Is it possible to teach children how to read history deeply, that is, to offer
them an experience of interpreting history? Also, is it necessary to do so?
Detailed discussions on social studies classes in consideration of these issues
are needed. Based on such recognition and citing examples of
interpretation-focused learning of history in Britain, this paper clarifies the
principle of class structure for fostering “reading comprehension”, for which
there is a growing need in Japan for the learning of history in social studies
classes.
Citing the examples of history textbooks in Britain, this paper shows the
class structure of interpretation-focused learning of history. This learning is
merely an experience activity of being a historian, where students
themselves describe history. This method fosters logical reading
comprehension by gathering experiences of being a historian in a phased
manner. For the practice of history education in social studies in Japan,
fostering reading comprehension is not considered to a significant issue.
This paper points out that such reading comprehension can be fostered
through interpretation-focused learning of history.