Learning Skills Development
Skill development requires systematic instruction within meaningful contexts,
immediately followed by opportunities to practise and apply new skills.
Social Studies tasks require both technical and cognitive skills, skills
that assist students to locate and process information, attain concepts,
learn new skills and develop understanding of values and attitudes. While
students use all of the skills, to some degree, in each grade, skill attainment
requires sequential learning within a development context. Therefore, the
skill or skills that provide the focus in one grade serve as the basis
for the skills to be learned in subsequent grades. However, teachers should
not assume that all students have achieved independence in a skill identified
at a lower grade level. Teachers need to make diagnostic assessments on
a continuous basis, and help students to develop skills as necessary.
Sequence of Skills (Grades 4-12)
Middle Level Skills
Key to Chart Symbols
This symbol indicates
the developmental level, by grade, at which students are formally introduced
to a skill or set of skills.
This symbol indicates that students are to practise the skill or set of
skills.
This symbol indicates that students are expected to become proficient at the skill or set of skills that they have been introduced to previously, and that they have had opportunities to practise for some time.
This symbol represents skills that are to be maintained, that is, used
and monitored on a continual basis.