Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Literacy for History
I would use primary documents as a main object for literacy. I believe primary documents for history are way more exciting than the textbooks that are primarily used. Videos and reenactments of historical events would help me use primary documents so we can use those and see how the students interpret what they read. The students may see each event a little different. I want to be able to teach my students the proper skills on how to read and understand primary documents so they can get a better understanding of events. I think it could be more interesting if they can understand it first hand, rather than have someone else tell it to them.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
I think primary documents are an excellent source as well. It offers students a new perspective to a history lesson and allows them to interpret for themselves. There are really countless ways to promote literacy in social studies. Besides from archaelogy most of what is known about history comes from a literary source. Maps, records, letters, journals, bills, etc. (any primary source)are all useful tools to figure out what happened in a certain era. I would like to expose my students to all these resources. I agree also that the use of visual aids would help students to better understand what they are reading and.
Primary documents aren't just a great way to integrate literacy into history class, they can also be really fun for students to read. There is a lot to be said of actually reading Thomas Paine's words in Common Sense, as opposed to reading another author's interpretation of what was written.
I agree that primary sources are the one of the best ways to teach literacy in history. You could use a Times magazine article from World War II or a New York Times article on the stock market crashing. Primary sources also helps students to understand what those living in that time were going through as well. Students could also look at those primary sources and develop their own ways of interpretting it.
Post a Comment