MATSEC SEC Social Studies study plan

Map the full SEC Social Studies syllabus into a one-page checklist of every named topic and skill area, then rate your confidence on each from 1 to 5

Define the core vocabulary of the discipline (society, culture, institution, socialisation, citizenship, democracy, rights and duties) in your own words without copying textbook wording

Distinguish between the personal, family, community, national and global levels at which social issues are studied, giving one concrete Maltese example for each level

Set up a revision system: a dated notebook, a glossary file and a weekly self-test slot in your calendar

Describe how the family, school, peer group, media and religion each act as agents of socialisation, and explain what each one transmits

Compare changing family structures in Malta (nuclear, single-parent, blended, extended, same-sex, lone-person households) and identify the social and economic causes behind the changes

Explain the roles, rights and responsibilities of family members at different life stages, including the responsibilities of adult children towards elderly parents

Identify two social services or legal protections in Malta that support families in difficulty and state what each provides

Trace the main stages of human development from infancy to old age and name the key needs and challenges of each stage

Explain how identity is formed through gender, age, ethnicity, religion, disability and social class, and give an example of stereotyping attached to each

Analyse how prejudice and discrimination operate at personal, cultural and institutional levels, distinguishing them clearly

Describe the work of at least two bodies in Malta that combat discrimination or protect vulnerable groups, and state the remedy each can offer

Explain the functions of the main institutions of the Maltese state (President, Parliament, Government, courts, local councils) and how they check one another

Distinguish between the roles of the individual, the state, the private sector and voluntary organisations in meeting social needs

Describe the main features of the Maltese welfare system, including contributory benefits, non-contributory benefits and the role of NGOs

Practise interpreting short data or text extracts about social provision and drawing two supported conclusions from each

Explain the difference between rights and duties and give examples of civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights

Outline the protections in the European Convention on Human Rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and identify which article applies to a given scenario

Analyse two current Maltese social issues (for example housing costs, migration, an ageing population, mental health, or work-life balance) using evidence rather than opinion

Distinguish fact, opinion, bias and propaganda in short media extracts, and explain how each can distort public debate

Explain how local councils, national government, the EU and the UN operate at different levels to address social problems, and give one example of action at each level

Describe how citizens participate beyond voting: consultation exercises, petitions, referenda, volunteering, trade unions, NGOs and social media campaigns

Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of two forms of participation using stated criteria such as effectiveness, representativeness and accountability

Explain how migration, an ageing population and digital technology are changing Maltese society and what responses they demand

Complete two full past-paper or specimen papers under timed conditions, then classify every lost mark by cause: unknown content, misread question, weak structure or poor time management

Drill the command words used in the exam (describe, explain, discuss, evaluate, compare) and match each to the depth of answer it requires

Build a bank of reusable examples and statistics from Malta and the EU, and practise inserting them into answers without losing the thread of the argument

Practise the source-based and data-response questions, including how to quote evidence and how to attribute a viewpoint

Revise only the weakest areas identified in the error log, re-testing each one until you can answer without notes

Rehearse the standard essay structure under time pressure: define the key term, state a position, develop three points with evidence, address a counter-argument, conclude

Condense the whole syllabus into a two-page final revision sheet of definitions, key examples and answer templates

Sit one final timed paper and confirm that timing, question selection and handwriting stamina hold up