Adequacy of the Social Studies Curriculum in terms of Cultural Literacy Skills

Abstract

Being culturally literate means being prone and competent to be sensitive to one's own and others' identities, heritages, and cultures. It is very important for students to learn about other cultures and races in order to avoid unnecessary prejudices. In this sense, cultural literacy is a powerful educational tool used to adopt one's own culture and to develop understanding and respect for different cultures and people. Indeed, cultural literacy can be a window for other students to experience new ways of seeing the world as a rich and complex place. This study aims to reveal the adequacy of the Social Studies Curriculum updated in 2017 in terms of cultural literacy skills. The data of the research, which was carried out by adopting a qualitative research approach, were obtained through document analysis. The data obtained from the research were analyzed in accordance with the document review stages. In this context, seven learning areas within the Social Studies Curriculum were examined in detail.

Keywords

• Social studies
• Curriculum
• Cultural literacy

References

1. Anning, B. (2010). Embedding an indigenous graduate attribute into University of Western Sydney’s courses. The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, 39(1), 40-52.
2. Broudy, H. S. (1990). Cultural literacy and general education. The Journal of Aesthetic Education, 24(1), 7-16.
3. Doğanay, A. (2008). Evaluation of the new Social Studies program in the light of contemporary social studies understanding. Ç.Ü. Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi, 17(2), 77-96.
4. Heller, M. (1987). The role of language in the formation of ethnic identity. In J. S. Phinney & M. J. Rotheram (Eds.), Children’s ethnic socialization: Pluralism and development (pp. 180-200). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
5. Hirsch, E. (1983). Cultural literacy. The American Scholar, 52(2), 159-169.
6. Hirsch, E. (1985). “Cultural literacy” doesn’t mean “core curriculum”. English Journal, 74, 47-49.
7. Hirsch, E. (1987). Cultural literacy: What every American needs to know. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
8. Hirsch, E., Kett, J. F., & Trefil, J. S. (1987). Cultural literacy: What every American needs to know. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

9. MEB (2018). Sosyal bilgiler dersi öğretim programı (İlkokul ve ortaokul 4, 5, 6 ve 7. sınıflar). Ankara: Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı.
10. NCSS (1993). The social studies professional. Washington DC: National Council for the Social Studies.
11. Ochoa, G. G., McDonald, S., & Monk, N. (2016). Embedding cultural literacy in higher education: A new appro- ach. Intercultural Education, 27(6), 546-559.
12. Riecken, T. J., & Court, D. (1992). Extending cultural literacy. The Journal of Educational Thought, 26(2), 152-163.
13. Rosen, R. (2000). Global literacies: Lessons on business leadership and national cultures: A landmark study of CEOs from 28 countries. Retrieved from http://www.simo nandschuster.com/books/Global-Literacies/Robert-H-Rosen/9780684859026
14. Shliakhovchuk, E. (2021) After cultural literacy: New models of intercultural competency for life and work in a VUCA world. Educational Review, 73(2), 229-250.
15. Yıldırım, A., & Şimşek, H. (2016). Qualitative research methods in the social sciences. Ankara: Seçkin Yayıncılık.