Journal of Japanese Educatinal Research Associaon for the Social Studies

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　　In recent years, an important issue in the education field has been the determination of suitable methods of integrating generic skills into school subjects and the kinds of competencies to be developed. This study clarifies the approaches to fostering citizenship in the integration of literacy into social studies. The study focuses on two directions being pursued in the United States. The following features have emerged from this literature-based study.

　　The first direction in integrating literacy into social studies is fostering “integrated thinkers.” This type of integration emphasizes the ability to utilize disciplinary thinking to make sense of the world. Therefore, this type of lesson is constructed such that students understand civic life by accessing knowledge of the disciplines, based on an examination of various texts.

　　The second direction is that of fostering “critical thinkers.” This type of integration emphasizes the ability to contemplate about social injustice and then tackle it. Therefore, this type of lesson is constructed such that students identify the existence of social injustice through an examination of various texts and address current injustices by considering past social justice issues.

　　Both directions integrate literacy into social studies with the goal of fostering citizenship in a democratic society. However, this study clarifies that there are differences in the competencies to be developed for citizenship as well as the approach for developing them, depending on the direction followed in integrating literacy into social studies.

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　　This research investigates what history children consider to be important and the reasons behind their thinking. This study utilizes semi-structured interviews of 31 children from the first grade to the third grade of junior high school. Relying on an analytical framework and research method borrowed from the British and American tradition of history education research, this study found that the children explained the significance of historical events or people according to a narrative template primarily consisting of three themes: (1) “what makes the present,” such as the progression of culture and technologies; (2) “relationships with foreign countries,” such as exchanges between Japan and other nations; and (3) “domestic autonomy,” such as the formation of independent national systems. Excluding these themes, some children also referred to death and sacrifice and resistance to them as important topics, but the context in which they were regarded as significant was limited. This study concludes that, at least in junior high school, children can judge and discuss what is important in history, so teachers should recognize children’s viewpoints on the subject as teaching material, develop their metacognition concerning their perspectives on history through activities involving selection and evaluation, drive their motivation for inquiry by incorporating their view on history, and contextualize it through aims-talk.

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