Students tend to be more diligent about certain subjects like Mathematics, Literature, Sciences and Commerce than others like History, Geography and Civics. A primary cause for such behaviour is that students can foresee the benefits that the former subjects will have on their careers. As a result, they mistakenly believe that social sciences are not as relevant to their lives.
Overcoming this mindset is the key challenge for social science teachers. Social sciences play a very integral role in understanding where one comes from, what their country stands for, what challenges their contemporaries have faced and how that has shaped their current lives. This understanding will allow students to appreciate their heritage and culture and also get a better grasp on the cultures prevalent in other parts of the world.
Some ways to make social sciences fun for students:
- Connecting the Past and Present: Reading and learning about the past may seem immaterial and irrelevant to most students. Hence, if teachers can connect the past with the present by giving students examples of how things were in the past versus how things are in the present, this would pique their interest in the subject. Other than pointing out the stark differences/similarities between the past and the present, if students are made to analyse how the past has affected their current lives, then they would be more interested in learning about the factors that have contributed to this.
- Using Technology: Technology is the strong suit of students of this generation. Introducing technology to portray subjects, such as geography, would surely impact the attention spans of students positively. Using tools such as google maps to see places around the world, or showing students online resources, will help improve their desire to learn the social sciences.
- Project-based Learning: Individual as well as group projects are often the best way to encourage students to research a certain topic and present it to the classroom creatively. When students are put to the test, it often brings out the best in them creatively and resourcefully. They not only end up learning about their topic in depth, but also enjoy the process. When projects are presented in the classroom, fellow students also listen more attentively than they would to an ordinary classroom lesson by the teacher.
- By Using Graphic Tools: Using pictures and videos is the easiest way of making learning fun. When students are being taught certain important historic events, teachers can show them photos and documentaries of the actual event. For example, when learning about the freedom struggle, students can be shown movies on Gandhiji, Bhagat Singh and other such freedom fighters. Students can be shown photos of historic locations such as Jallianwala Bagh, Yerwada Jail, Sabarmati Ashram, Red Fort, etc. Students can also be shown documentaries and photos from the World War era. This makes social studies more relatable and comprehendible.
- Planning field trips: Planning class trips to places of geographic or historic relevance is a great way of mixing fun with academics. Students are always happy to learn outside the classroom, and 'learning through experiencing' is the best mode of teaching. On field trips students can be encouraged to click photos, or make interesting videos documenting their field trip. When students are made to feel empowered, then their learning improves manifold.
- Incorporating games: Games, quizzes and debates are great ways of making learning more desirable. Teachers can also make crosswords and puzzles for students to solve. When students know that they will be quizzed on a particular topic, their interest and research on the topic increases with a view to performing well in the quiz.
- Acting out historical events: Role plays and dramas to depict historic events is another interesting way to make social sciences enjoyable. When students enact different characters, in order to get into the skin of the character, they must deeply understand where the character is coming from, what their situation is, and what challenges they are facing. This enables students to better understand and appreciate certain historic events.
- Encouraging journaling: Social science studies are not always limited to the classroom. It extends into one's day to day life as well. If students are encouraged to maintain journals to document all the experiences that they are having outside of their classrooms, they will be able to understand how deeply social studies penetrates through different parts of our lives. By creating culture journals for each new country visited, or documenting their feelings when visiting places of historic relevance, students can be encouraged to share notes and journals with each other.
At International schools such as The Aditya Birla World Academy, teachers lay great stress on making academics more enjoyable and agreeable to the students. Each subject is given its due importance and is taught using several external learning resources. At Aditya Birla World Academy, teachers are striving to break the stereotypes associated with teaching and education. With an increased exposure to outside classroom learning, technology, and project-based learning, teachers are being able to strike a balance between learning and fun.
Also read,
Fun learning in classrooms with drama and practical knowledge
How do International Schools make classes fun and interactive?
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