?
  • Should the rich be taxed at a higher rate than the poor?
  • What can be done to make the government more accountable and efficient?
  • How do political factors contribute to trade wars, migration, or citizen unrest and violence?

ECONOMIC LITERACY IS…

How do economists acquire new knowledge and process data to solve problems? How do economists make sense of the world in which we live?According to the American Economic Association, economics is the study of how people choose to use and allocate resources. Economists study labor, land,investments of money, income, production, taxes, andgovernmental expenditures. Economists also seek to measure well-being and standard of living in terms of how it may increase or decrease over time. In order to accomplish these ends, economists must study how individuals, businesses, industries, governments, and countries, around the globe the globe make decisions. The tools of an economist include datafrom various sources, observations andmodels.

An effective economist is able to do the following:

  1. write thoughtfully and clearly in order to show an understanding of economic theory and concepts
  2. build an argument or express an informed opinion
  3. deliver an oral presentations
  4. reason and solves problems using appropriate data

Some questions an economist might ask include:

  • What economic choices will lead to a society with increased prosperity?
  • Which variable were independent and dependent?
  • What began the negative slope?
  • How was unemployment issues addressed?
  • How did the nation regain economic momentum?

CULTURAL LITERACY IS…

How do cultural anthropologists (and other social scientists i.e. Sociologists, Psychologists) acquire new knowledge and process data to solve problems?A cultural anthropologist studies the behaviors and beliefs that encompass the culture of a particular social, ethnic, or age group.

The study of culture examines the beliefs, values, behaviors, traditions, and ways of life of a group within society. It also encompasses other cultural attributes, such as language, literature, music, arts and artifacts, and food.

A cultural anthropologist asks:

  • What is culture?
  • What role does culture play in human and societal development?
  • What are common characteristics across cultures?
  • What creates unity?
  • What is the role of diversity with a society and how is it maintained?
  • How does culture change and accommodate various belief systems and ideas?

Resources:

American Economic Association

The American Political Science Association

Center for Civic Education

Erickson, H.L. (2007). Concept-Based Curriculum and Instruction for the Thinking Classroom.

Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis

National Center for History in the Schools: thinking-standards-1

National Curriculum Standards for the Social Studies: Chapter 2 – The Themes of Social Studies

National Geographic Education: Geo-Literacy

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Principles for Learning: A Foundation for Transforming K-12 Education

Teaching Economic Literacy: Why, What and How: