This paper summarizes a video in which a primary school teacher, David Kitts, provides an example of his own lesson given to a grade of bilingual Native American children. The teacher’s main aims are to introduce the concepts of the passage of time and historical change to the class and to teach the children to identify similarities and differences between things. Other aims include showing children both their uniqueness and similarity to other people, accustoming them to diversity, and developing their knowledge of the English language.
To facilitate the introduction of the concept of the passage of time to his students, Kitts employs visual aids (the board with the timeline). He familiarizes the children with the concept by talking about events of the recent past that the students are acquainted with (e.g. a recently burned trading post, birthdays of children and their ancestors) and showing what is common between these and other analogous events in farther past (e.g. construction of the trading post, birthdays of the children’s parents and ancestors).
Kitts, employing children’s literature about two farmers (one of the farmers is from the present, the other – from the past), further acquaints them with the concept. The teacher develops children’s ability to contrast and compare by asking them to find objects that are either common (vegetables, houses) or different (ox-carts, candles, electric lights) for the two farmers, and draw them on the “time wheel”; he also offers to find substitutes for the objects used only by one of the farmers.
Showing children’s uniqueness and accustoming them to diversity are developed by the technique of looking for differences and similarities, as well. The teacher also aims to improve other children’s skills, such as knowledge of their second language, English. To achieve that, Kitts makes them write and say full sentences while describing differences and similarities. To get the students’ attention, the teacher takes advantage of their preferences, such as love for turning and moving objects (makes “time wheels”), love for the company (employs group work and pair work).
Thus, various techniques are used by Kitts to improve children’s existing skills, give them new knowledge and tie it to their previous experience, and make the students more socially integrated.
Reference
Kitts, D. (2003). Historical change. Web.