Abstract
The C3 Framework and Common Core Standards place an emphasis on the role of sources in social studies instruction, creating the opportunity for teachers to engage English language learners (ELLs) through the investigation of multiple perspectives. In order to demonstrate the importance of examining multiple perspectives within social studies content, our chapter showcases two pedagogical strategies – Structured Academic Controversy and Reader’s Theater – that teachers can use to make content accessible and highlight students’ diverse voices. In this chapter, we draw on a framework for multicultural education, present each pedagogical strategy, and discuss how these strategies support a social studies curriculum that is culturally and linguistically responsive to the needs of ELLs.
In a democratic and culturally diverse society, students need to comprehend multiple perspectives that emerge from within their own culture and from the vantage points of the diverse cultural groups within that society.
National Council for the Social Studies, 2002, p. 19
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Notes
- 1.
The “Deliberating in a Democracy” resource can be found at www.deliberating.org
- 2.
The compulsory voting example on the “Deliberating in a Democracy” website can be found at http://www.dda.deliberating.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=73%3Avoting&catid=41%3Avoting&Itemid=37&lang=en
- 3.
The Stanford History Education Group, “Reading Like a Historian” Curriculum can be found at https://sheg.stanford.edu/rlh
- 4.
The “Progressive Social Reformers” lesson example on the Stanford History Education Group website can be found at https://sheg.stanford.edu/settlement-house-movement
- 5.
Flynn’s website can be accessed at www.rosalindflynn.com/EdThtrScripts.html
- 6.
The ReadWriteThink page on Reader’s Theater is located at http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/readers-theatre-172.html?tab=1#tabs
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Yoder, P.J., Jaffee, A.T. (2019). Multiple Perspectives: Engaging Diverse Voices in the Social Studies Classroom. In: de Oliveira, L.C., Obenchain, K.M., Kenney, R.H., Oliveira, A.W. (eds) Teaching the Content Areas to English Language Learners in Secondary Schools. English Language Education, vol 17. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-02245-7_21
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