De viktiga samhällsfrågorna! : En kvalitativ studie av vilka didaktiska strategier som lärare i årskurs 1-3 har i arbetet med aktuella samhällsfrågor

The aim of this study is to find out which didactic strategies teachers use in grades 1-3 when they are working with current social issues in a social science classroom. Previous research in the field of social science is poorly studied and especially studies on how it is in the classroom. There are no studies for grades 1-3. In order to achieve the goal in this investigation, I have used interviews and observations as a method. The observation is done in three classes, one class for each grade. After the observations I have conducted interviews with the teachers of the classes. In order to analyse the subject matter, I have used Odenstad’s three profiles. The profiles are: orientation, analysis and discussion. With these three profiles I have categorized the content of the lessons. The result shows that there are both similarities and differences between the three teacher strategies and lessons. All teachers’ work is more or less between the orientation- and the discussion profile. Strategies that all three teachers use are to describe and explain to show association in the matter. One teacher has a strategy of using the subject of history to make associations. She also relates to the students' previous knowledge and impressions. Another teacher seems to have the strategy that the lesson about current social issues should give the students new concepts. Another strategy is to use a map of the world to make association in the matter. The last teacher also uses a world map to increase understanding and when she does it she take the opportunity to repeat the continents and countries. She also seems to have a strategy of using the social science lesson to train students to a suitable behaviour. Previous research shows, among other things, that social science is an invisible subject and that it works as a support to the other socially oriented subjects. In my study, I can see parts of that invisibility, but I can also see that social science is it’s own subject and a very living one