Student teachers’ understandings and practices for teaching “controversial issues” in the high school History curriculum

To prepare active citizens for participation in national and global societies, schools cannot remain on the sidelines of controversial issues that may divide society. This paper presents the results of an exploratory study to characterize the teaching practices of secondary History student teachers when addressing controversial issues in recent History. Findings show that participants understood that addressing controversial issue was problematic and evidenced a linear, chronological and sequential conception of History. This can be explained by how university faculty models the teaching of History and student teachers’ vulnerability to criticism if they depart from prevailing practices.