Reflection 3: Content and Teaching

The content standards this school has adopted are interesting to me. Instead of adopting a
specific states standards (as an international school) or referring to the National Curriculum
Standards for Social Studies which our program taught us to use, they use National Geographic
Geography Standards (even for their history courses). I find that the Social Sciences across the
board are usually underserved. They are hardly taught as a stand-alone and the depth in which
students interact with the topics are usually coated over by literacy or mathematical standards
form the CCSS. But here, the director of the SS department believes firmly that history and the
social sciences are simply an observation of people and geography over time, the exchange of
resources and the creation of boarders. While I do think this is an interesting definition, I do not
find that all ten themes of Social Studies are served by this definition. In fact, the NCSS defines
the Social Sciences as:
the integrated study of the social sciences and humanities to promote civic competence.
Within the school program, social studies provides coordinated, systematic study
drawing upon such disciplines as anthropology, archaeology, economics, geography,
history, law, philosophy, political science, psychology, religion, and sociology, as well as
appropriate content from the humanities, mathematics, and natural sciences. The
primary purpose of social studies is to help young people make informed and reasoned
decisions for the public good as citizens of a culturally diverse, democratic society in an
interdependent world.
I feel that Nakornpayaps Middle School Social Studies standards and curricula are missing the
humanities entirely. Students are not reading literature, listening to music, viewing works of art. I
do not see in depth studies of philosophy, identity, archeology, or religion.
In part, this is due to the fact that the 6th and 7th grade Social Science classes are primarily
geography classeswith a science lean. Mr. Terrys main area of expertise is in science
curriculum and content. So we look at Global Issueshow humans are impacting the
environment and other species. We are looking at economics and issues like population growth,
globalization, resources and conservation, climate change, etc.which are all parts of the Social
Sciences, but they are not as comprehensive as I would find to be ideal. I would like to start to tie
in some historical concepts into the Global Issues courses. For instance, I would like students to
investigate different ancient civilizations (the Maya, the Indus Valley in Pakistan, the Khmer,
and the Anasazi) where historians believe that the kingdoms fell into turmoil because of issues
related to climate change. How did this affect the government systems and populations? Then I
would like to look at the climate issues today.
8th grade is a World History course, beginning in the Middle Ages (not ancient
civilizations or anything prior) and up to the Renaissance. The 9th and 10th grade history then
builds off of that point until modern history and current issues. I would like to see more adoption
of primary resource where students are encouraged to draw connections and make inferences
about belief systems or time periods based on an accusation of different sources from that time.
For instance, instead of telling students the ideals of the church in medieval times and how it
restricted certain behaviors, we could read parts of Dantes Inferno and infer what the church
was purporting and what values drive medieval citizens. When could then compare that to the
counterculture of Boccaccio! We could compare and contrast Canterbury Tales and The
Decameronconnections between Italy and England and how works influence each other over
time.
Some methods that I am using in my classes at this point include creating a Latin and
Greek root word wallto support ELLs as well as other students in acquiring Tier 3
vocabulary. I am also supporting vocabulary acquisition by using my ABCsActivities Before
Contentand Problem-Based learning strategies to help students transfer concrete experiences
and apply them to new terms (instead of front-loading vocabulary by giving the words and
definitions first and then applying them to reading or discussions)
 Free Choice Topic

Nakornpayap International School has recently adopted an English only policy in order to
connect students who speak different languages at home and create a lingua franca for the school
community and education. However, I feel that this creates a dual identity for the students where
they check their cultural identity at the door in order to fit into the American School atmosphere.
Language, anthropologically, carries cultural perspectives because its a primary form of
communication, and also in the way it can affect perspectives about gender, mathematical
quantities, and contribute to the way we think about and perceive the world. Part of diversity and
inclusion in the classroom is bringing in these unique identities and home cultures into the
classroom to support a deeper form of thinking and learningit affects how students interact
with information and content. English is not all encompassing and does not translate every
experience, emotion, or philosophy. An English only policy could actually limit a students self-
expression and communication.
Part of this dichotomy of self also becomes dichotomy of language importance: a
language for schoola language for learning and academiaand a language for home
informal speech and familial communication. This type of emphasis could be interpreted as
purporting English as an academic language while the students primary language is not useful
for academia and institutionalized or formal settings. When in actuality there is value in every
language and its ability to transfer information for higher thinking and learning. In an
international school setting, I am surprised that bilingualism and biliteracy has not been
embraced more fullyas a part of multinational identities and lifestyles. In the United States,
other language speakers have the opportunity to graduate high school with Bilingual/Biliterate
diplomas. For example, in Nevada the Senate passed a law stating:

The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall:

1. (a) Create a State Seal of Biliteracy that may be affixed to the diploma and noted on the
transcript of a pupil to recognize that the pupil has met the requirements of section 3 of this act;
and
2. (b) Deliver the State Seal of Biliteracy to each school district, charter school and university
school for profoundly gifted pupils that participates in the program.

Demonstrates proficiency in one or more languages other than English:

1. (a) By passing an advanced placement examination in a world language with a score of 3 or higher
or passing an international baccalaureate examination in a world language with a score of 4 or
higher.

(b) By passing an examination in a world language, if the examination is approved by the board of
trustees of a school district or the governing body of a charter school or university school for
profoundly gifted pupils, as applicable; and

2. If the primary language of the pupil is not English,demonstrates proficiency in English on an

assessment designated by the Department.
Many students and families in Asia are choosing to attend NIS because of the prestige of an
American School and the exposure to Englishso I understand the social currency that an
English only policy can carryhowever, perhaps if NIS offered bilingual diplomas, this would
also be seen as an enticing enrichment that is inclusive of students identities and primary
languages. Not only would biliterate degrees in international schools contribute the literacy and
language skills for the students home countriesshould they want to return there for college or
a career, but it would be diploma enhancement for students applying to colleges in the United
States and Europe.
I would also like to see the adoption of textbooks and other curriculum that support
students primary languages. I understand that the logic for an English only policy is that since
we instruct in English and test in English, perhaps we should also communicate in English in the
classroom and during all school activities. However, to me this seems like a superficial policy. It
communicates the importance of students abilities to learn English over the concepts and the
subject matter in itself. Our language gives us access to the concepts we are learning, therefore,
research doesnt say this is necessarily true for language learners to only read and write in the
language they are being instructed in. When language learning affects ones content learning,
research has indicated that there is a higher success rate of cross-linguistic transfer, acquisition of
vocabulary, and a deeper comprehension of subject areas and topics, when students can use their
primary language as a platform for learning. This is especially true of middle school and high
school students who already have a significant amount of command over their primary language
compared to elementary students who are still in the critical language period. In fact, ELLs are
thought of as having two different language stores for their vocabularyin English and in their
Primary Language. Instead of keeping these two language stores separate, and in some cases
keeping these concepts communicated in both languages separate, we can create common stores
by attending to both of the students languages:
To really understand and interact with the concepts we are learning in school. At NIS, I picture
this looking like 1) Teachers instructing in English and reading/writing in English in class. 2)
Allowing students to discuss the topics and vocabulary in both their primary language and
English to foster comprehension. 3) Giving students resources in their primary language (like a
different version of their textbook or an article) to add to their English resources as a part of
homework or in class, 4) Allow students to discuss the issues again in class after using their
resource in their primary language to support their understanding of the concepts just taught in
English the day before. Strategies such translating activitieswriting an essay in Mandarin then
trying to translate it to English in way that communicates the same ideas and meaning while have
to change the word choices and idiomatic or metaphorical language would be beneficial as
welland the parents can interact with the quality of work and the subject students are learning
too! Family engagement influences success in school as well.