Which characteristic poses a challenge in social studies for ESL learners?

The characteristic that poses a challenge in social studies for ESL learners is background knowledge. Social studies often involves concepts, historical events, cultural references, and societal structures that may not be familiar to students who are new to the language and the cultural context of the material. For ESL learners, the lack of background knowledge can lead to misunderstandings and difficulties in grasping key concepts and engaging with the content. This gap can hinder their ability to make connections between the new information and their existing knowledge base, impacting their overall comprehension and learning experience in the subject. By strengthening background knowledge through scaffolding, pre-teaching, or incorporating relevant cultural contexts, educators can help ESL students better understand and engage with social studies content.