Missed Opportunities: Literacy and Social Studies Integration in Low- and High-Socioeconomic-Status Elementary Schools

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 3
  In Roundtable Session: Challenges and Opportunities in the Social Studies Classroom

Abstract

Few observational studies have investigated primary-grade teachers’ literacy practices during elementary social studies. This study examined reading and writing opportunities offered to students in 10 low- and 10 high-SES second-grade classrooms during social students lessons. It addressed to what degree, if any, do second graders’ opportunities to read and write written and visual text during social studies instruction differ in classrooms in low- versus high-SES school settings? Of the 52 systematic audio-recorded observations of 2011 minutes of social studies instructional time, students in low-SES schools had fewer opportunities to read extended text independently or with peers, write, write without teacher support, or write to specified audiences other than the teacher than students in high-SES contexts.

Authors

• Stephanie L. Strachan, Western Washington University

• Meghan Block, Central Michigan University