History 'a closed book' for British youth

British youth was dismissed yesterday by Encyclopaedia Britannica as "a generation of

historical philistines", ignorant of some of the key events in its island story.

The world's most authoritative reference book found in a survey that most 15- to 24-
year-olds did not know what happened on D-Day, how long Queen Victoria reigned or
even who invented television - the medium most commonly blamed for dumbing them
down.

Well over a third of them failed the most famous trick question in popular English
history: how many wives did Henry VIII have?

Britannica said these most recent school leavers "miserably failed to recognise
landmark events in British history", with a quarter of them having no interest in bygone
days. In its indictment the encyclopaedia added: "Hours spent in the classroom are
wasted on Britain's youth." But knowledge was also sorely lacking among adults

Britannica based its strictures on a telephone survey of 1,000 adults in October.

Only a quarter of young people (compared with 36% of adults) knew that Richard III was
a 15th century king. Only 19% (and 38% of adults) knew Victoria reigned for 64 years.

Only 26% (63% of adults) recognised D-Day as the date of the Normandy landings in
1944. Some 57% (65%) knew that Henry VIII had six wives. Only 33% (65%) named
John Logie Baird as the inventor of TV. And 31% (43%) knew that St George's Day is
celebrated on April 23.

Christine Hodgson, a Britannica marketing executive, said: "As a nation whose history
has shaped the face of the world, it seems incredible that the younger generation have
decided to dismiss it.

"Britain in particular is envied for its rich history - it's a real shame that the young take so
much for granted. I think it's time for all of us - not just young people - to hit the books
again."
Winston Churchill didn't really exist, say teens

A fifth of British teenagers believe Sir Winston Churchill was a fictional character, while
many think Sherlock Holmes, King Arthur and Eleanor Rigby were real, a survey shows.
King Arthur is the mythical figure most commonly mistaken for fact - almost two thirds of
teens (65 per cent) believe that he existed and led a round table of knights at Camelot.

Sherlock Holmes, the detective, was so convincingly brought to life in Sir Arthur Conan
Doyle's novels, their film versions and television series, that 58 per cent of respondents
believe that the sleuth really lived at 221B Baker Street.

Fifty-one per cent of respondents believed that Robin Hood lived in Sherwood Forest,
robbing the rich to give to the poor, while 47 per cent believed Eleanor Rigby was a real
person rather than a creation of The Beatles.

The study also shows a marked change in how people acquire their historical
knowledge these days. More than three-quarters of those polled (77 per cent) admitted
they did not read history books, and 61 per cent said that they changed channels rather
than watch historical programmes on television.

Paul Moreton, the channel head of UKTV Gold, which commissioned the poll, said that
while there was no excuse for demoting real historical figures such as Churchill, the
elevation of mythical figures to real life showed the impact good films could have in
shaping the public consciousness.

"Stories like Robin Hood are so inspiring that it's not surprising people like to believe
these characters truly existed," he said.
Younger Americans Get Much Lower Grades Than
Their Elders on History Quiz
How well do Americans do when given a quiz asking them to name the country with
which key historical figures are identified? Not badly, as it turns out, although the
findings show definitively that accurate historical knowledge is almost directly correlated
with age. The older the American, apparently, the better he or she has absorbed the
facts of history.

In a survey conducted May 5-7, Gallup asked Americans to identify the nations
associated with several historical figures. The overwhelming majority of Americans
(87%) correctly name Germany as the country associated with Adolf Hitler. Seventy-
three percent successfully link Indira Gandhi with India, and a similar percentage (70%)
correctly associate Winston Churchill with Great Britain, England, or the United
Kingdom. For Napoleon Bonaparte, 65% correctly tie his name to France.

Historical Knowledge Improves With Age and Education

The latest poll shows that a person's ability to correctly associate a historical figure with
the proper country varies greatly by a person's age and education.

These findings suggest, in fact, a deficit of knowledge among younger Americans (18-
29), who are significantly less accurate in associating names with countries than are
their elders. Although 79% of 18- to 29-year-olds can put Hitler with Germany, and 63%
can associate Gandhi and India, only a bare majority -- 51% -- link Napoleon with
France, and just 34% associate Churchill with England. These numbers pale in
comparison to the percentage of adults aged 50-64 who correctly associate Hitler
(93%), Gandhi (82%), Napoleon (77%) and Churchill (71%) with the appropriate
country.

It is also important to note that correct name-to-country association drops to even lower
levels among teenagers. A Gallup Poll Youth Survey conducted earlier this year asked
teens, aged 13-17, the above questions. Just 66% of American teens associated Hitler
with Germany, and 41% put Indira Gandhi with India. Thirty-six percent of teens put
Napoleon with France, and only 25% could link Churchill to England. Interestingly, even
among teens, the younger subgroup -- those 13-15 -- was less accurate in its
knowledge than was the older subgroup (those 16-17).

Not surprisingly, adults who have attended college are significantly more likely to give
correct answers to these questions than are those who did not attend college. For
adults with a high school education or less, 79% know Hitler was associated with
Germany, 59% place Gandhi with India, and 48% know that Napoleon and Churchill
belong with France and England, respectively. For those who say they have attended at
least some college, the numbers increase dramatically. Ninety-two percent assign Hitler
correctly; 82%, Gandhi; 75%, Napoleon; and 66%, Churchill.

Survey Methods
The results below are based on telephone interviews with a randomly selected national
sample of 1,031 adults, 18 years and older, conducted May 5-7, 2000. For results
based on this sample, one can say with 95 percent confidence that the maximum error
attributable to sampling and other random effects is plus or minus 3 percentage points.
In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting
surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public o

Top 10 Ways to Increase Your Students’ Interest in a

Subject
1 – Make them see it as part of their daily life

Try as hard as you can to find a way to relate the subject to their daily lives. It will make
it much more likely for them to be invested in what you are explaining. For example, if
the subject is literature, try to show what they can learn from the characters’ behaviour
that they can apply to their own lives.

2 – Make it fun

Yes, sometimes, some subjects are just not fun. You are well aware of it, but you still
have to teach this “boring” subject to them. How about making the learning process a bit
more fun? You can try to create some kind of competition, or game, that can help them
to learn, or maybe even use songs or videos. Sometimes, even a funny cartoon can be
what you need to make them have a laugh and never forget the subject.
3 – Show the relevance to their future careers

Students think that, at the end of the day, they are at school so they can get ready to
get good jobs in the future. This is how most of the people (parents included) see school
nowadays, unfortunately. So take advantage of it, and try to relate your subject to how it
can be applied in a work environment. Tell them all about how doctors, engineers, IT
developers, writers or dancers can use that information to become successful.

4 – Let them participate in the whole process

If you want to see your students really engaged about something, let them participate.
And not only after you distribute the tasks but from the very beginning. Ask them for
input on the subject that will be presented, which resources will be used and how they
will be evaluated. And talking of resources…

5 – Use multiple resources

To avoid students’ sleeping on their desks during your presentation, try using multiple
resources. The human voice can be very hypnotizing to some people, and others are
easy distracted by it, as you know. Bring videos, music, slideshows, toys and games,
tell stories, bring in a special guest for a talk.

6 – Make it personal

Try to relate the subject to your own life and circumstances. You don’t necessarily have
to tell a private story about yourself, but tell them something about how you felt when
you got in touch with that subject for the very first time, or how you have applied it in
your life so far.

7 – Leave the exams for later

Do not start the conversation about the new subject telling them about a test on the
material. Unless the assessment will be more engaging and fun (think Project Base
Learning, inquiry learning, etc), this should be the final part of the process and not a
source of anxiety.

8 – Change the environment

Sitting in a classroom for a whole day is hardly anyone’s ideal day, especially if you are
young and full of energy.
So why not move the class to a different environment and see how it affects their
learning process? Try taking them to museums, beaches, for a nature walk, or even to
the school’s backyard. Even the fresh air on their face might help to keep them alert and
more interested.

9 – Make it achievable

If you scare them by saying that this is a very complex subject and that they will be in
trouble if they don’t manage to learn it, you are bound to fail. Students usually overreact
under pressure and don't see these messages as a challenge at all. Try to take steps
that help them feel they are capable of learning the material.

10 – Understand their interests

And in order to make any of the tips above work, it is mandatory that you know your
students’ interests. If you know about their hobbies and goals, you may be able to better
relate the subject to their lives.

Conclusion

Getting the best from your students might not be easy – but we should try to achieve it
all the time, ‘boring’ subjects included. Remember that things have changed and what
worked for you might not work for a class of children or teenagers nowadays. They have
different demands and have to live up to new expectations, so be prepared to
understand them and offer the best class you can.

 
Quotes from the famous people
 We are not makers of history. We are made by history. Martin Luther King, Jr
 History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social
transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence
of the good people. Martin Luther King, Jr. 
 Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it. George
Santayana
 History never really says goodbye. History says, 'See you later.' Eduardo
Galeano
 Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the
indifference of those who should have known better; the silence of the voice of
justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to triumph. Haile
Selassie
 You may write me down in history with your bitter, twisted lines. You may trod me
in the very dirt, but still, like dust, I'll rise. Maya Angelou
 There is nothing new in the world except the history you do not know. Harry S
Truman
 The library is the temple of learning, and learning has liberated more people than
all the wars in history. Carl T. Rowan
 Fellow citizens, we cannot escape history. We, of this Congress and this
administration, will be remembered in spite of ourselves. No personal
significance, or insignificance, can spare one or another of us. The fiery trial
through which we pass will light us down in honor or dishonor, to the latest
generation. Abraham Lincoln
 The history of all previous societies has been the history of class struggles. Karl
Marx