Digital technologies collapse distance and accelerate the speed at which information travels. This has made it easier for children to encounter violent clashes from across the globe. Thus, the digital era has raised new questions for educators about how to teach current events in an increasingly globalized world. When children have easy access to…

Teaching controversial issues can be challenging for any teacher, but especially so when the teacher is a cultural outsider. In this article, we provide a snapshot of one social studies educator's experiences teaching about two hotly contested elections--the 2016 U.S. presidential election and the 2017 Korean special election--to middle school…

In the last few years, xenophobic rhetoric and policies have sharply increased across the world and is especially apparent in the rise of far right political parties in Europe, the Brexit vote in Great Britain, and the election of Donald Trump in the United States. In these times, teachers have a responsibility to stand for values of inclusion and…

Social studies teachers are constantly seeking ways to connect the past with the present, the near with the far, the familiar with the esoteric. One of the most powerful ways to create such connections is through the integration of current events into social studies lessons (Silverman 2003; Turner 1995). Current events promote students' oral and…

Student understanding and motivation are increased if history is taught from the present to the past with an emphasis on current affairs and their effect on the student

The newspaper is a source of up-to-date and compelling information that teachers can use to teach current events. In this article, the author discusses why it makes sense for social studies educators to use newspapers in their classrooms. He also presents information about the Newspaper in Education (NIC) program and explains how interested…

In many social studies classes learning is made "relevant" by simply presenting contemporary issues and current affairs. However, when teaching about issues, certain decisions need to be made concerning content and techniques. The author makes a suggestion that the major content focus on not merely understanding the problems facing society, but…

In most school settings, textbooks, which can be static and frequently outdated, are the major source of instruction about societal and science issues. Educators, however, want students to be less reliant on the static, sometimes dated, information and didactic instructions found in those books and to be more active in gathering their own…

With proper inquiry into pertinent source material, a teacher can spark discussion and intelligent analysis of current issues on days when planned curriculum is not productive. Preplanning and questions for a discussion on Vietnam are offered as an example for teacher preparation. (DE)

Asserts that one of the most important goals of education should be to help students become responsible citizens who want to be informed about contemporary events. Recommends instructional techniques and current event issues to encourage student curiosity and involvement. Includes an annotated listing of teacher resources. (CFR)

Describes a current affairs program involving the examination of social issues in a Canadian elementary school. Discusses significant aspects of the program, including the debate format, the use of computers, and a partnership with a local cable television company. Includes an appendix of the debating/talk-show format used. (CFR)