LAC 28:CXLVI.347. Social Studies Content Pedagogy Competencies

A. The teacher candidate scaffolds analysis and the use of evidence. 1. Plans and implements appropriate tasks using high-quality instructional materials that gradually scaffold students’ ability to examine evidence, compare claims and counterclaims, and develop reasoned interpretations. 2. Uses modeling, guided practice, gradual release, and technology to support learners in navigating primary, secondary, and tertiary sources, building content knowledge, and gathering relevant textual evidence. B. The teacher candidate anticipates learning needs to differentiate and provide access to grade-level social studies content standards for student mastery. 1. Adapts content and supports to align with students’ background knowledge, readiness, and linguistic needs without diluting rigor. 2. Provides multiple entry points to learning, such as visual supports, guided questions, or structured note-taking tools, so that all students can engage meaningfully in historical investigation. C. The teacher candidate utilizes questioning and discourse. 1. Facilitates structured, source-based discussion and questioning strategies that push students to demonstrate an understanding of social studies content and analyze, synthesize, and justify claims based on evidence. 2. Monitors and adjusts questioning in real-time to probe students’ thinking and clarify misunderstandings. D. The teacher candidate provides civic and ethical framing. 1. Connects past events, people, and ideas to the present to draw conclusions and explain current implications through discourse. 2. Encourages students to consider and understand different perspectives while ensuring discussions are based on evidence, not personal opinion. E. The teacher candidate assesses learning and provides focused, high-quality feedback. 1. Plans and implements formative and summative assessments, including performance tasks, document-based questions, essays, and projects, that align with disciplinary practices and standards. 2. Uses resources and tools from the high-quality instructional materials (e.g., rubrics and exemplars) to encourage students to reflect on thinking and reasoning while providing feedback that strengthens use of evidence, clarity of claims, and understanding of disciplinary concepts beyond simple factual recall. 3. Uses formative and summative assessments to make data-informed decisions to adjust instruction. F. The teacher candidate engages in unit and lesson internalization aligned to the Louisiana Social Studies Student Standards using high-quality instructional materials. 1. Maps units and lessons to social studies content standards as well as disciplinary skills and practices, ensuring coherence over time and vertical alignment across grades. 2. Embeds the progressive development of historical investigation, analytical skills, and disciplinary practices within each unit.