Op/ed: Want Stronger Readers? Don’t Sideline Social Studies

To improve student literacy, districts around the state are looking for ways to increase English language arts (ELA) instruction time, with some proposing social studies cuts to accomplish.

Not so fast, advise a trio of University of Maryland education scholars in a new essay in Maryland Matters. Doing so might have the opposite of the intended effect, say Associate Professor Sarah McGrew, Social Studies Program Coordinator Allison Jovanovic and Civic Education and Engagement Initiative Director Lena Morreale Scott, all members of the College of Education. 

First, time in social studies can improve students’ literacy as much — if not more — than time in ELA. Social studies classrooms are filled with rich opportunities to read and learn to communicate through speaking and writing. They also help students build knowledge about the world that is fundamental to reading comprehension. A longitudinal study of first through fifth graders’ reading performance by researchers at the Fordham Institute found that social studies was the only subject “with a clear, positive, and statistically significant effect on reading improvement.” 

Elementary students who spent more time in social studies made substantially more reading progress compared to peers with less instructional time in social studies — and students from low-income families and those who speak English as a second language benefited the most. At the same time, more time spent in ELA lessons was not associated with improved reading performance.

Read the rest in Maryland Matters.