Social studies subject curriculum (SAF1-02)

Basic skills are integrated in the competence aims where they contribute to development of the competence in the subject, while also being part of this competence. In the social studies subject the basic skills are understood as follows:

Being able to express oneself orally and in writing in social studies means telling other about events in the past and the present, explaining about places and facts and applying definitions, concepts and terms to explain causes and effects in connection with society and culture. It also means being able to present one's own work clearly and comprehensibly to others, and being able to discuss one's own presentations as well as those of others. The ability to express oneself orally and in writing means being able to reflect on the content of meaning in texts, images, film and artefacts, and being able to compare, argue and discuss the value of information and sources, and in hypotheses and models.

Being able to read in social studies means to read, examine, interpret and reflect on factual prose texts and fiction containing increasing levels of difficulty in order to experience contact with other periods, places and people. Being able to read also means processing and using varied information from images, film, drawings, graphs, tables, globes and maps. To understand and participate actively in the society we live in, it is also necessary to be able to read and collect information from reference books, newspapers and the internet, and to assess this information critically.

Numeracy in social studies means processing and comparing figures relating to topics in the subject, and using, processing and preparing graphic presentations. Numeracy in social studies also involves undertaking quantitative surveys, using map scales and time calculations.

Digital skills in social studies means being able to search for information, explore websites, critically assess sources, exercise netiquette and select relevant information on topics in the subject. Digital skills also means being knowledgeable about privacy protection and copyrights, and being able to use and comply with rules and norms that apply to internet-based communication. Using digital communication and cooperation tools means preparing, presenting and publishing one's own and joint multimedia products, and communicating and cooperating with pupils from other schools and countries.