Author: Colleen Elep

Communication and collaboration with families is a core element in any educator’s pedagogical practice. When teachers share information with families about their child’s successes, and challenges in school, while also being transparent about our programming and pedagogical practices, we build trust with the community and create opportunities for family engagement.

When I started supporting Multilingual Language Learners (MLLs) years ago as a grade 7 teacher, transparency always seemed a challenging thing to navigate. Why?

In my own work context, there seemed to be an implicit assumption among educators and families that being an English learner was a stigma – a gap that needed to be closed, a deficit that needed to be corrected. As a middle school teacher, I worried that families would be unaware that their child was an ELL, or that they would be surprised that their child was still identified as one. I feared that talking about ESL programming would make families upset, so when I did bring it up, I tried to minimize its importance as much as possible

Secondly, I wasn’t even sure how to talk about ESL/ELD programming with families. Most of the support I was providing was happening “in the moment”: using a translation tool, changing an assignment or rubric, or providing alternative activities. I didn’t really understand what tier 1 support should look like for ELLs in my classroom, or if what I was doing “counted” as programming for ELLs. What could I possibly share with a parent or guardian without sounding inexperienced or unprofessional?

A third factor contributing to my discomfort about talking about ESL/ELD programming with families was that I didn’t feel equipped to talk about how the programming actually worked, especially to guardians and caregivers that were likely unfamiliar with the Canadian education system and perhaps even learning English themselves. How do I explain STEP? Modifications and accommodations? Interpersonal vs. Academic language? Many of these terms were new to me at the time, and I feared explaining something incorrectly and getting called out for it later.

As a much more experienced educator, I have realized how important it is to be clear and transparent with families about ESL/ELD programming, and what my own responsibility is as an educator to learn how to speak about the topic. When we don’t share information about the programming an MLL is receiving, or give updates on a regular basis, we perpetuate the  “stigma” that is often associated with being an English learner and the erroneous idea that programming for MLLs limits opportunities for students, when in fact it does just the opposite. When we avoid taking the time to share the richness of the programming we provide, we also miss an opportunity to acknowledge the work we do as educators to support students. When we see ESL/ELD programming from a deficit lens, we miss an opportunity to see language learning for what it should be – a challenge and journey that is both rewarding and joyful.

So what can we do to ensure that MLL families understand the ESL/ELD programming their child is receiving in schools? In the next part of this article, we will discuss some strategies and practices we can easily implement to build communication and transparency with MLL families.

Taking an additional qualification is something I have done many times both online and in person. I remember being a new teacher trying to take the ones that would help me land a new role in the school, like ESL/ELD or special education support. Juggling the demands of a course with work is no joke: between the assignments, readings, and discussion posts, AQs can really take up a good chunk of your evenings and weekends.

It had always been a personal goal for me to teach an AQ, though I wasn’t quite sure how to get started or even if I was ready. Serendipitously, my board put out a hiring posting for an AQ teacher pool. When the opportunity came up, I agreed immediately, especially since the course was in an area I feel particularly knowledgeable and passionate about – Teaching English Language Learners.

The experience of teaching an AQ for the first time was definitely one I will never forget. As someone who has primarily taught classes of children, it was a big shift to teach adults who also happened to be my colleagues. In many ways, I felt like I was a new teacher again, with all the anxieties stress that come with trying to plan an engaging lesson, getting all the assessments done in time, and doing my best to seem like I knew what I was doing.

So what is it like to teach an AQ for the first time? Here are a few takeaways I left with.

Teaching an AQ is a lot of Hard Work

When I started, I made the foolish assumption that the work would mainly involve teaching a curriculum that was already set up. But we soon discovered that we needed to adapt, change, and tweak the content to meet the needs of the class, and that some elements of the course were not working as planned. For example, the discussion boards that were set up could be confusing and redundant after in person sessions; the slide decks needed to be re-done to align with the alternating online/in-person format we were using.

Needless to say, it took hours of planning each week, and hours after class to assess and respond to student posts.

It is Daunting to Be Instructing a Course for your Peers

When you teach kids, there are clear and distinct differences between you and your students: being an adult, having a university degree, and being in a position of responsibility with children. Being a course instructor for your peers – fellow educators with a broad range of lived experiences and vast professional knowledge – is a completely different story!

Teaching an AQ is a great reminder that as educators, we facilitate learning and inquiry for students. Once I leaned into my own vulnerabilities as an instructor – embracing the idea that we could all learn a lot from each other – the course really became a joyful experience where everyone could share their strengths and areas of needs as educators.

Community Matters in the Classroom

Throughout the course, one thing we did intentionally from the beginning was build a sense of community with the group. Connecting over food, icebreakers, and discussions can go a long way, and as we all got to know each other the more supportive the class became of each other.  Our course curriculum involved a lot of presentations, which can be a bit of a nerve wracking experience for any person, including teachers. Creating a learning environment where classmates cheered each other on and held space for one another made the learning experience rich and rewarding.

The takeaway? Make time to build community in your classroom, whatever age they are!

It’s Inspiring to see New Teachers get Excited about Teaching

Our course had many new teachers in their first 5 years, which was fascinating for me as a pretty experienced teacher. Some of the students could have been in my own elementary school classroom years back!

I remember being a new teacher and how exciting it was to have a class, and also how exhausting and stressful it was. Spending so much time with teachers who were in that phase of their lives and also seeing the excitement that comes with learning new things was a good reminder of how much I have grown professionally and how great the teaching profession can be.

Co-Teaching is a Wonderful Thing

Being able to co-teach my first AQ with a colleague and friend was a great experience that took a lot of the pressure off planning, facilitating, and assessing a course while working full time during the day. It also really helped to have someone to debrief with after each session, discuss what was going well and what needed to be changed, and cover the class when one of us was running late or had to make an appointment.

Would I teach an Additional Qualifications Course Again?

After this first AQ, I am certain I would do it all over again. The work is rewarding, fun, and it amazes me to have the privilege of having a role in another teacher’s learning. It adds a new and rich chapter to my career as a teacher, and reminded me of the power of re-learning and rediscovering joy in work within an entirely new context.

Of course, hindsight is a gift – I know exactly what mistakes to not make, and what kinds adaptations to the course I can make to help it run smoothly. Unlike teaching kids, educators are not shy about telling you exactly what you can do as an instructor to be more organized!

Take an AQ with ETFO

ETFO offers an extensive selection of additional qualification courses that are facilitated by many of our amazing colleagues. Visit https://etfo-aq.ca/catalogue/ to find a course that aligns with your professional learning goals.

As a longtime educator and of Multilingual Language Learners (MLLs, also known as English Language Learners or ELLs) and a lead in my board for ESL/ELD programming, I have been in an incredibly privileged position to learn and implement Ministry policy in Ontario schools. And while I am certain there are more resources and professional development opportunities in the field than ever, many misconceptions about supporting MLLs still persist.

This article is all about clearing the air – here are four common myths about teaching MLLs in Ontario, and what educators should understand in order to align pedagogy to policy and best practices.

Myth #1: Newcomer Students should Learn English First Before Learning other Subjects

Reality: Newcomer MLLs, even in the early Steps to English Proficiency (STEP), can and should learn alongside their peers in every subject. MLLs are acquiring the language of instruction and learning the Ontario curriculum at the same time.

There is no policy or guideline that suggests a baseline level of English proficiency is needed for an ELL to learn the same subjects as their peers. There are, however, many policy supported program adaptations – including modifications and accommodations – that teachers should put in place to provide entry points into grade-level curriculum.

MLLs, especially those in the junior and intermediate grades, bring a wide range of skills and lived experiences to Ontario classrooms. It is important to empower MLLs to leverage their multilingual literacy and numeracy skills to engage with the same curriculum as their peers: this could mean using translation tools, working with same language speaking peers, or having language output goals aligned with their level of English proficiency.

Myth #2: English Learners should Learn English before French

Reality: English language learners can do as well as, and even outperform their Canadian-born peers in FSL programs.

I think the assumption that ELLs should be exempt from French stems from the idea that they should be using that time to learn English instead, or that older elementary-aged newcomer students have already missed too much French instruction to be successful. “Welcoming English Language Learners into French as a Second Language Programs, published by the Ministry of Education in 2016, shares research about ELLs in FSL programs that shows how they are uniquely positioned to be successful in French classrooms.

Furthermore, older ELLs transitioning to secondary school that have received less than 600 hours of French instruction can be supported through courses like FSF1O, also known as the open course. FSF 1O is an introductory course intended for students who have NOT accumulated a minimum of 600 hours of French instruction by the end of Grade 8, regardless of attendance or language proficiency.

Closing a pathway to French instruction to newcomer MLLs is inequitable, and removes an opportunity for students to learn an additional language.

Myth #3: Teachers Must Always Modify Curriculum and check the ESL/ELD box on the report card  for Students in STEP 1 and 2.

Reality: There is no policy or guideline that states students in the early Steps to English Proficiency (STEPs) must receive modifications, though it is highly likely they would benefit from modifications and other program adaptations at that point in their language acquisition. As per Growing Success (p. 76), the box is checked to indicate only when modifications have been made to curriculum expectations to address the language learning needs of English language learners.

Growing Success policy (p. 77) also states, “It is essential for all educators to understand the distinction between modifications and accommodations as well as the importance of providing either or both, as needed, to English language learners. These measures contribute to fairness and social justice for many students in an increasingly multicultural environment.”

Around report card time, I often get the question – “should I check the ESL/ELD box on the report card for all ELLs and STEPs 1 and 2?” The answer to this question is always nuanced, because it is not really an “yes” or “no” response. It depends on evidence of student learning and what we learn as educators from ongoing assessment for learning.

Simply clicking the ESL/ELD box on the report card without understanding the program adaptations that have been made for an ELL is not a best practice. The better question to ask is whether or not the student is receiving modifications to overall curriculum expectations. For many MLLs in the early STEPs, they may very well be – but perhaps not in every subject. For example, in a class like physical education, where the learning is interactive, the student may only need accommodations. The same thing may also be true for students in the Kindergarten program, where much of the learning is play-based.

The takeaway? If you are wondering whether or not to check the ESL/ELD box, consider what program adaptations you have made to make the curriculum accessible to the MLLs you teach. There is no “blanket rule” for modifying for MLLs or checking the ESL/ELD box on the report card.

Myth #4: MLLs Cannot be Considered for Special Education Needs until they have been in School for at Least 5-7 Years

Reality: There is no policy document that states that MLLs must be in school in Canada for any length of time in order to be considered for Special Education Support.

While it can take 5-7 years for newcomer ELLs to catch up to the same academic language proficiency as their peers (Supporting English Language Learners, p. 11), that time frame should not be a determining metric for considering MLLs with possible education needs. Such considerations should always be made on a case-by-case basis, looking closely at the student’s individual portrait, background, cultural funds of knowledge, and programming being implemented in the school and classroom.

MLLs are just as likely as any other group of students to have special education needs, and it is important to identify those needs using the processes and tools available in your board. It is also essential to take the right amount of time to observe the student to determine whether or not their areas of concern are related to language acquisition.

Recently I had the privilege of supporting an event organized by my school board on the “Future of Healthcare”. My role was simple: usher a group of 20 secondary students around different workshops organized by healthcare professionals from the Toronto and Peel area.

I expected a full day of listening, learning, and spending time with a new group of students – which is a pretty fabulous day for any teacher. What I didn’t expect was to be blown away by the critical connections these healthcare providers would make with students throughout the day. The Future of Healthcare program, coordinated in collaboration with the Peel DSB and Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), is designed to “target underrepresented youth and expose them to postsecondary education that could lead to career opportunities in the healthcare field.” In a world where we often hear about the defunding and discrediting of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, it was powerful to see the impact of cultural responsive pedagogy in action and also see the possibilities for a more inclusive, identity-affirming healthcare system.

I believe that it is more important than ever to keep a focus on cultural responsiveness in teaching, particularly during a moment where xenophobic and racist commentary regularly saturate social media feeds. As an educator, I’ve noticed an increase of rhetoric in the media and the field suggesting equity and anti-racism pedagogy cannot exist in tandem with “back-to-basics”, “common sense” foundational literacy and mathematics initiatives. Participating in a pathways planning event where there was an intentional centring of diverse voices and identities reaffirmed my belief that culturally responsive pedagogy does not weaken, but enhances and enriches learning for students.

Culturally Responsive and Inclusive Pathway Planning

The positive effects of cultural responsiveness and inclusivity extend far beyond the classroom – when we expose students to careers in a way that is more attuned to the variability of students’ lived experiences and the barriers they may face, we help them to see what is possible in their own lives.

For example, many students associate healthcare careers with well-known roles like doctor or nurse – but there are so many other options like social worker, lab specialist, therapist, or emergency medical technicians that they may not be aware of without knowing someone directly linked to the field. As a second generation Canadian from immigrant parents, I can attest that was hard to understand all the different pathways I could access as an adult, much less what I needed to do to prepare for them. Having opportunities to see the range of options in the workforce can make all the difference for students that have limited connections to a particular industry.

As elementary educators, topics like the workforce, college, and university can feel distant. But the reality is that many students have to start thinking seriously about their future pathways in the intermediate years – it is not long after grade 8 that students must make intentional course selections, choose part-time jobs, or pursue co-op and volunteering options. Taking opportunities to introduce students to workplace options, even in the elementary years, can result in real, life-changing decisions.

Representation Matters

Representation can be game-changing when it comes to the topic of career and pathway planning for students. Being able to witness the impact of representation in real time at the Future of Healthcare event was one of the best professional learning experiences I’ve had all year.

As an observer, I could see the affective filters of students lower when engaging with so many peers and professionals that they could identify with. Participation was high, and students were eager to ask questions about the medical field. A Sikh doctor gave insight on how to respond to a case study in which an unconscious patient’s religious beliefs conflicted with the haircutting required to perform a life-saving surgery. Students weighed in on the right course of action to take when the ingredients of a prescribed, essential medication were revealed to be at odds with the dietary restrictions of a Muslim patient.

Though students from different schools were intentionally mixed with other schools, they were eager to collaborate and problem solve case studies that explored the intersection of culture and medicine. They considered possible ways to respond to challenging situations, and how to create caring, supportive healthcare environments for culturally diverse communities.

I strongly believe that what made the learning so meaningful was the lived experiences and cultural funds of knowledge the speakers brought – in addition to the wealth of medical expertise and qualifications they had. In a country with a population as diverse as Canada’s such knowledge is an asset to professional practice.

There is More Work to Do

A day before I went to the Future of Healthcare event I was working in a classroom with newcomer students in English Literacy Development programs, and I asked one student what schools could do to support him. He stated quite frankly: “we need to know what courses to take, what grades we need, to become what we want.” Newcomer students in particular have a disadvantage in that they and their families may be unfamiliar with topics like credit accumulation, English proficiency assessments, and how and when to apply for postsecondary institutions.

As a middle school teacher, I didn’t look into what course selection could look like for students nor what secondary school credits they needed long into my career. I think this was something overlooked that I really should have corrected sooner, rather than simply relying on my own experience as a high school student in Ontario.

In a changing world with so many new careers emerging, it is key to be aware of what formal learning and lived experiences students should have to help them pursue future goals. Give students time to ask questions and talk about their future aspirations. And of course – as educators we don’t have all the answers – but by taking the time to listen we can help students to find the resources they can leverage to become what they want to be.

As educators, there are many difficult situations we have to navigate when it comes to identifying the best program pathways for students. One common situation is when a Multilingual Language Learner (MLL, also known as English Language Learners) experiences significant challenges in their learning.

But how do you know whether or not their difficulties are related to possible special education needs, or language learning? How do you know if you should the student to the attention of a school review committee?

This blog is all about what classroom educators can do when they notice an MLL is experiencing difficulties in their learning. You may be surprised to learn that there are a number of actions you can take even before bringing the student to your school’s review process.

Develop a Learner Portrait for the MLL

Knowing your learner is essential to any teaching practice, and there are a number of additional factors that should be considered when the learner is an MLL. Is the student under consideration a newcomer? Canadian born? Where are they positioned in the Steps to English Proficiency (STEP) continua? How long have they been in their current STEP?

A learner portrait is essentially a document where you can take note of a student’s cultural and linguistic funds of knowledge, level of language proficiency, as well as the student’s interests, goals, and other information you may have gathered about the student’s background. You may also want to include notes on what you are observing about their language and literacy behaviours.

With a fulsome learner portrait, you will be better equipped to adapt your programming to meet the student’s needs and address the difficulties they are experiencing. You will also find a student portrait useful if you choose to bring the learner at an in-school review.

Ensure all the Appropriate Program Adaptations are in Place

With a strong understanding of the learner, check to see that you are adapting programming appropriately for the student with accommodations and, if needed, modifications aligned with their STEP. You may also want to consider the following questions as you re-examine your programming:

Are there multi-modal options (ex. Use of assistive technology, alternative presentation formats) for the student to share knowledge and engage in learning?

Is the curriculum content comprehensible to the student at their STEP? Are you leveraging the students’ interests in your teaching and assessment? Is your programming culturally responsive? Does your teaching practice include scaffolds beneficial for MLLs, such as sentence frames, models, and graphic organizers?

If you do bring the student up to a school review committee, it is important to share what program adaptations you have already put in place so all stakeholders can see the work you are doing to meet the student’s language acquisition needs.

Gather Samples of Student Work

Looking closely at student work: journal writing, writing assessments, reading responses, mathematical problem solving, and other forms of output, can be an excellent starting point for identifying areas of support. You’ll also find having concrete pieces of evidence useful for sharing with family and support staff when discussing your academic concerns about the student.

If you are having difficulty gathering authentic and concrete samples of work from the student, consider how else you might their learning visible. Provide options for them to create video or audio content, or record anecdotal notes about what you are observing about their learning behaviours during group activities and class discussions.

Connect with the Family

Communicating and collaborating with families is critical when a student is experiencing difficulties in their learning. You will want to make sure they are aware about what challenges their child is experiencing in school, and find out if they are noticing anything about their child’s behaviour at home.

When communicating with families, include the student in the conversation if possible. Be prepared to speak to specific examples challenges and strengths for the learner. Keep track of any conversations you have with families, and take notes on what was covered during the call or meeting.

Seek Input from Other Educators that Teach the Student

You will also find it useful to connect with other educators that teach the student to see if they are observing anything similar or different in the subjects they teach them. They may also be able to share additional samples of the student’s work, and give their insights on the learner.

It’s not uncommon for other educators to see a side of the student you may not – the information they share may also help you develop a student portrait.

Find out what your Board’s Protocol is for Identifying MLLs with Possible Special Education Needs

Finally, find out what your board’s protocol is for identifying MLLs who may have special education needs. In some cases, an observation period is implemented, where classroom and support educators try different strategies to determine whether or not a student’s difficulties are related to language learning. Learning what the process is early will also help you to better prepare for that possibility.

In part 1 of this blog, we explored the first two steps of developing programming adaptations for MLLs: know the learner and determine the language demands of your program. Next, we will take the insights gathered from these initial steps to create appropriate accommodations and modifications for MLLs.

When educators have an understanding of MLL learner variability and the language demands of the curriculum we are teaching, we are well equipped to develop programs that are flexible enough to meet the needs of all students. And while you will inevitably run into challenges, make mistakes, and find that some ideas simply won’t work – it is all part of the growth we are privileged to experience as teachers.

Let’s start by reviewing definitions of MLL accommodations and modifications, and how we can select adaptations to correlate with the student’s level of language proficiency and learner variability.

Accommodations for MLLs

Accommodations are tier 1 supports that educators can implement at any time. They benefit more than just the MLLs in your classroom, and are effective for all students. These strategies do not require any alteration in curriculum expectations, and help MLLs access the same content as their peers.

There are many accommodations for MLLs out there, but they can broadly be categorized as follows.

Instructional Accommodations, which involve changes in teaching strategies, materials, or approaches that help students access the curriculum. Some examples include:

• Visual supports
• Pre-teaching vocabulary
• Use of visual cues
• Sentence frames and starters
• Modeling
• “Chunking” tasks
• Use of role-playing, manipulative, and other interactive tasks

Learning Resource Accommodations are adjustments to the tools and materials used for learning. Some examples include:

• Audiobooks
• Bilingual or picture dictionaries
• Graphic organizers
• Digital learning tools
• Infographics
• Translation tools
• Dual language books
• Alternative Reading Materials

Assessment Accommodations are adjustments to the way students demonstrate their learning. Some examples include:

• Oral response instead of written
• Use of media tools to demonstrate learning
• Use of assistive technology to complete assignments
• Cloze sentences
• Use of translation tools to evaluate a student’s response in their preferred language

With so many different options for MLL accommodations available, you may find it handy to keep a list somewhere visible for easy reference. They will be particularly relevant when you can align them with areas of the curriculum that have high language demands for input and output: for example, a reading in a subject like social studies, or an assignment that previously involved solely a written response.

Modifications for MLLs

Modifications are changes made to grade level curriculum expectations for a subject in order to meet the MLL’s language learning needs. They may include changes to the number of curriculum expectations, and changes to the complexity of a curriculum. Modifications for ELLs in English as a Second Language programs typically do not involve a change in grade level. This is because the modifications are put in place to address language learning needs, not cognitive demands.

In most cases, modified curriculum expectations are needed for students in the earliest Steps to English Language Proficiency, such as STEPs 1-3. Students with an emergent level of English realistically require modifications because they may still be in the process of acquiring basic interpersonal communication skills (English for social and practical situations).

Keep in mind, however, that it is important to maintain high expectations for students and to not “water down” the curriculum. It can be demotivating, particularly for older children, to be offered picture books with content that is not aligned with their age group. Check with your teacher-librarian to see if there are hi-lo novels or visually supported non-fiction or interest-related texts that MLLs will be excited to explore.

In some situations, such as math, you may find that an MLL needs to develop a skill that was taught in earlier grades because they did not have the opportunity to learn it in their previous school, have not attended school, or because they were not able to learn the skill as a result of language learning in the past. Modifications are essential in this context to ensure that the student can meet grade level curriculum learning as soon as possible. Focus on accelerating the student’s learning in that area, and monitor the student’s growth so you know whether or not a higher tier of support may be required.

Example of modifications for MLLs.

Grade 7 History: By the end of Grade 7, the student will…

Analyse some of the main challenges facing various individuals, groups, and/or communities, including First Nations, Metis, and Inuit individuals and communities, in Canada between 1713 and 1800 and ways in which people responded to those challenges.

Modified:

Understand how different Indigenous communities and peoples in Canada responded to challenges between 1713 and 1800.

Assessment and Evaluation

When modified curriculum expectations are used to adapt instruction for MLLs, be sure to assess students based on the modified expectations. When assessing early STEP MLLs, remember to adjust language output goals according to the student’s STEP. Look for growth in language and literacy skills, and focus on evaluating student work that happens closer to reporting periods, as this is when students will have had opportunities to learn and acquire more English skills.

Supporting Multilingual Learners: Final Thoughts

Learning how to develop and implement program adaptions for MLLs is another step you can take toward enhancing your teaching practice for all the learners you teach. Know your learner, identify the language demands of the curriculum you are teaching, determine the accommodations and modifications that will best support your learners, and you’ll enable the MLLs you teach to participate and engage more actively in their learning.

When I taught grade 6, my favourite subject to teach and co-teach was social studies. The focus on trade in the Geography curriculum was an area that I found particularly intriguing to teach. Topics like current events, fair trade, trade agreements, and Canada’s international relationships are exciting because the world is constantly changing.

The first Trump presidency gave me a good reason to revisit the content I had developed. In the past, the main trade agreement we focused on was the North American Free Trade Agreement, which was renegotiated into the USMCA or CUSMA.

More than a few years have passed since 2018 and in a dramatic start to 2025, so has Canada’s relationship with the United States. The American government’s decision to potentially tariff Canadian goods has become not only an economic decision with significant impacts to both sides of the Canada-US border, but a major shift in Canada’s relationship with its southern neighbour.

Whether or not these decisions are even implemented, the political turmoil that has made headlines in the early weeks of 2025 highlights reminds us of how important it is for kids to have a strong social studies education.

It is important for children to have a critical thinking skillset for the news stories and headlines they are bound to encounter on the internet or in family conversations. Students also benefit from understanding the importance of civic responsibility and the impact of elections. Social studies learning also helps students to build academic vocabulary skills in a meaningful way. Not only are they learning language in a more formal register, they will have increased opportunities to explore the new words they are learning because they will hear the same language being used in the media and family conversations.

Let’s take a closer look at these reasons.

Social Studies Learning Helps Children to think Critically about a Changing World

Quality instruction that teaches kids the fundamentals of inquiry, critical thinking, mapping, land formations, climate zones, colonization, international agreements, and economics – just to name a few social studies topics topics – helps children make sense of world they live in from a broader context.

In today’s world, where news travels quickly through social media channels and misinformation runs rampant, being able to make sense of it all in a balanced, reasonable way is critical. It is all too easy to adopt a perspective without hearing alternative viewpoints, and social studies is one of the best areas of curriculum to make critical thinking come to life.

Social Studies Helps Students to Understand the Importance of Civic Responsibility

Society needs people to take civic responsibility for their communities, whether it is organizing to improve neighbourhoods and regions or taking the role of a leader in different types of organizations. Strong instruction in social studies fosters a passion for civic responsibility in children and a drive to innovate and improve their town, city, province, or country.

Why might it be important to join a residents’ association? What are the reasons people seek political office? What can you do to improve your school community? When we teach children about how society works, we empower children to start improving their communities right away.

Social Studies Supports Academic Language Development

Finally, social studies learning is one of the best subjects for teaching academic language – the words and discourse we don’t use in everyday social language, but in more formal settings like school and work.

One of the biggest challenges I have had as an educator is helping students to communicate in different registers or discourses that are valued in academic settings and in the workplace. Teaching language through subjects like history and geography makes a high impact on learners, especially when they encounter that language in current events that are real and relevant to their families and communities.

Final Thoughts

It doesn’t take long to see how quickly the world can change, especially when we consider the headlines of the recent past. Helping children to think critically the slew of events and perspectives that accompany a major world event is essential to their growth as readers, consumers, and citizens.