Social Studies Courses

History                                                               

• Aims and Objectives

• The aim of history teaching at Praht Thai School is to stimulate the children’s interest and understanding about the life of people who lived in the past. We teach children a sense of chronology, and through this they develop a sense of identity, and a cultural understanding based on their historical heritage. Thus they learn to value their own Thai traditions, history and culture and other people’s cultures and history in the context of the modern multicultural society.

 By understanding and considering how people lived in the past, they are better able to make their own life choices today. At Praht Thai School, history makes a significant contribution to a student’s overall education by teaching about how Thailand developed as a democratic society. We teach children to understand how events in the past have influenced our lives today; we also teach them to investigate these past events and, by so doing, to develop the skills of enquiry, analysis, interpretation and problem-solving.

• The objectives of teaching history at Praht Thai School are:
• to foster in children an interest in the past, and to develop an understanding that enables them to enjoy all that history has to offer;
• to enable children to know about significant events in both Thai and world history, and to appreciate how things have changed over time;
• to develop a sense of chronology;
• to know and understand how a chosen system of democratic government has developed and, in so doing, to contribute to a child’s social awareness and positive citizen education;
• to understand how Thailand is part of a wider Asian culture, and to study further aspects of Asian and world history;
• to understand aspects of the history of other world cultures;
• to have some knowledge and understanding of historical development in the wider world;
• to help children understand society and their place within it, so that they develop a sense of their cultural heritage;
• to develop in children the skills of enquiry, investigation, analysis, evaluation and presentation.
• Teaching and Learning Style

 

• History teaching focuses on enabling children to think as historians. We place an emphasis on examining historical artefacts and primary sources. In each grade we give children the opportunity to visit sites of historical significance. We encourage visitors to come into the school and talk about their experiences of events in the past. We recognise and value the importance of stories in history teaching, and we regard this as an important way of stimulating interest in the past. We focus on helping children understand that historical events can be interpreted in different ways, and that they should always ask questions about information they are given.

History is an important part of a students learning programme. Know the past and design the future.

 

Geography                                                         

• Aims and Objectives

• Geography teaches an understanding of places and environments. Through their work in geography, children learn about their local area, and they compare their life in this area with that in other regions in the rest of the world. They learn how to draw and interpret maps, and they develop the skills of research, investigation, analysis and problem-solving. Through their growing knowledge and understanding of human geography, children gain an appreciation of life in other cultures. Geography teaching also motivates children to find out about the physical world, and enables them to recognise the importance of sustainable development for the future of mankind. Learning centres from Thailand to Asia to the world at large.

 

• The objectives of teaching geography in our school are:
• to enable children to gain knowledge and understanding of places, regions and environmental patterns in the world;
• to increase children’s knowledge of other cultures and, in so doing, teach a respect and understanding of what it means to be a positive citizen in Thailand and in other countries of the world;
• to allow children to learn graphic skills, including how to use, draw and interpret maps;
• to enable children to know and understand environmental problems at a local, regional and global level;
• to encourage in children a commitment to sustainable development, and an appreciation of what ‘global citizenship’ means;
• to develop in children a variety of other skills, including those of enquiry, problem-solving, ICT, investigation, and that of presenting their conclusions in the most appropriate way.
•  Teaching and Learning Style

•  We use a variety of teaching and learning styles in our geography lessons. We believe in whole-class teaching methods, and we combine these with enquiry-based research activities. We encourage children to ask as well as answer geographical questions. We offer them the opportunity to use a variety of data, such as maps, statistics, graphs, pictures, and aerial photographs, and we enable them to use ICT in geography lessons where this serves to enhance their learning. Children take part in role-play and discussions, and they present reports to the rest of the class. They engage in a wide variety of problem-solving activities. Wherever possible, we involve the children in ‘real’ geographical activities, for example research of a local environmental problem, or use of the Internet to investigate a current issue.

History and Geography are also encapsulated in our overall Moral Teaching commitment.
These subject areas are intertwined with understanding and discussion on social issues and the learning about famous people, Thai and global landmarks and the significance of historical periods in Thailand and the world.