iSSues Explorer (Mar 2020)

iSSues Explorer ISSUE 01 / MAR 2020

03 on our Lead Teacher Mohamed Nazar Hajah Moideen who walks us through annotation of sources

08 with our new 2020 NT SS SLS resources for Issue 1, Chapter 3

11 articles to discuss current societal issues in your classroom

18 in the fraternity in Semester 1

As Term 1 draws to a close, it is timely to recharge and rejuvenate yourself while preparing for the next term! You can look forward to receiving iSSues Explorer termly. We remain committed to delivering up-to-date content, lesson ideas and useful tips to support teachers in the classroom.

Here’s what you can find in this edition: Spotlight considers what teachers can do to strengthen source analysis skills in the classroom.

Spice It Up provides ideas for enhancing lessons on common space and multiculturalism with SLS. What’s Simmering looks at: the use of POFMA to curb online falsehoods; social mobility in Singapore; and the impact of digital streaming on cultures.

From all of us in the Social Studies (Sec) Unit, Humanities Branch, we hope you will enjoy reading this latest edition.

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Spotlight

In this Spotlight, Mohamed Nazar Hajah Moideen, Lead Teacher at Bukit View Secondary School, shares how he uses annotation in the classroom to help students analyse sources. This approach incorporates strategies from Making Thinking Visible: How to Promote Engagement, Understanding, and Independence for All Learners (Ritchhart et al., 2011) to scaffold students’ application of source-handling skills.

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ANNOTATION INVOLVES HIGHLIGHTING KEY IDEAS IN A PORTION OF A TEXT AND JOTTING NOTES OR COMMENTS IN THE MARGINS. EQUIPPING STUDENTS WITH ANNOTATION SKILLS PROVIDES THEM WITH THE TOOLS TO EFFECTIVELY INTERPRET AND EVALUATE SOURCES. Background As Social Studies teachers, we continually seek different ways to help students go beyond literal interpretations of sources. We aim to develop in students the critical thinking skills needed to analyse issues from various perspectives. These skills will enable them to see connections between sources and appreciate the complexity of societal issues. In this article, we look at how teachers can use annotation in the classroom to develop students’ critical thinking skills.

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While studies have shown that most students have little difficulty reading, it has become even more pertinent today that students possess "proficient" literacy skills. Such literacy skills are needed to help students process information accurately in their future workplace where information is being generated at an accelerated pace (Greenleaf et al., 2001: 83). Thus, annotation is an essential skill in order to develop students to become informed citizens as articulated in the Social Studies curriculum aims. In this quest to improve our teaching strategies, this article presents an approach we can use in the classroom to develop our students’ skills in analysing sources to deepen their understanding of societal issues.

How Do We Get Our Students to Annotate?

To get students started on annotation, here are some strategies teachers can consider:

How Do We Incorporate Annotation into the Study of Sources?

The following annotation guide includes questions customised for a source-based case study featured in the Upper Secondary Social Studies coursebook (pp. 233–235). It shows how the Visible Thinking routines, See-Think-Wonder and Connect-Extend-Challenge, can be incorporated into an annotation exercise. These routines were selected as they support students in the critical reading of a source. On top of the Visible Thinking routines, I have also included questions that help students think critically about the issue as they study the sources.

While students are not expected to use all the questions in this annotation guide, they may refer to the questions as they study and annotate the sources. After students have annotated all the sources, they can then proceed to analyse the sources in the source-based case study before attempting the questions based on the source-based case study.

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Observation and Reflection When the annotation strategy was introduced, it was pitched as an enrichment activity for our Secondary Three students. One challenge we faced was getting students to see the merit of annotation, as they found it too time-consuming. Subsequently, we routinised the practice of annotating sources in the Social Studies classroom. It took some time before we saw students' source-handling skills begin to improve when the approach was implemented school-wide.

I feel it was worth investing the time to get students used to annotation as a means to see the connections between the materials they read. Students have begun to take an interest in reading.

They also make the effort to concretise what they read in the form of annotations. Such behaviour shows how inculcating the habit of annotation has an impact that goes beyond academic grades, extending into the development of students as critical thinkers who can analyse issues from various perspectives.

References Greenleaf, C., Schoenbach, R., Cziko, C., & Mueller, F. (2001). Apprenticing adolescent readers to academic literacy. Harvard Educational Review, 71(1), 79–130.

Project Zero. (n.d.). Visible Thinking: See Think Wonder. Retrieved July 24, 2019, from http://www.visiblethinkingpz.org/Vis ibleThinking_html_files/03_Thinking Routines/03c_Core_routines/SeeThin kWonder/SeeThinkWonder_Routine.h tml Project Zero. (n.d.). Visible Thinking: Connect Extend Challenge. Retrieved July 24, 2019, from http://www.visiblethinkingpz.org/Vis ibleThinking_html_files/03_Thinking Routines/03d_UnderstandingRoutine s/ConnectExtendChallenge/ConnectE xtend_Routine.html Ritchhart, R., Church, M., Morrison, K., & Perkins, D. N. (2011). Making Thinking Visible: How to Promote Engagement, Understanding, and Independence for All Learners. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

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Spice It Up

BOOK 1A: OUR TAMPINES HUB STUDENT LEARNING SPACE (SLS) LESSON FOR N(T) ISSUE 1

In Issue 1 of the 2020 Normal (Technical) syllabus, students learn to appreciate cultural diversity and see multiculturalism as a valuable part of the Singaporean identity.

This section suggests a lesson idea based on the SLS lesson “Book 1A – Our Tampines Hub”, which focuses on helping students understand how common space provides opportunities for people of different cultural backgrounds and nationalities to interact and understand one another better.

In this lesson, students inquire on "How can we learn to live harmoniously together in Singapore?"

Click HERE to access the SLS lesson.

THE LESSON IDEA AIMS TO TEACH STUDENTS TO: 1. DESCRIBE THE EXPERIENCES AND EFFECTS OF LIVING IN A MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY; 2. CONSIDER DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES TO PROMOTING CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING AND HARMONY IN SINGAPORE; AND 3. APPRECIATE CULTURE THROUGH PRACTICAL ACTIONS IN LIVING AND WORKING HARMONIOUSLY.

Image credits @ National Heritage Board

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Opening: At the start of the lesson, the teacher can spark students' curiosity about the topic by asking them to brainstorm spaces in shopping centres that can help to promote interaction among the different races in order to achieve harmony.

Self-directed SLS Activity: Teacher gets students to complete a self-directed online learning segment about common space in the SLS lesson and answer the questions in Activity 3 (NT SS Coursebook 1A, pages 62-63).

At this stage, teacher can move around the classroom to provide technical assistance and learning support to students.

Class Discussion: Once all students have submitted their responses via the SLS, the teacher can use the Dashboard to look at the responses together with the class. The teacher can then use the responses to start a class discussion, and apply the STP Teaching Action “Repeat-Clarify-Understand” to facilitate students' discussion.

Teacher calls on Student A to share his or her response. Student A identifies one example as a common space where people of different cultural backgrounds and nationalities can interact and understand one another better.

Step 1: Repeat - Teacher calls on Student B to repeat what Student A has said, to ensure that the whole class is aware of the point made by Student A. Step 2: Clarify - Teacher can provide some wait time after inviting responses or calls for clarification from the rest of the class. A third student, Student C, may raise a query.

Step 3: Understand - After Student C’s query, the teacher can again provide some wait time to encourage more participation from the rest of the class, using prompts such as “What do you think about the issue, now that Student C has raised a different perspective from Student A’s?”

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By repeating this process a few times, the teacher is able to carry out Formative Assessment through activating students as learning resources for one another. This STP Teaching Action, “Share My Learning”, gives students an opportunity to verbalise what they have learnt and helps them to actively clarify their learning.

Closure: At the end of the lesson, the teacher can prompt students to reflect on their learning about how openness can help maintain harmony in a diverse society.

How does this lesson idea reflect the inquiry process?

As students complete the SLS lesson and class discussion to respond to the inquiry question of "How can we learn to live harmoniously together in Singapore?", they experience the cycle of inquiry: Sparking Curiosity: The brainstorming activity at the beginning of the lesson activates students’ prior knowledge about the concepts of multiculturalism and common space.

Gathering Data: Students consider ideas from their classmates and may even research from the Internet. These include taking perspectives from people of different age groups (e.g. the elderly and teenagers), who may have very different needs.

Exercising Reasoning: When students respond to their classmates’ responses to the SLS lesson, they develop their reasoning skills as they build on their classmates’ understanding of the issue.

Through this, students are also able to attain new ways of understanding the issue and thereby construct new knowledge.

Reflective Thinking: Students reflect on how they can contribute to maintaining harmony in Singapore.

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W H A T ' S S I M M E R I N G A R T I C L E S

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ISSUE 1

WHAT ROLE CAN CITIZENS AND ORGANISED GROUPS PLAY TO CURB THE SPREAD OF ONLINE FALSEHOODS? Teachers may wish to bring in the articles featured when introducing how Members of Parliament introduces a Bill to make new laws (ENA Coursebook p. 48-49), or actions that the government can take to safeguard the interests of citizens (ENA Coursebook p. 79-80). The Discussion Questions prompts students to reflect on the role of the government, individuals and organised groups in working for the good of society.

ISSUE 2

WHAT ROLE CAN INDIVIDUALS AND THE COMMUNITY PLAY TO RESPOND TO SOCIO-ECONOMIC DIVERSITY IN SINGAPORE? Teachers may wish to bring in the articles featured when introducing the section on different socio-economic groups in Singapore (ENA Coursebook p. 126-130), or actions that the government has taken to respond to concerns over socio-economic diversity (ENA Coursebook p. 186-188). The Discussion Questions prompts students to reflect on the role of individuals and the community in responding to socio-economic diversity in Singapore.

ISSUE 3

HOW HAS THE RISE OF STREAMING PLATFORMS MADE AN IMPACT ON CULTURES AROUND THE WORLD? Teachers may wish to bring in the articles featured when introducing advances in technology as a driving force of globalisation (ENA Coursebook p. 265-267), or the concepts of cultural homogenisation and hybridisation (ENA Coursebook p.

300-306). The Discussion Questions prompts students to reflect on the cultural impact of streaming platforms and how we can respond to it. iSSues Explorer | 11

WHAT'S SIMMERING: EXPRESS/NORMAL(A) ISSUE 1

What role can citizens and organised groups play to curb the spread of online falsehoods?

Knowledge Outcomes Students will be able to understand: the functions of government and how governments work for the good of society; and how citizens and organised groups can participate in working for the good of society.

SYNOPSIS

With the increasing use of technology and dependence on social media, the danger of online falsehoods has grown in severity and scale. This is exacerbated by the use of tools such as fake accounts, bots and trolls. Falsehoods can be used to create divisions in society, heighten fear and spread hate, provoking real-world violence and diminish trust in public institutions. Recognising the importance of preventing such situations, the Singapore Parliament passed the Bill for the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) in May 2019. However, while POFMA grants the government legal powers to protect Singapore from the destructive effects of online falsehoods, citizens and organised groups can also play a part. What role can citizens and organised groups play to curb the spread of online falsehoods?

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Suggested discussion questions Is POFMA sufficient to manage online falsehoods?

What role can citizens and organised groups play to curb the spread of online falsehoods?

ARTICLES Article 1: New Bill to Protect Society from Online Falsehoods and Malicious Actors https://app.mlaw.gov.sg/news/press-releases/new-bill-to-protect-societyfrom-online-falsehoods-and-malicious-actors

Article 2: S’pore now has a fake news law. Here’s how to make it work for everyone https://mothership.sg/2019/05/pofma-bill-improvements/

Article 3: Fight against online falsehoods must take place offline too, say experts https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/fight-against-online-falsehoods-musttake-place-offline-too-say-experts

Article 4: Google’s new media literacy program teaches kids how to spot disinformation and fake news https://techcrunch.com/2019/06/24/googles-new-media-literacy-programteaches-kids-how-to-spot-disinformation-and-fake-news/

Article 5: In new Facebook effort, humans will help curate your news stories https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/in-new-facebook-efforthumans-will-help-curate-your-news-stories

Article 6: 'Steady wave' of fake news on coronavirus in the region https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/fake-news-wuhancoronavirus-facebook-fact-checker-pofma-12400638

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WHAT'S SIMMERING: EXPRESS/NORMAL(A) ISSUE 2

What role can individuals and the community play to respond to socioeconomic diversity in Singapore?

Knowledge Outcomes 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.

SYNOPSIS

The announcement of plans to provide more support for pre-school and post-secondary education in the 2019 National Day Rally has cast the spotlight on Singapore's efforts to spur social mobility. Recognising the importance of addressing inequality, the Singapore government has put in place measures to ensure that citizens, particularly those from the lower-income group, can progress in life. These measures include subsidised education, housing and healthcare, and training and job opportunities for adults. However, there are concerns that these efforts may not be enough, as there may be other social issues that need to be addressed. To address these issues, other sectors of society also have a role to play alongside the government through a shared responsibility approach. What role can individuals and the community play to respond to socio-economic diversity in Singapore?

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Suggested discussion questions What are some obstacles to social mobility for lowincome families in Singapore?

What role can individuals and the community play to facilitate social mobility in Singapore?

ARTICLES Article 1: Keep the ‘escalator’ of social mobility going, or risk anxiety of those in the middle: Tharman https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/keep-escalator-social-mobility-goingor-risk-anxiety-those-middle-tharman

Article 2: Commentary: A wake-up call, when a disadvantaged child gets 8 out of 100 for an exam https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/commentary/singapore-inequalityhelping-disadvantaged-children-task-force-10905470

Article 3: Commentary: This is what the face of poverty looks like https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/commentary/this-is-what-the-faceof-poverty-inequality-looks-like-10633800

Article 4: Dismantle meritocracy? No, create opportunities for all, for every stage of life https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/dismantle-meritocracy-no-createopportunities-for-all-for-every-stage-of-life

Article 5: Undergraduate's group gives less fortunate students a leg-up https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/education/undergrads-group-givesless-fortunate-students-a-leg-up

Article 6: The Big Read: Unable to make ends meet on their own, low-income households find ways to get by https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/household-expendituresurvey-inequality-income-basic-needs-11840660

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WHAT'S SIMMERING: EXPRESS/NORMAL(A) ISSUE 3

How has the rise of streaming platforms made an impact on cultures around the world?

Knowledge Outcomes Students will be able to understand: the different responses to tensions arising from some cultural impact of globalisation.

SYNOPSIS With technological advancements, people around the world now have more options for entertainment. The rise of streaming platforms such as YouTube, Spotify, Netflix, Youku, Tencent Video and Viu has provided people with easy access to music, television programmes and movies from other parts of the world. In the past, foreign entertainment was typically US-centric, with English movies and songs being enjoyed by consumers in different parts of the world. But now, there is increasing interest in the culture of countries such as South Korea and Spain, with artists, movies and songs from these countries overshadowing those from Hollywood. There are also more instances of cultural hybridisation, with more collaborations between artists from different countries. However, there are also concerns that local cultures may be affected negatively. Such concerns have led some countries to introduce legislation to protect their local cultures. How has the rise of streaming platforms made an impact on cultures around the world?

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Suggested discussion questions How has the rise of streaming platforms made an impact on cultures around the world?

In your opinion, what can be done to protect local cultures from the negative impact of streaming platforms?

ARTICLES Article 1: Here's what a Korean boy band can teach us about globalizsation 4.0 https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/12/here-s-what-a-korean-boy-bandcan-teach-us-about-globalization/

Article 2: YouTube users can't stop streaming Latin Pop https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-48920365

Article 3: Nine in 10 young viewers watch shows online https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/nine-in-10-young-viewers-watchshows-online

Article 4: New rules for audiovisual media services approved by Parliament http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20180925IPR14307/newrules-for-audiovisual-media-services-approved-by-parliament

Article 5: Sing50 Fund: Promoting Singapore songs old and new https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/sing50-fund-promoting-singaporesongs-old-and-new

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WHAT'S COOKING IN SEMESTER 1

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Check out new SLS lessons in the MOE Library!

2020 NT SS Book 1A - Gathering Data for Performance Task 2020 NT SS Book 1B - Gathering Data for Performance Task

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