This study aimed to assess social studies teachers' legal literacy levels and their perspectives on legal literacy education. The study was conducted with 160 social studies teachers in the first stage and 10 selected teachers in the second. Instruments were the legal literacy scale and a semi-structured interview form. Quantitative data were…

The aim of the study is to examine the effect of teaching activities supported with metaconceptual processes on 7th grade students' conceptual understandings and attitudes of law related concepts in social studies course when compared with traditional instruction. In this quasi-experimental study, convenience-sampling method was used. This study…

The aim of the present study is to identify the approach of social studies pre-service teachers to legal topics in the "Basic Law" lesson within the Social Studies Teaching Bachelor's Degree Program. A case study based on qualitative research methods was employed. The study group consisted of 57 social studies pre-service teachers. Data…

This article is drawn from the authors' book, "Judging for Themselves: Using Mock Trials to Bring Social Studies and English to Life," which discusses the effectiveness of mock trials as tools for learning and assessments. Mock trials are effective because they are challenging, authentic projects in which students create and then do…

The trial of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg on charges of conspiring to spy for the Soviet Union remains one of the defining moments of the Cold War era. The dramatic allegations of stolen atomic secrets and networks of Communist spies riveted the public's attention. The determination of government prosecutors reflected a widely shared belief that the…

Law-related topics arise in the school curricula of both developed and developing countries. Civics/citizenship education and social studies tend to be the curricular mediums into which law topics are inserted. This paper details law education at school level in Australia (State of Victoria) and Pakistan. The main challenge facing the…

At the heart of the Western intellectual tradition, particularly the value it places on the critical analysis of civic life, or social studies, lies the story of a trial. If the story of a trial lies at the root of social studies, then it comes as no surprise that many teachers find that trials can serve as excellent teaching tools, especially for…

This article provides an example of a social studies lesson from Turkish educational context in order to facilitate comparison with examples of social studies lessons from other parts of the world. This lesson was recorded in a 7th grade class at a middle school in one of the metropolitan neighborhoods in Istanbul. According to the current…

Defining law-related education (LRE) as "education to equip nonlawyers with knowledge and skills pertaining to the law, the legal process, and the legal system, and the fundamental principles and values on which these are based, this Digest outlines four essential elements of LRE. These are: (1) subject matter and concepts; (2) instructional…

This booklet introduces ideas and materials for Law Day activities. Celebrated on May 1, Law Day is an annual opportunity to expand awareness of U.S. laws and the justice system and their valuable impact on our lives. The primary purpose of Law Day is to provide the opportunity for the public to reflect on U.S. legal heritage, the role of law in…

This resource guide is intended to help teachers lead their students through an exploration of the issues and story of "After Chicago v. Morales." The guide explains that in 1992 the city of Chicago (Illinois) passed an ordinance authorizing the police to arrest people in a group if they failed to move along or were thought to belong to…

Discussing civil and criminal law, state and federal courts, and law in the workplace and marriage, this article provides a quick look at legal issues apt to be important to the average person. The article demonstrates how student's lives, work, and families are affected by the law. (GEA)

Youth courts spread rapidly around the country in the 1990s, sharing important goals with law-related education (LRE), including a strong potential to improve the citizenship skills of young people. Youth court is a general term describing courts that involve young people in the sentencing of their peers. This technical bulletin provides an…

According to the Law Related Education Act of 1978, Law-Related Education (LRE) can be defined as "education to equip nonlawyers with knowledge and skills pertaining to the law, the legal process, the legal system, and the fundamental principles and values on which these are based." LRE teaches essential concepts of democracy, including…

Most agree that the event now simply known as 9/11 proved to be a turning point in U.S. history. Nothing will ever be the same again politically, legally, and socially. Besides being the most devastating workplace disaster to occur in New York City and the nation, it was a moment that defined a generation and rivals similar generation-defining…