iSSues Explorer (April 2022)

EDITION 2

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APRIL 2022

i ues explorer

Contents SPARK! Secondary 4 N(T) Performance Task: Using ICT Tools to Analyse and Share Findings E/N(A): Facilitating a Socratic Seminar in the Social Studies Classroom (Issue 1 - Exploring Citizenship and Governance)

VOICES! A Sharing by Ms Nadia from MGS: Steering Away from Templates; Reframing Source-handling Skills

The Value of Social Studies: What Do Our Teachers Say?

GLOW UP! Resources for Teachers

SLS RESOURCES Lessons for May 2022

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We hope these resources will be useful to you!

From all of us in the Social Studies (Secondary) Unit, Humanities Branch!

Join Us (or find out more!)

If you are interested to join us or find out more about the role of a Curriculum Planning Officer (CPO) or Curriculum Resource Development Officer (CRDO), email us at vikneswari_rajenthiran@moe.gov.sg.

CONTENTS

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Spark!

Secondary 4 Normal (Technical)

Performance Task: Using ICT Tools to Analyse and Share Findings

Introduction In this section, we share a lesson idea for the Performance Task (PT) Chapter in Book 4 of the 2020 Normal (Technical) syllabus. It focuses on how a teacher-guided inquiry can be facilitated to conduct Step 3 – Exercising Reasoning (pp. 95–97).

In this lesson, students learn how to 1. analyse the data gathered; 2. draw conclusions; and 3. communicate their findings.

The lesson guides students to think of ways to meet the needs of a selected group of people in Singapore. It enables them to think about the broader inquiry focus:

Teachers can refer to the lesson idea here to select the appropriate approach on the Continuum of Guided Inquiry for different student profiles.

It includes suggested activities that provide more teacher guidance (for teacher-directed inquiry) or encourage greater student autonomy (for studentdirected inquiry).

How can we make Singapore a better place for everyone?

Opening Have students gather in their PT groups to browse through the interview responses from Step 2 – Gathering Data.

Inform students that they will be analysing and drawing conclusions from the data in order to think of ways to meet the needs of the group of people they wish to support.

SPARK! SECONDARY 4 N(T) PERFOMANCE TASK

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Analysing Data Guide the class to identify one need and one area of support based on the PT groups’ interview data. Then, have the PT groups further identify two more needs and areas of support to share with the class.

Blended Learning Opportunity!

Teachers may carry out this activity using collaborative tools such as Mentimeter’s word cloud function. After students have shared their ideas, the class can focus on the areas that are more popular!

Collaborative Learning Opportunity!

Teachers may consider using a collaborative board on Nearpod to consolidate the class’s suggestions.

Exercising Reasoning Get the class to brainstorm ways to meet some of the identified needs. Invite students to justify their suggestions. Ask probing questions to help students develop their reasoning skills. Students can also ask each other questions to clarify any doubts they might have.

Model for students how to explain their reasoning and guide them to do so. Then have students put that into practice with their peers. Instruct each PT group to pick three of the most relevant suggestions and articulate their reasoning on how these would help to address the identified needs.

Designing the End Product Get each PT group to decide on the product that they will create to share their findings with their schoolmates. The product should describe the needs of the group of people they wish to support and how these needs can be met.

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Customising PT to Suit Student Profile

For PT groups that are more self-directed, teachers may refer students to p.97 of the textbook and encourage them to create their end product independently.

For classes that prefer more autonomy, teachers may explore with students other platforms for sharing their findings, e.g., setting up an exhibition booth in the foyer or conducting a sharing during assembly.

Closure Share with students that as they come up with suggestions and share their findings with their schoolmates, they play a role in building a more caring and inclusive society. By being more aware of the needs of different groups in society and proposing ways to meet these needs, they can take action to make Singapore a better place for everyone.

How Does This Lesson Reflect The Inquiry Process?

1. Sparking the Inquiry Process Students activate their prior knowledge by exploring the responses they have gathered from their interviewees.

4. Reflective Thinking Students reflect on how they can help build a more inclusive society and share their findings with their schoolmates.

2. Gathering Data Students gather different ideas and suggestions from their classmates.

3. Exercising Reasoning

Students hone their critical thinking skills by providing justification for their suggestions on how to meet the needs of different groups in society.

The specific lesson idea (Periods 15 & 16) used in this column can be accessed here.

The full suite of lesson ideas for Secondary 4 can be accessed here.

SPARK! SECONDARY 4 N(T) PERFOMANCE TASK

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Spark!

Express & Normal (Academic)

Facilitating a Socratic Seminar in the Social Studies Classroom (Issue 1 - Exploring Citizenship and Governance)

Introduction The Singapore government has planned to gradually raise the Goods and Services Tax (GST) from 7 per cent to 8 per cent in 2023, then to 9 per cent in 2024.

Citizens have expressed their concerns about the GST increase as it is being implemented at a time when living costs are rising due to inflation and economic slowdown with the ongoing pandemic. This will be financially challenging for many, especially for lowerincome families in Singapore.

At the same time, the government has explained that the increase will help generate revenue to fund improvements in Singapore’s social infrastructure. [1] In this lesson idea, students will explore:

Is the proposed GST increase a necessary decision for Singapore?

Strategy for Discussion-based Inquiry (Socratic Seminar) This section suggests using a Socratic Seminar as a discussion strategy during lessons. This would help students deepen their understanding of the issue as they explore various perspectives about the proposed increase in GST in an article.

Teachers can refer to the 2016 SS E/N(A) TLG p. 188-190 for more information about Socratic Seminars.

Knowledge Outcomes Through the Socratic Seminar, students will deepen their understanding of the challenges of determining what is good for society.

[1] Social infrastructure refers to the foundational services and structures that support the quality of life in a country. Examples of such services and structures are healthcare (hospitals), education (schools and universities), public facilities (community housing and prisons) and transportation (railways and roads).

SPARK! E/N(A) SOCRATIC SEMINAR ISSUE 1

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Conducting a Socratic Seminar in Class

1

Introduce

2

Give out

to students the seminar and its purpose of facilitating a deeper understanding of the different views on the proposed GST increase.

the article.

Allocate 20 minutes for students to read and record information from the article, using a worksheet as shown on the next page.

Students may focus on answering the literal questions first.

Click here for the article to be given out to students. It has been edited for length. The paragraphs are also numbered for students’ easy reference.

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QR Code

Set

the discussion norms to ensure that proper behaviour is observed during the Socratic Seminar.

Even when views differ, students should address one another respectfully.

When sharing their views and opinions, students should provide supporting evidence from the article.

4

Open

Blended Learning Opportunity!

Teachers may embed the article as a text in the Student Learning Space (SLS) and get students to read it prior to the lesson.

Students can use the annotation function to highlight ideas in the text they are unsure of.

Students can post questions about the article or the issue using SLS features (e.g., Interactive Thinking Tool) or online collaborative tools (e.g., Padlet or Miro) for other students to respond to.

Teachers can use these questions to facilitate the discussion in the classroom as well.

Students can also conduct their own online research to find out more about the issue!

the Socratic Seminar by

introducing the topic of discussion:

‘Is the proposed GST increase a necessary decision for Singapore?’

SPARK! E/N(A) SOCRATIC SEMINAR ISSUE 1

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5

Pose a series of questions based on the text given to enhance collective understanding of the different views to the proposed GST increase.

Start off with literal questions to check for understanding.

Follow up with interpretive and evaluative questions to move the discussion along and deepen students' understanding on the issue.

Blended Learning Opportunity!

Teachers can have students respond to a few of these questions prior to the lesson by utilising: SLS features (e.g., Free Response Questions, Interactive Thinking Tool); or Online collaborative tools (e.g.

Padlet, Miro) This can help to deepen students’ engagement with the article and encourage greater participation in the Socratic Seminar!

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Summarise

OR

Teachers can use questions posted by students earlier using SLS or other online collaborative tools.

Teachers can categorise them into literal, interpretive and evaluative questions.

Using the questions raised by students enables them to exercise ownership of their learning.

the main points made in the seminar, either at a quiet point

during the seminar or towards the end of the seminar.

Connecting Knowledge Teachers can refer to the following materials from the SG Budget 2022 website: 1

Speech by Finance Minister, Mr Lawrence Wong on GST increase

2 2022FY GST Support

These resources would allow students to connect what they have learnt from the discussion with the decisions made by the Singapore government regarding the GST increase.

SPARK! E/N(A) SOCRATIC SEMINAR ISSUE 1

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Discussion Worksheet for Socratic Seminar

These are some suggested discussion questions for the Socratic Seminar. Teachers may adapt them to suit the needs of their students.

Literal Questions

These are questions that are used to ensure that students comprehend the text.

The answers can be found directly in the text.

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Why did the government propose an increase in GST from 7 to 9 per cent?

2

How have rising costs affected families from different socio-economic backgrounds and businesses?

Interpretive Questions

These are questions that require students to interpret the text. There is no single right answer, and arguments can be made to support different positions.

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"In his New Year message, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that the Government has to 'start moving' on the planned increase in GST from 7 per cent to 9 per cent."

Why do you think the government thinks that it is necessary to increase GST? “'Our budget is really tight... Now that we know that everything is going to increase even more in 2022, can you imagine how I'm going to manage?' said Mdm Suria.

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And he may have to increase prices again, if the Government decides to implement a 2 percentage point GST hike at one go. While it is industry practice among fast-food chains to absorb GST, Mr Tay said he would not be able to do so this time due to other cost increases."

How do you think families and businesses in Singapore are feeling about the proposed GST increase? Why do you think they might feel this way?

Evaluative Questions

These are questions that allow students to share their opinions on the author’s position or how the ideas in the text relate to their lives.

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"The Government has earlier announced that it will set aside a S$6 billion package to help lower-income households cope with the planned increase in GST. Every adult Singaporean will receive a cash payout of between S$700 and S$1,600 over five years, depending on factors such as the type of public housing flat they live in."

Given that the government has promised to provide support to help households cope with the GST increase, do you agree that the GST increase is necessary for Singapore?

Why or why not?

SPARK! E/N(A) SOCRATIC SEMINAR ISSUE 1

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Voices!

A Sharing by Ms Nadia from MGS

In this article, Ms Nadia Dahak Ibrahim shares with us how she helps her students steer away from templates by reframing the teaching of source-handling skills in her E/N(A) Social Studies classroom.

"How many paragraphs do I need to write?"

When students asked this question, I was deeply concerned. It seemed the value of acquiring sourcebased skills was lost on my Secondary Three Social Studies students. They were overly relying on templates; what was meant as a scaffold for the initial stages of skill acquisition had become the beall and end-all for approaching source-based questions. Instead of critically engaging with the sources, students stuck to templates, resulting in answers that lacked sensitivity to the questions’ demands.

To address this, I sought to reframe the teaching of source-based skills. I conceptualised the skills as building blocks – with each new skill acquired, students build on what they had previously learnt.

Building on Other Layers: Implications for Teaching “You’re not learning an entirely new skill. You’re adding to it.”

Teachers commonly start off by teaching inference skill, which requires students to draw conclusions from a source and substantiate them with evidence and reasoning.

Students then build on this fundamental skill to draw conclusions about the author’s position or purpose and/or the source’s reliability or utility. Even as these skills build on each other, they encompass different complexities, for example when analysing the reliability of a source vis-à-vis the author’s agenda.

What this implies for teaching is a shift away from emphasising the format of written responses, towards designing lesson activities to help students see the interconnections between the different skills. Also, as suggested by the Gradual Release of Responsibility instructional framework [2], learning activities are designed to move students towards independent learning [3].

VOICES! SHARING ON SOURCE-HANDLING SKILLS

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Cognitive work is done by teachers during teacher modelling

Cognitive work becomes a joint responsibility between teachers and students

Cognitive work is shifted to students as they engage in independent practice and application

Direct instruction and modelling are used when a skill is introduced so that the essential understandings and success criteria are conveyed clearly to students. Students then develop the skill through practice and regular feedback. As students develop competencies in the skill, and through discussion with their peers, they are able to internalise and articulate their own understandings of what the skill entails (see example below).

Italicised text reflect student's own understanding of the skills.

VOICES! SHARING ON SOURCE-HANDLING SKILLS

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Student Reflections: Implications for Learning Students found that the reframing helped them understand the interconnections between skills: “It was a clear, visual summary of all the skills learned this year and it shows how they are all interlinked and interrelated. It helped me to visually understand how these skills build upon each other and be clear about their requirements.”

Another student’s reflection showed how approach helped develop their metacognition:

this

“At the beginning, I was slightly confused about the different sourcebased skills because they were called different things but at the same time, they were similar. This approach of looking at skills as building upon each other made things clearer. I realised the importance of mastering each skill in order to gain competence in the other skills because they are all related. I’m not so confused anymore because I can tell the skills apart while also seeing the connections between them.”

Moving Forward Building pockets of reflection time into lessons is crucial for students to think about how the skills are “seemingly different yet connected”. This may help students avoid rigid ways of seeing, thinking and doing when they adopt templates to answer sourcebased questions.

When students now ask “How many paragraphs?”, I encourage them to direct this question back at themselves. "How many" depends on the affordance of the sources and the skills they have acquired to engage with the sources. Helping students appreciate the "whys" behind "what" they do when crafting their responses will help them be more agile in using the appropriate skills to respond to questions.

[2] Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2013). Better learning through structured teaching: A framework for the gradual release of responsibility (2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCD. [3] Pearson, P.D., & Gallagher, M. C. (1983). The instruction of reading comprehension.

Contemporary Educational Psychology, 8, 317-344.

Thoughts & Ideas?

Are there other topics that you would like us to cover?

Suggest a topic to us at https://go.gov.sg/share-with-us!

VOICES! SHARING ON SOURCE-HANDLING SKILLS

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Voices!

The Value of Social Studies: What Do Our Teachers Say?

In the previous edition, we looked at the value of Social Studies (SS) education as well as how it enhances the global competencies of our students. The subject endeavours to develop our students into informed, concerned and participative citizens. Teachers play a crucial role in this journey as they shape the learning of SS for students in the classroom. Let’s hear our teachers’ stories and experiences from the classroom!

SS is truly a window for students to glimpse the real world, while equipping them with the skills to look critically at realworld issues. I believe that this is something students will appreciate as they grow older and learn to be discerning about the issues that we face every day! May we always do our best to mould critical thinkers with a heart for society!

- Ms Hanna Diyana, Ahmad Ibrahim Secondary School

It is my desire to spark my students’ curiosity to better understand and appreciate the complexities of the human experience and societal issues.

In the end, through classroom activities and discussions, it is my hope to develop my students into becoming informed, concerned and participative citizens, who are able

to demonstrate empathy in their relationships with others and take an active role in working for the good of society.

- Mr Lin Jiehui, Teck Whye Secondary School

Mr Lin making SS come alive in the classroom through the use of ICT

My best memories of teaching SS are when my students articulate and stand up for what they believe in, pose critical questions and understand the complexities of societal issues.

I think the value of SS education is crystallised when my students are cognisant of the relevance of these societal issues, and more so when they see the importance of sharing their perspectives in a confident and sensible manner.

– Mr Low Ching Kai, Peicai Secondary School VOICES! VALUE OF SOCIAL STUDIES

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The most memorable moments are the times when I get to share issues or challenges in society with students, allowing them to appreciate the subject beyond examinations. SS for me is about teaching students how they can contribute to society meaningfully. No society is perfect, but they can make it a better place in their own little ways.

– Ms Lim Yan Li, Regent Secondary School

It is interesting how an ex-student who graduated in 2013 could still recall the SS syllabus content. He remembered learning about diversity in Singapore and shared how understanding racial relations was valuable for him in the workplace. Through teaching SS, I was able to help my learners better appreciate the human experience.

– Ms Veronica Ng, Northland Secondary School

Thank you, colleagues, for your truly inspiring hard work and heart work! As we continue with another fruitful school year, do take time to look back at your experiences and reflect on the shining moments in which SS education left an indelible impact. We hope the stories shared in this issue by our fellow colleagues resonate with you. Some of you may also have your own unique memories that highlight the value of SS. The Social Studies (Secondary) Unit is still on the lookout for good stories from the fraternity and our students, current and past, about how SS education has had a positive impact on their lives. Do continue to share with us your stories and encourage your students to do so via http://go.gov.sg/storiesofourssjourney!

VOICES! VALUE OF SOCIAL STUDIES

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Glow Up! New SLS Lessons in the SLS Catalogue The catalogue has been refreshed with new SLS lessons!

Click HERE for the updated SLS catalogue or scan the QR code!

Share Your Feedback With Us

We hope you found the articles in iSSues Explorer useful! We want to continue providing you with relevant and useful resources for your teaching and learning of Social Studies.

We invite you to share your feedback and ideas HERE or scan the QR code.

SSS Wikipage At this webpage, you will find useful resources for the teaching and learning of Social Studies for the E/N(A) and N(T) syllabuses.

Access the SSS Wikipage HERE or scan the QR code.

Contribute to the SLS Community Gallery Share your lesson on the SLS Community Gallery and stand a chance to be featured in subsequent editions of iSSues Explorer!

Share your lesson URL with us HERE or scan the QR code.

Email Us! If you know any Social Studies teachers who have not been receiving our e-newsletters; or are not on our mailing list (especially Beginning Teachers); please drop us an email at SIM_Jie_Kai@moe.gov.sg GLOW UP!

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SLS Resources Recommended for E/N(A)

RECOMMENDED FOR

May

SEC 3 (E/N(A))

SEC 3 (E/N(A))

SEC 4/5 (E)

Issue 2, Chapter 6

Source Investigation:

Issue 3, Chapter 11

Chapter 6 - How Can We Facilitate Interactions in a Diverse Society?

How Do We Respond to Tensions Arising from the Economic Impact of Globalisation?

Chapter 11 - What Is Transnational Terrorism?

Recommended for N(T) SEC 1

SecIssue 1 2, Chapter 1

SEC 2

Sec 1 Issue 3, Chapter 5

Periods 3 and 4

Periods 23 and 24

Book 1B - Journey to Singapore

Book 2A - Ground Zero What Is A Suspicious Article?

SEC 4 Issue 6, Chapter 4 Periods 17 and 18

Book 4 - 18Year-Olds Step Up to Volunteer Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

SLS RESOURCES (LESSONS FOR MAY)

SEC 3

Issue 5, Chapter 3 Periods 18 and 19

Book 3 - National Budget Allocation

Book 4 Yolden 2019 – Youth Corps Singapore

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