Intercultural Education in the Post-Primary School - National Council ...

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Most students do not want intentionally tohurt others, and, with this reminder, theymay strive to couch their comments in lessinflammatory language.Find out what students know and thinkabout an issue before beginning an inquiryFind out what they know about an issue,what they think they know but aren't sureabout, where their information comesfrom, and what questions they have. Theirresponses can come from directquestioning, brainstorming, groupdiscussions, and journal-writing.Expose students to multiple perspectivesAvoid classroom discussions on issues untilstudents have had an opportunity toresearch and explore the issue from avariety of perspectives. But remember,exposure to different points of view on acontroversial issue is necessary butinsufficient. Students may listen, view, orread only to support what they alreadythink or to find flaws, omissions,misinformation.A key habit of mind the teacher seeks todevelop through these processes is ‘criticalopenness’–both a disposition to be openmindedto others' views and the ability tosubject them to critical study, both thewillingness to suspend judgment and theability ultimately to reach reasonedconclusions that are open to change.Promote dialogue and active listeningStudents usually need help inunderstanding the differences betweendialogue and debate. Dialogue aims forunderstanding, enlargement of view,complicating one's thinking, an opennessto change. Dialogue requires real listening.It also requires humility.How can I dialogue if I always projectignorance onto others and never perceivemy own? How can I dialogue if I am closedto, and even offended by, the contributionof others?(Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed.)An excellent way to promote listening isby asking students to re-state theperspective of others. Have themparaphrase what they hear anotherstudent saying to gain this skill.Use active learning methodologiesStudents learn best when actively engagedin the learning. In teaching controversialissues it is important to provideopportunities for various kinds of groupdiscussions: pairs, conversation circles,panels, fishbowls. In addition activelearning methodologies can be useful inbuilding empathy (e.g. role-play) and inchallenging strongly held prejudices (e.g. asimulation game).Promote critical thinkingPromote skills of critical evaluation andencourage students to interrogateinformation, its origins and possible biases.Ask critical question to help students tounderstand the origins of their ideas andattitudes.Some examples of critical questioning• What is your current understanding of(state issue)?• Why do you think/feel that way?• Where have your perceptions andunderstanding come from?• How reliable is this information?• Where have your images come from?• What might be the role of the media ininfluencing how you see this situation?• What about other influences – friends,family, religion?• Can you imagine an alternative way ofseeing this issue? What might it be like?84Intercultural Education in the Post-Primary School
APPROACHES AND METHODOLOGIES 6When dealing with controversial issues,teachers should adopt strategies that teachstudents how to recognise bias, how toevaluate evidence put before them andhow to look for alternative interpretations,viewpoints and sources of evidence, aboveall to give good reasons for everything theysay and do, and to expect good reasons tobe given by others.(Bailey, 1998)The teacher’s role in dealing withcontroversial issues1. Examine yourselfWhat do you, the teacher, think and feelabout an issue? Why? Would you tellstudents at the outset what your viewsare so that they can allow for possiblebiases? Or should you not tell them, butguard against any inclinations tomanipulate and propagandise?2. Be responsive to students' feelingsand valuesvalues are likely to be revealed, forexamining a controversial issue is not abloodless exercise. Just as the teacher'srole is not to tell students what to thinkbut to help them learn how to think, sothat role is not to tell students whatfeelings and values to have but topromote an atmosphere in which theycan express them without fear, makethem explicit to themselves, andconsider their validity.3. Model respect and fairnessShow respect for all students and theirright to express their views. Showbalance in representing opposingpositions accurately and fairly.The teacher cannot pretend to beneutral and has a right to express anopinion too. But it is important to stateone’s own opinion in a way thatrespects others and does not serve toclose down the discussion.Through such techniques as thoseoutlined above, students' feelings andIntercultural Education in the Post-Primary School 85
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INTERCULTURAL EDUCATION IN THE POST
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CONTENTSINTRODUCTIONiCHAPTER 1 The
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INTRODUCTIONEducation is therefore
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Chapter 2 articulates the major ele
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The Context of Intercultural Educat
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THE CONTEXT OF INTERCULTURAL EDUCAT
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SCHOOL PLANNING 3STUDENT COUNCILSAs
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SCHOOL PLANNING 3FIGURE 2: SCHOOL R
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SCHOOL PLANNING 3ensure this is add
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SCHOOL PLANNING 3environment, the l
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Page 131 and 132: BIBLIOGRAPHYIreland, Department of
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Page 138: NCCANational Council for Curriculum
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