The Balancing Act: Teaching Writing in a Social Studies Classroom
I remember my school days when reading and writing skills were primarily honed in English Language Arts (ELA) classes. We used these skills to dissect and understand content in other subjects. However, as a middle school social studies teacher today, I face a different reality. My students, many of whom are grappling with literacy gaps, require more than just content instruction. They need integrated reading and writing support within my social studies classes.
The Frustration of Pacing:
Ideally, my focus should be on delivering rich, engaging content about history, geography, and cultures. But the reality is different. A significant portion of my class time is devoted to teaching reading and writing strategies. This shift in focus drastically affects our pacing. For instance, a recent task that involved reading an article about the southern colonies, summarizing it in a paragraph, and responding to a primary source took over a week to complete – this would typically be a two or three-day activity.
The challenge is multifaceted. We have only four social studies periods per week, and each of these sessions has become a juggling act between content delivery and literacy skill-building.
The Commitment to Literacy:
Don't get me wrong – I am wholly committed to helping bridge the literacy gap at my school. It's a vital task, and the progress made can be rewarding. However, the reality is that it comes at the cost of content coverage and depth.
In my school, there's a push for more writing in social studies. Our principal expects to see student essays on bulletin boards, yet with only four periods a week, time is a luxury we can't afford. We're trying to cover two vast areas with limited resources, and often, it feels like we're trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.
The Resources We Need:
If you're in a similar boat and looking for nonfiction texts suited for middle school social studies, [click here](#). These resources are tailored to integrate content learning with literacy development.
But more importantly, I'd love to hear from you. How do you manage literacy instruction in your social studies classroom? Do you have strategies or resources that have worked for you?
As I write this, I'm planning a week's lesson, knowing that a significant chunk of it will be devoted to writing. In a perfect world, my students would come to my class with a solid foundation in these skills. But teaching is rarely about ideal scenarios; it's about adapting, improvising, and doing the best we can with what we have. Let's share our experiences and grow together as educators committed to our students' success, both in content knowledge and essential literacy skills.
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