iSSues Explorer (Nov 2023)

EDITION 4· NOVember 2023

i ues explorer Nurturing Locally Confident, Globally Competent citizens

Hear from our dd and ad

The 2023 Year-end Edition

reflecting on the past

Using SAC in the SS classroom Using memes to create JoL in ss

preparing for the future call for aspirations resources for 2024

TABLE OF CONTENTS FROM THE DD’S AND AD’S DESKS

VOICES!

GLOW UP!

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Wrapping up 2023

Reflections on conducting SAC

Using memes to create JoL in the SS classroom

Call for Aspirations

PD Opportunities and Resources for Teachers

WE HOPE THESE RESOURCES ARE USEFUL TO YOU! From all of us at the Social Studies (Secondary) Unit, Humanities Branch

Share with us!

We hope you found the articles in iSSues Explorer useful! If you have feedback or ideas you would like to share with us, please click here or scan the QR code on the right.

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FROM THE DD’s and AD’s DESKs fROM THE dd’S DESK - NOT A GOODBYE BUT A THANK YOU

Dear Social Studies (SS) colleagues It has been my privilege to journey with you and the Social Studies Secondary (SSS) Unit in the last three years with the implementation of the 2023 E/N(A) syllabuses, Interactive Digital Textbooks (IDTs), and through our #oneSSoneJOURNEY efforts, bringing together the entire primary to secondary Social Studies fraternity. The SSS team has worked (and is still working) very hard behind the scenes but it is only with your support that we have made it so far. Thank you for contributing to our various FGDs, committees, pilots, school visits and iSSues Explorer editions. Some of you even went the extra mile to co-design resources and co-conduct professional development activities with us! I thank every one of you from the bottom of my heart for your extension of grace despite your heavy school commitments..

I will join St Margaret’s Secondary w.e.f 15 Dec 2023 and will continue to advocate for SS. Ever since I started teaching SS in 2002, it has been close to my heart and I have gone a full cycle from being a curriculum planner, to even being a parent of two sons who have completed their SS journey.

Even as we bid farewell, please join me to welcome Ms Adeline Phua who will lead SSS with new ideas and bring SS to another level.

With gratitude and warm wishes, Yih Min Deputy Director, HUMB

From the ad’s desk - Wrapping up 2023

Dear fellow Social Studies (SS) educators, I hope you are looking forward to a well-deserved December break!

2023 has been a pivotal year for the SS fraternity with the implementation of the 2023 Express and Normal (Academic) syllabuses. My colleagues and I have been impressed time and again by the effort and hard work that you have put into translating the syllabuses in your SS classrooms.

WRAPPING UP 2023

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Undergirding all our efforts thus far has been the fact that SS remains as an essential subject that equips students with 21st Century Competencies and prepares them for the future. Our issues-based curriculum enables our students to learn about Singapore and our relationship with the region and world and to understand real-world societal issues. Our pedagogical approach equips students with the skills necessary for inquiring into, and constructing their own understanding of, the increasing complexities of the global environment we live in. At the same time, investigation of the roles and responsibilities of both citizens and the government informs and encourages our students to work together with the government to co-create and coimplement solutions for society’s problems and foster a better future for all.

To continue supporting the great work that you do in preparing our students for the future, here are some resources you can look forward to next year as you enact the 2023 SS E/N(A) syllabuses: The Teaching and Learning Guide (e-TLG) and Teaching and Learning Syllabus (e-TLS) will be updated with materials related to the Sec 4 syllabuses. iSSues Explorer will continue to showcase lesson ideas, thinkpieces and sharings from the fraternity. If you are interested in sharing your lesson ideas with the fraternity, please fill up this form!

The IDT will feature new lessons to complement the coursebook. We are heartened to hear that many teachers are exploring the use of the IDT as part of their in-class learning experience and encourage you to share with us your experiences in customising IDT lessons and engaging your students! You can also look forward to more N(T) SLS lessons to complement the N(T) coursebooks and StudentInitiated Learning (SIL) lesson packages.

Micro-Learning Units (MLUs) will be developed to support understanding of discussion-based inquiry, including an MLU on Socratic Seminar in an actual class setting!

2024 will be an even more exciting and eventful year with the implementation of Full SubjectBased Banding across all schools, the introduction of G1 Humanities and e-Examinations for the Sec 4N(A) students. Rest assured that we are on this journey with you and do reach out to us if you require further support. I wish you a fantastic break before the start of the new year.

Sincerely, Vikneswari Assistant Director, SSS WRAPPING UP 2023

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V O ICE S !

sharing by CHIJ St. joseph’s convent

reflections on conducting structured academic controversy

In this article, we hear from Ms Rachel Ang about her experience in conducting a Structured Academic Controversy (SAC) for her Express and Normal (Academic) students, following her learning from the workshop, “SAC in the Social Studies (SS) Classroom”, in 2021.

Main Inquiry Question

No. of periods/ Duration of lessons

Should foreigners be allowed to work in Singapore? (Issue 2, 2016 E/N(A) SS syllabuses) Note: This inquiry question is also relevant to the exploration of Issue 2 from the 2023 E/N(A) SS syllabuses.

Pre-Deliberation Preparation: 1-2 periods (depending on student readiness and ability) Deliberation: 2 periods Each period lasts 35 minutes.

The SAC provides a frame for teachers to guide students through the opposing perspectives surrounding a social issue. Through the deliberation strategy, students plan and share arguments supporting their assigned positions, seek clarifications from peers holding opposing views and work together to build a consensus on the issue regardless of their original positions. The process of planning arguments based on given sources, deliberating and clarifying various viewpoints promotes students’ engagement and deepens their understanding of the social issue.

Pre-deliberation Preparation The main inquiry question “Should foreigners be allowed to work in Singapore?” was chosen as it provided an opportunity for students to explore two knowledge outcomes of Issue 2 from the 2016 E/N(A) syllabuses:

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.

REFLECTIONS ON CONDUCTING SAC

Editor’s Note

These knowledge outcomes are also reflected in the 2023 E/N(A) syllabuses. However, do note the update to the following knowledge outcome: the various ways in which individuals, communities and governments can respond to the effects of living in a diverse society.

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Teachers also found that the topic had the potential to generate interest among students.

The responses by Singaporeans to the Population White Paper released in January 2013 was used as a trigger to pique students’ interest in the issue. These included responses from rallies held at Speakers’ Corner at Hong Lim Park where Singaporeans gathered to protest the government’s plans (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Singaporeans protesting the Population White Paper. One popular rallying cry that emerged was “Singapore for Singaporeans”.

(Source: https://thediplomat.com/2014/02/singapores-foreigner-problem/ (Reuters/ Edgar Su)

Students were each assigned to one out of two opposing positions and tasked to identify arguments supporting their assigned position, that is, whether foreigners should or should not be allowed to work in Singapore. Students were given two extracts that provided information supporting their assigned position. Samples of these extracts can be found via this link. They were also instructed to look for two additional readings that showed the perspectives of different stakeholders, such as businesses or individuals, that would support their assigned positions. Each argument planned would need to be substantiated with supporting evidence from the extracts or readings.

As this was my first attempt at an SAC, I opted for students to first work individually to plan their arguments before forming a pair with a peer assigned an opposing position to share their arguments. Each student then had more time to share their own perspectives and arguments for their assigned position. The use of individual then pair work was also necessary then due to COVID safe management measures.

REFLECTIONS ON CONDUCTING SAC

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More on Groupings (Ideas from the e-Teaching and Learning Guide (e-TLG))!

Guidance on how to conduct an SAC can be found in Section 3.2.4 of the e-TLG (Discussion as Deliberation). Teachers may also consider having students first work in pairs to analyse a range of perspectives on a complex issue and develop their arguments with evidence to support their stand. This allows students to clarify doubts and deliberate on possible arguments before sharing with peers assigned opposing positions.

deliberation: presenting and clarifying arguments At this stage, time was given for students to present their arguments. Discussion norms were reinforced by the teacher and students were assigned specific roles during the presentation (Figure 2).

Discussion norms Listen closely and respectfully to the other student’s arguments and jot down notes.

Do not interrupt or respond during the other student’s presentation.

Structure of Argument Presentation 5 min – Preparation 3 min – Student A presents 2 min – Student B repeats & asks clarifying questions 3 min – Student B presents 2 min – Student A repeats & asks clarifying questions

Figure 2: Where one student presents and shares their arguments, the other is tasked to listen attentively, take notes and ask questions to clarify.

REFLECTIONS ON CONDUCTING SAC

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Switching it up (Ideas from the e-TLG)!

After students have presented their arguments, teachers may also consider having students drop their original positions and reverse positions with their peers. In arguing the reversed positions, students are encouraged to include points which were not brought up in the earlier sharing by their peers. This added stage aims to deepen understanding and knowledge of the issue by having students adopt opposing perspectives. deliberation: Consensus building Once the pairs had shared and clarified their respective arguments, students were instructed that they were no longer affiliated to any position. With their newfound knowledge on the issue, students worked in the same pair to determine a joint position that both could agree on and provided reasons for their decision. post-deliberation task: structured response question Based on the arguments surfaced during the deliberation, students were tasked to propose recommendations related to issues surrounding tensions between Singaporeans and foreigners. Examples of questions explored included: 1. Given the benefits foreigners bring to Singapore, how can we encourage more foreigners to work in our country?

2. The increase of foreigners has led to more competition for resources and tensions between Singaporeans and foreigners. What can Singapore do to mitigate this challenge?

These questions also provided opportunities for students to discuss the feasibility of their recommendations.

Student responses to Question 2 Group A

Singapore can mitigate this challenge by making the criteria stricter for people who want to have an S Pass or Employment Pass. This would make it harder for foreign workers to obtain either passes. When there are fewer foreign workers, there will be less competition for jobs and more job opportunities for Singaporeans.

Group B

Singapore can mitigate this challenge by advertising job vacancies in Job Bank. This way, Singaporeans will be notified about the vacancies first. Employers are only able to hire foreigners if they do not find any eligible Singaporean workers. This gives Singaporeans a higher chance to get employed and reduces competition for jobs between Singaporeans and foreigners.

REFLECTIONS ON CONDUCTING SAC

Editor’s Note

To encourage discussions on the complementary roles citizens and governments play, teachers can consider the following question:

“The increase of foreigners has led to more competition for resources and tensions between Singaporeans and foreigners. How can citizens work together with the government to mitigate this challenge?"

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teacher reflections It was heartening to observe the students in action during the deliberations. Students were engaged during the lessons and passionate when discussing with their peers. As students studied the extracts and readings, they applied source handling skills to identify arguments supporting their teams’ positions.

They also demonstrated perspective-taking as they sought to understand differing views shared by their peers. Discussions on the issue led them to appreciate the complexities of issues related to migration and how it could impact citizens and the country, and in doing so, deepened their understanding of concepts such as citizenship, trade-offs and diversity. Through the deliberations, we provided authentic learning opportunities to develop students into informed, concerned and participative citizens.

The Chapter 7 lesson idea on the teaching and learning of how we can respond to diversity can be found on the SSS Wikipage. Lesson ideas for Chapters 1 - 7 are now live on the site too!

For more information on how to answer Structured Response Questions with confidence, you can refer your students to this SLS lesson, crafted by the Academy of Singapore Teachers (AST).

REFLECTIONS ON CONDUCTING SAC

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V O ICE S !

sharing by montfort secondary sch

diverse memes, rich creations: crafting a technologyenabled and joyful learning experience for inquiry in the Social studies (ss) classroom

As part of the National Digital Literacy Programme (NDLP), Montfort Secondary School’s first batch of students obtained their Personal Learning Devices (PLDs) in 2021. Leveraging the provision of PLDs, the Montfort SS team developed a Blended Learning activity to explore the concept of diversity through the creation of memes, using the Humanities Inquiry-Based Learning Framework. The learning activities were largely conducted during Home-Based Learning (HBL). In this article, the Montfort SS team shares how the activity was conducted. sparking curiosity For this learning experience, we delved into the concept of diversity explored in Chapter 6, “What Are the Experiences and Effects of Living in a Diverse Society”, of the 2023 E/N(A) coursebook. To spark the students’ curiosity and activate their prior knowledge about the topic, we introduced them to the inquiry question, “Do you think living in a diverse society is a positive or negative experience?”, and asked them to recall any instances of negative experiences or stereotypes and prejudices they might have encountered in their daily lives.

We also informed them that they were to produce a meme to present their response to the question. We chose the medium of a meme as we felt that our students: are active learners who make sense of new knowledge and retain information better with the creation of visual products; want choice and autonomy to demonstrate their learning; and are digital natives who would find the activity engaging, thus increasing their joy of learning.

The activity and its use of technology would also enable them to develop a disposition of self-directedness and digital literacies.

USING MEMES TO CREATE JOL IN SS

A meme is an image, video, piece of text or other media object that is typically humorous in nature and that is copied and spread by Internet users, often with slight variations.

An example of a meme submitted by a student.

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Gathering data and exercising reasoning

Students deepened their understanding of the concept of diversity by analysing teachercurated resources in Student Learning Space (SLS) lesson packages. This included teacher-recorded video lectures to unpack the concepts, and case studies with videos and online articles, infographics and weblinks for students’ discovery (see Figure 1 for an example). Scaffolds were provided to break the analysis into sequential steps (an example can be found here). These helped our students gather data on the positive and negative effects and experiences of living in a diverse society, and concretise their understanding of the dilemmas faced by governments, groups and/or individuals in managing and living with these effects Figure 1: Snippets from an SLS lesson package assigned to students through supporting questions. reflective thinking Next, students were tasked to present their learning by creating their own meme. They were guided on how to choose appropriate meme templates from an online meme generator that could illustrate contrasting perspectives highlighting the experiences and effects of living in a diverse society.

The generator allowed users to manipulate and embed elements such as text and images and apply filters (refer to Figure 2). Students were reminded to select templates that were rich enough to represent different perspectives on the issue, and that did not have overt/covert unsavoury references.

To consolidate their learning, students were also tasked to craft a 50-word reflection to describe (i) the different perspectives and experiences of living in a diverse society, and (ii) any other ideas that they were trying to communicate through their creation.

USING MEMES TO CREATE JOL IN SS

Editor’s Note

For more information on the construction of compelling and supporting questions you can use in your inquiry-based discussions, you can refer to Section 3 of the e-Teaching and Learning Guide (e-TLG).

Figure 2: Screen grab of meme generator website (https://imgflip.com/memegenerator)

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review of activity Based on the memes submitted, the meme was effective as a medium for students to demonstrate their understanding of the positive and negative effects of living in a diverse society, and the dilemmas faced by governments, groups and/or individuals in managing and living with these effects. Here are some examples of the memes the students created:

Student A’s Submission

I was trying to convey the message that while foreigners provide an exchange of skills and knowledge, many Singaporeans are concerned about the availability of jobs.

Hence I feel the government needs to find a balance between supporting the citizens and utilising the skills and manpower of foreigners.

Student B’s Submission The meme shows two common views Singaporeans have of foreigners. One view Singaporeans have is that foreigners are essential as Singapore has a low birth rate and Singapore needs more workers.

The other view about foreigners is that foreigners are stealing the resources of Singaporeans such as jobs and housing.

This is the dilemma that Singapore faces in a diverse society of different races and nationalities.

USING MEMES TO CREATE JOL IN SS

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Student C’s Submission I am trying to convey that we as Singaporeans living in a multi-racial and diverse society need to be as accepting of foreigners as we are to each other. We need to be more inclusive and not be too quick to judge others by just their background or ethnicity. Living in a cultural and diverse society can have its upsides by allowing people to be around different races which allows for exchange of skills and knowledge as well as appreciation of culture.

This will lead to understanding of one another and lesser conflicts resulting in racial harmony.

The use of technology in this activity allowed students to experience the joy of learning in creating their own products. Students were excited for the teachers to review their products and some even asked to present their products to their classmates, showing how they found the experience enjoyable and how they took pride in their work. This joy of learning engaged students in understanding the different perspectives of living in diversity. Students also developed digital literacy competencies through learning how selecting appropriate digital tools helps them express their points in a more impactful and effective way. In doing so, they were more able to express their understanding of the dilemmas faced by governments, groups and / or individuals in managing and living with these effects.

When assessing students’ memes (using these rubrics), we discovered that some students only presented their understanding of either the positive or the negative aspect of the issue, not both.

While meme exemplars had been shared with students, learning was largely done independently during HBL. Perhaps some face-to-face classroom time could have helped to unpack the task’s success criteria more clearly. As part of the Assessment for Learning (AFL) process, face-to-face lesson time was then devoted to emphasising that while harmonious interactions among people of different identity markers can be shaped through various ways, greater diversity also gives rise to challenges when differences create misunderstandings and competition. reflections on teaching and learning Our belief is that when there is joy of learning, meaningful learning experiences beyond rote memorisation and drill-and-practice can take place. Using technology allowed us to foster this joy of learning by providing students with room for innovation. Our students, in turn, responded through their engagement with the rich learning about the complex experiences of living in diversity, and expressed their understanding of the challenges that arise from managing such experiences.

USING MEMES TO CREATE JOL IN SS

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V O ICE S !

ASPIRATIONS for 2024 As we approach the end of the first year of implementation of the 2023 Express/Normal (Academic) Social Studies (SS) syllabuses, we hope you have been inspired by the rich sharing from the fraternity through iSSues Explorer and the various professional development opportunities by the Social Studies (Secondary) Unit over the year.

We would like to invite you (and your students) to reflect on your SS journey this year and look forward to 2024.

What are some learning points and/or experiences from 2023 that will continue to inspire and motivate you in 2024?

What is the value of SS education to you?

We hope to hear from you through this form and look forward to more sharing of your experiences in engaging students through discussions on societal issues and our roles as citizens working with the government for the good of society!

chool-based -s e d te c u d n o c If your school love to hear o ls a ld u o w e 2023, w assessment in ould also love w e W ! s e c ti c ra tp about your bes ing CPDDs u n e e b e v a h ow you to hear about h alk to us here!

T . s e rc u o s re d produce

ASPIRATIONS FOR 2024

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GLOW UP! growing as aN SS educator, thriving as one fraternity

Professional Development Opportunities in 2024

Term 1 Social Studies Secondary: Issues-based Seminar 1 Mode of PD: Online Synchronous

Term 2 Using Interactive Digital Textbooks (IDTs) to Design Learning Experiences in the Social Studies E/N(A) Classroom Mode of PD: Online Synchronous

Understanding Design of Social Studies Assessment for an Issues-Based Curriculum Mode of PD: Face-to-Face

Term 3 Enacting Discussion-based Inquiry in the Classroom Mode of PD: Online Synchronous

Social Studies Secondary: Issuesbased Seminar 2 Mode of PD: Online Synchronous

Look out for the mailer closer to the date!

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

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Planning for 2024?

Check out these resources!

WIKIPAGE ON OPAL2.0

One stop portal to access teaching and learning resources for the E/N(A) and N(T) syllabuses!

We have updated the Wikipage with materials for the 2023 E/N(A) syllabuses: e-TLS and e-TLG Syllabus launch and syllabus implementation workshop materials Exam syllabuses, Specimen Papers & Marking Guides

Follow and become a member to receive timely updates on new resources and PD opportunities!

E-NEWSLETTERS

go.gov.sg/ssswiki

More resources and ideas for T&L in the SS classroom!

Find coverage on: a range of evolving societal issues use of discussion-based strategies and SLS lessons sharing from fellow SS teachers

go.gov.sg/sss-issuu

RESOURCES FOR 2024

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SLS CATALOGUE Regularly updated suite of Social Studies lessons hosted on the Student Learning Space (SLS) Teachers are encouraged to access the SLS lessons via the SLS catalogue

go.gov.sg/slscatalogue-sss

Tip! Bookmark this link in your browser for easy access!

Note to teache rs:

Teachers no longer need to switch to Student Account to access the E/N(A) IDT and the N(T) SLS lessons via the QR codes or the shortened links in the coursebook.

SEC 1 G1 SS AND SEC 2-4 SS N(T) CURRICULAR DOCUMENTS Following the Mid-Term Review, there have been trims in content coverage. Hence, the Scope and Sequence as well as Lesson Ideas documents have been updated accordingly.

These documents can be found in the G1 Humanities and 2020 SS N(T) Wikipages.

Sec 1 G1 SS Click HERE to access the Sec 1 documents: Scope and Sequence (in Section 2.4 of the Teaching and Learning Guide) Lesson ideas

RESOURCES FOR 2024

Sec 2-4 SS N(T) Click HERE to access the Sec 2-4 documents: Scope and Sequence (in Section 2.4 of the Teaching and Learning Guide) Lesson ideas

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SLS RESOURCES

Student-initiated learning sls lesson - Managing the singapore reserves

Check out this new SIL SLS lesson that allows students to explore the Singapore Reserves and how it demonstrates the functions and roles of the government in working for the good of society. Students are also given opportunities to reflect on how citizens can play a complementary role to the government in ensuring their own economic and social wellbeing. Click HERE to access the lesson.

WE ARE HAPPY TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT THE IDT LESSONS FOR CHAPTER 8 OF ISSUE 3 IS UP ON SLS! YOU MAY ACCESS CHAPTER 8 HERE!

2020 ss N(T) Syllabus Sec 1 N(T) Issue 1, Chapter 1

Sec 1 N(T) Issue 1, Chapter 2

Sec 2 N(T) Issue 3, Chapter 2

Book 1A - Understanding how identity is shaped by customs

Book 1A - Understanding the difference between stereotype and prejudice

Book 2A - Causes and Consequences of Conflict Among Individuals

Sec 3 N(T) Issue 5, Chapter 1

Sec 4 N(T) Issue 6, Chapter 3

Book 3 - What is globalisation Book 4 - Efforts by the Community in and what are the key factors Building a Caring and Inclusive contributing to it?

Society: People in Our Neighbourhood

NEW SLS RESOURCES

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