Social Sciences Instructional Strategies: Preferences and Practices of Public Secondary School Teachers in Kasibu East District, Nueva Vizcaya

Effective teaching strategies are crucial for fostering meaningful learning and enhancing learners' critical thinking, civic competence, and active engagement in the Social Sciences. This study explored the instructional strategies, preferences, and practices of Social Studies teachers in public secondary schools. It specifically outlined the demographic characteristics of the respondents, assessed the effectiveness of teaching methods, identified factors influencing their use, investigated challenges faced during implementation, and proposed suitable interventions to enhance Social Studies teaching. A descriptive-survey research design was utilized, involving 24 Social Studies teachers from public secondary schools selected through total population sampling. Data collection was conducted using a researcher-developed and validated questionnaire, with analysis performed using frequency, percentage, weighted mean, and standard deviation. The results indicated that respondents viewed their teaching methods as effective (M = 4.15, SD = 0.58), with learner-centered approaches, such as games and simulations, role-playing, brainstorming, and dramatization, receiving the highest evaluations. Factors affecting the use of teaching methods were rated as strongly agreeing (M = 4.49, SD = 0.50), emphasizing the significance of instructional planning, teacher competence, supportive supervision, and sufficient learning resources. However, challenges such as a lack of instructional materials, inadequate funding, and time limitations were identified as significant obstacles to effective teaching (M = 3.93, SD = 0.65). Respondents strongly endorsed interventions such as providing instructional materials, enhancing professional development, improving instructional supervision, and increasing financial support (M = 4.66, SD = 0.47). Strengthening institutional support and maintaining learner-centered teaching practices are vital for improving the quality of Social Studies instruction and student learning outcomes.