Instructional Strategies for Teaching Social activity, presenting the objectives, and

Studies giving an overview of the topic.

2. Presentation of the lesson. The teacher
LECTURE-DISCUSSION proceeds to the unfolding of the topic
through the use of question-and-answer
Introduction techniques and visual organizers.
Lecture discussion is perhaps the most 3. Comprehension monitoring. The teacher
widely used instructional strategy across all checks students' understanding of
grade levels and subject areas. Also called different strategies of formative
teacher-led discussion or classroom assessments
discussion, it is a strategy under the direct 4. Integration and closure. Students
instruction model which promotes interaction summarize the lesson by highlighting
between teacher and students through explicit the important points, synthesizing old
instruction combined with different levels of and new information, and/or sharing
questioning. This strategy is preferred by many evidence-based conclusions.
teachers to veer away from the negative Advantages
connotations of a lecture (i.e., the teacher
dominates the discussion while the students While many educators warn against the
are only seen as passive recipients of use of direct instruction strategies, lecture-
information) and recitation (i.e., a fast-paced discussion is beneficial if used in moderation.
interaction between teacher and students First, it is easy to implement and can be
where teachers ask mostly knowledge-level applied in almost all content areas in social
questions). studies. Its greatest strength lies in its
efficiency in imparting information since
The lecture-discussion strategy is teachers transfer the same amount of
founded on the cognitive theory of education knowledge to all students in the classroom
which believes that students internally organize within a short period. Also, the structured
and process the information they receive, thus content and the allotted time for
making them active participants in the learning comprehension monitoring aid in mastery of
process. Under this strategy, students explore learning which can, in turn, improve student
ideas and concepts, develop lower-order and achievement. Lastly, by utilizing a wide range
higher-order thinking skills, engage in problem- of questioning, the teacher engages students
solving and group decision-making, and in different ways of thinking- from concrete to
develop informed opinions based on evidence abstract, from convergent to divergent, and
(Wilen, 2004; Engles and Ochoa, as cited in from lower-order to critical and creative
Larson,2000). The lecture-discussion strategy thinking skills.
is applicable in many content areas in social
studies, particularly in explaining new Tips
concepts, ideas, phenomena, and historical 1. Plan the lesson in detail and practice
events. your presentation. Vocal delivery is very
Steps important in lecture-discussion. It will be helpful
if you plot your questions and plan how to
The lecture-discussion strategy is done explain concepts that will be easily understood
by following these four basic steps: by students.
1. Introduction. The teacher begins the 2. Be brief in the presentation of the
lesson by providing a motivational lesson. Elementary students have short
attention spans. If possible, insert activities that revolving around existing schema. The schema
will capture their· attention from time to time. already contained a certain knowledge and,
therefore, arranged in a new schematic
3. Use a questioning script to develop
framework that makes information easier to
your questions. A questioning script is a basic
comprehend and remember. Ausubel's
set of questions constructed to guide students
theories support learner engagement while
from lower level to higher levels of thinking.
learning, most importantly the processing of
You may refer to Bloom's Taxonomy of the
new information for meaning construction and
Cognitive Domain or the Taba I and Taba II
longer retention (Marzano, 2007).
approach as a guide in developing this. Also,
avoid questions that are ambiguous, biased, Graphic organizers provide a visual
and answerable only by yes or no. representation in developing and summarizing
student's learning components. They help
4. To increase the effectiveness of
structure disjointed information by creating
delivery, use numerous concrete examples,
patterns that represent the interconnectedness
media, and graphic/visual organizers (e.g.,
of ideas (Tacaiochta &Leibheal,2008). These
concept map, semantic web, Venn diagram).
facilitate effective learning by enabling the
5. Pause occasionally after giving learners to see information in a pattern that
questions. Provide ample thinking time and uses labels. The main function of graphic
rephrase questions if students do not provide organizers is to present information in precise
answers. ways, to highlight relationships and the
organization of concepts.
6. Lecture-discussion works best if used
in moderation and if integrated with other Why Use Graphic Organizers?
strategies. Using this as your everyday
1. It facilitates critical and creative
strategy may lead to a boring class.
thinking. Graphic organizers allow the learners
to focus only on the highlighted essential
components. It enables them to find necessary
USING GRAPHIC ORGANIZER connections that could unveil answers to
Learning is a painful process, as we say problems and issues in daily living.
in the field of academe. Learners have to face 2. It organizes information. The human
complex ideas and demanding tasks for them mind is designed to store information using a
to achieve their goals and ambitions in life. series of networks. As we live day by day, we
Learning how to effectively think is the key to encounter various experiences which
this issue and, believe it or not, there are contribute to what we know. Graphic
possible ways to lighten up the burden of organizers allow us to organize and evaluate
learning. While some of the concepts that we the existing and new knowledge that we
know may be forgotten, our capacity to learn is encounter.
constant. Therefore, we must find effective
learning strategies for us to acquire the 3. It shows relationships. One good
necessary information and apply it in real life. relationship example that is always used is the
broad-to-specific relationship. It is sometimes
The breakthrough of the graphic called as part-part-whole relationship which
organizer happened in the 1960s when identifies the number and its components.
Ausubel (1963) theorized how new concepts
become facilitating factors that influence 4. It allows self-directed learning. The
learning. He purported that the brain organizes good thing about graphic organizers is that it
and stores information in a systematic manner, can be used for independent learning among
the learners. This is because itis much easier
for the learners to grasp information and see social studies education. It boosts active
connections. participation and maximizes teaching and
learning. Having seen the same importance,
5. It encourages interaction. This form of
Gallavan and Kottler (2007) discussed it
teaching strategy literally engages the learners
according to the purposes of learning.
to participate in class activities. Since they
appreciate its visual nature, the motivation to 1. Assume and anticipate.
learn comes next.
This form of graphic organizer is best for
6. It is a form of assessment. Teachers formative assessment where teachers evaluate
can assess learning both before and after the the schema of the learners on a certain topic.
discussion. It could be both done in formative This could be done in a form of opinion-
and summative assessments. seeking activity where the teachers introduce a
topic or issue that learners have to answer. As
How to Use Graphic Organizers
the discussion unfolds, the teachers and
Teachers are faced with various learners return to their answers for validation.
dilemmas in planning and implementing their The most common example here is the “What
lessons. As mentioned earlier, the use of you know, what you Want to know, and what
graphic organizers in the instruction reveals you Learned (KWL).
many positive outcomes. However, it is not
easy to do so. To transform the instruction to
the next level, the following procedures are 2. Position and Pattern.
recommended (Curriculum Development
This type of graphic organizer helps
Institute, HK,2001).
teachers and students see the relationship of a
1. Familiarize yourself with different types concept with another, particularly in
of graphic organizers. chronological order, and how the pattern
2. Explain to students what graphic occurs and reoccurs in different contexts and
organizers are and why they are useful events. Learners can visualize cause and
in learning effect by placing words or pictures in a
3. Present the specific graphic organizer sequence presented as a chain or timeline.
for a topic. Point out its subject and
organizational framework
4. Use examples to illustrate the use of 3. Group and Organize.
some graphic organizers These organizers help teachers and
students understand that several ideas or parts
5. Assign the graphic organizer as an
are related to a single category. These can
individual, paired, or group activity also show a central concept and its
corresponding attributes. It can be shown in
6. Review students' work. Generate
different shapes and forms.
classroom discussion on the effective use of
graphic organizers
4. Compare and Contrast.
Eight Types of Graphic Organizers for These diagrams are used to identify the
Social Studies similarities and differences between and
among concepts. It allows the learners to see
The use of graphic organizers inside the
what characteristics are shared and exclusive
classroom is relevant in promoting effective
to the concepts that are being compared
 5. Relate and Reason. INQUIRY – based TEACHING
The idea behind this type of graphic STRATEGY
organizer revolves around the use of inductive
One of the major goals of social studies in
and deductive thinking patterns. It shows
the Philippines is the development of critical
whether a concept is part of a whole or the
thinking. Having this in mind, Teacher Kevin
total of its parts. Inductive thinking mainly
reflected on how he has been able to develop
shares pieces of evidence in support of big
this skill among his learners. He thought that to
ideas, whereas inductive thinking provides
develop critical thinking, his learners must be
evidence for underlying concepts or topics.
able to use their analytical and problem-solving
skills. Hence, the solution to his problem is the
use of questions inside the classroom. Upon
6. Identify and Imagine.
implementing essential questions in class, he
These organizers use various shapes and noticed that his learners became more
forms to visually represent several concepts or attentive than ever. Since then, he used
pieces of information. It allows the students to question and answer as a strategy to ensure
see connections and analyze relationships that his learners are attentive.
among concepts. The most common example
The question or inquiry is a strategy that
of this is the concept map.
social studies teachers can use to elicit the
desired responses among the learners.
However, not all teachers can effectively
7. Estimate and Evaluate. facilitate such instructional techniques. To do
This type of organizer shows how to so, teachers must know how to make and
evaluate and explain concepts through visual throw relevant questions to facilitate
perspectives. An example is a pie graph discussions. In this lesson, you will learn the
whereon can assume that the component art of questioning by discussing its types and
which has the largest portion is the most usages.
frequently used or picked. Inquiry is defined as the process of looking
and creating information or knowledge by
means of questions. Inquiry is a huge part of
8.Combine and Create. our community. From birth to adulthood, we
Among others, these organizers allow both observe, recognize things or events, and from
teachers and students to construct their own here, we create questions that need to be
representations. These can be a combination answered. The process of inquiring begins with
of two or more previously mentioned the assembly. of information and data by
organizers. They give the teachers and applying the human senses such as seeing,
students the freedom to choose organizers that hearing, touching, tasting, and smelling
will represent what they have in mind. (Kumari, Arora, & Tiwari, Shruti, 2016). In the
field of social studies education, the
importance of inquiry has been overlooked by
many. Teachers tend to use differentiated
instruction that sometimes is not relevant to the
competencies being harnessed. Moreover, communicate, and assess answers coming
once adopted as a strategy, teachers from their interests.
sometimes strictly rely on the procedure’s
2. It helps the learners acquire and process
steps leaving the lid as a sure let of
ideas in a logical way.
questioning at stake.
3. It encourages intelligent responses which
In 1999,White,Shimoda and Frederiksen
can be practiced to discover why issues are
developed an instructional theory that enabled
occurring.
scientific inquiry as part of instruction among a
widespread variety of learners, including new To fully understand the strategy, here is the
ones and slow learners. They postulated that inquiry process.
quality education could be achieved by
allowing the learners to understand
metacognition. This could be done by
constructing an instructional methodology that
develops the students' metacognitive
knowledge and skills following the process of: In this model, the roles of teachers as
a. Scaffold Inquiry. Teachers should guide facilitators are highlighted. It is their
the learners in attaining the goals of any responsibility to let the learners identify the
discussion. Hence, they must be aware of problem situation, judge the inquiry events, and
several techniques that could allow them to reply to learners' inquiry to augment learning. It
surface the learners' knowledge and skills. supports the learners in establishing the
importance of their inquiry. It also simplifies the
b. Reflection. The spontaneity of the conversation of the problematic situation
discussion depends on the capacity of the among the learners because the responses are
teachers to direct and guide the learners. The generated by them. Hence, they will be able to
most important point is for learners to reason find connections starting from the questions
out their mind and try to assess both sides of about the topic being discussed.
any situation that will lead to a generalization.
Questioning Techniques
c. Generalization. This is the optimum part
of the process wherein the learners have The art of questioning is the most important
created their own beliefs and communicated aspect in this strategy. The teachers must be
their disposition. Take note that in social well-exposed to various ways of posting
studies, teachers must know how to divert and questions to students. Having known the
process misleading ideas because it may different questioning techniques, teachers are
break their motivation and self-esteem. assured of the success of their inquiry.
Gershon (2014) identified the different
Inquiry-based learning is grounded on questioning techniques that social studies
rational strategies used to motivate learners to teachers can use:
generate responses through the queries
regarding issues/events. The learners are seen a. Might question. What might history be?
as active participants in the teaching process. What might be the answer to that social issue?
It helps learners to enhance their intellectual This question does not limit the possible
capacity through the significance of scientific responses among the learners. But rather, it
queries. Some of the benefits of inquiry-based opens up a range of possible responses that
teaching are as follows: allows learners to reason out. Their answers
may not be correct but their explanation might
1. Inquiry is dedicated to nurturing the put all things right. Including the word might
schema of learners essential to create, signals the learners that they need to use
critical thinking to create arguments relevant to  Stingray questions. These questions
the question/s. lead to a sudden change in the course
of questions. Sometimes, this is
b. What if question. What if there is an
associated to the drift in the situation.
earthquake; what shall we do? what if you
-You said that love is the answer; will
became the mayor; what programs shall you
love change the situation of the poor?
implement? These kinds of questions bring out
- Imagine that poverty is not applicable
the creativity, speculation, and rationality
to your case; would you still pursue
among the learners. It allows the learners to
your career as an artist?
think in a totally different perspective that is
 Midwife questions. From the name
usually grounded on what they believe in. It
itself, these questions are used to elicit
could be a great way to assess the learners
new ideas to the learners.
formatively because it allows them to answer
-That is a very good point. Can you
based from the learnings they had.
elaborate it further?
C. Different roles question. You are the -How might that idea change the lives of
judge; will you give your verdict in favorite Filipinos?
suspect? You are a teacher and you are - What made you say that idea?
 Ignoramus questions. In here, teachers
expected to guide your learners. If there is a
play dumb for them to elicit responses
naughty pupil, will you spank him/her? This
among the learners.
type of question allows the learners to have a - I don't understand. Can you further
glimpse of possible roles they might portray in explain it to me?
the real-world. This strategy is a nice So, do you mean that...?
representation of the outside world and gives - What does your answer mean?
the learners the chance to evaluate
By learning to address inquiries, learners
themselves.
can appreciate problem-solving and critical
d. Socratic questioning. This questioning thinking. Hence, there is a need for social studies
style combines all the aforementioned form of teachers to learn how to properly use questioning
questioning. Socrates has been known in skills to fully attain the goals of social studies
education in the Philippines.
history as the master of incessant questioning
to achieve wisdom. Throughout his life, he
spent so much time asking people questions
for the purpose of revealing falsehoods.
Scholars divided Socrates' questions into four
types:
 Gadfly questions. These allow
teachers to ask several questions to
push the learners to answer questions.
-What are the elections all about?
- How important is it for people to
participate in the elections?
-. What if people were not
allowed to vote? What will
happen?
- When you reach the legal age,
will you practice your right to
vote?