Weaving ELA Skills into Social Studies Instruction

This workshop helps teachers meaningfully integrate English Language Arts skills into social studies instruction, strengthening students’ literacy while deepening historical understanding. Educators explore how reading, writing, speaking, and listening strategies can be embedded in history lessons through analysis of primary/secondary sources, annotation, debates, and evidence-based writing. The session highlights best practices such as scaffolding, vocabulary development, Socratic seminars, and DBQs (Document-Based Questions). By weaving ELA into social studies, participants learn to foster critical thinking, improve communication, and prepare students for real-world civic and academic challenges.

• Students often struggle with complex historical texts due to weak reading comprehension and vocabulary skills.
  
  
• Social studies instruction that lacks opportunities for evidence-based writing and structured oral communication.
  
  
• Limited integration of ELA standards into social studies, leaving gaps in critical thinking, literacy, and real-world readiness.

1. Enhancing Literacy Through Historical Texts: Participants will learn strategies like annotation, vocabulary scaffolds, and jigsaw reading to help students analyze primary and secondary sources with greater accuracy and depth.
   
   
2. Strengthening Writing and Communication Skills: Teachers will practice designing argumentative and explanatory writing tasks (e.g., DBQs, RAFT assignments, persuasive letters) and oral activities such as debates, mock trials, and Socratic seminars.
   
   
3. Fostering Critical Thinking and Engagement: Educators will gain tools to guide students in evidence-based reasoning, perspective-taking, and informed discussion, ultimately building historical empathy, civic readiness, and college/career communication skills.