Grade 10 - Self and Society (Building Community)

This sub-organizer contains the following sections:
Prescribed Learning Outcomes
Suggested Instructional Strategies
Suggested Assessment Strategies
Recommended Learning Resources

PRESCRIBED LEARNING OUTCOMES

It is expected that students will use language to help establish and maintain relationships within the school and community, to collaborate to get things done, and to value and support others.

It is expected that students will:

interact purposefully, confidently, and respectfully in a variety of situations
demonstrate respect for cultural differences
demonstrate an awareness of the relationship of language to group and community membership
acknowledge and paraphrase views that differ from their own and reassess their own viewpoints
use language appropriate to specific audiences and purposes to celebrate special events and accomplishments

To view the prescribed learning outcomes for Self and Society (Building Community) in other grades click on an icon below.

SUGGESTED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

Familiarity with people from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures can deepen understanding and appreciation. As students explore similarities and differences in society, they are better able to appreciate the uniqueness and contributions of others.

To create a classroom community, help students develop classroom rules and consequences that everyone can live with.
Have each student research a rite of passage in our society such as the first driver's licence, high school graduation, confirmation, Bar Mitzvah, naming ceremonies, or reaching voting age. Ask each student to produce a poster that describes the history and cultural significance of any ceremony related to a particular rite of passage, the importance of the event to the individual experiencing it, who is invited to the event, and any specific language attached to the celebration.
Invite students to discuss elements in other languages and cultures they are familiar with that show respect, status, gender, or age (e.g., "baby talk" in English, bowing to those of higher status in Korea).
Have students read a piece of literature containing four main characters. Then arrange students in groups of four and ask each student to adopt one of the roles. Have each of the groups brainstorm questions to ask each character. The students playing the roles are then responsible for preparing answers to the questions relating to their roles. The students playing the same character in each group are then "placed on the hot seat" and interviewed by the class. Discuss similarities and differences in students' responses.

SUGGESTED ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES

The most valid assessment of students' skills and appreciation for community comes from observing the way they listen and respond to their classmates. Structured assignments can help to reinforce and monitor their skills and awareness.

When students are engaged in discussions and research about how language is related to group membership, status, gender, or age, look for evidence that they are able to:
- recognize the factors that influence their own perspectives
- be objective and analytical in describing and comparing differences among groups
- respect the differences they observe
- draw logical conclusions and generalizations about the factors that affect how different groups use language
To extend and assess students' skills for offering and responding to divergent ideas and opinions, choose an area in which they are likely to have different opinions (e.g., music, entertainment, leisure activities, fast-food outlets). Select groups of three (try to group students who are likely to have different opinions) and have each group engage in a three- to five-minute informal discussion in front of the class in which they offer and justify their opinions.
Divide the classroom in half so that half of the class watches one discussion while the other half watches another. At the end of the discussion, ask each participant to offer a one-sentence summary of the views presented by each of the others. Discuss the strategies students used and assess the extent to which they were able to offer and support their own views while showing respect and consideration for other perspectives. This activity is brief and can be frequently repeated. Not all students need to be part of a discussion group on the same day.