Controversial Issues Controversial Issues in Social Educationin Social Education

Cherie FieldsCherie Fields

Stephanie PattersonStephanie Patterson

What are controversial What are controversial issues?issues?

Issues that are likely to be sensitive Issues that are likely to be sensitive that have a political, social or that have a political, social or personal impact and arouse feelings personal impact and arouse feelings or deal with questions of value or or deal with questions of value or belief.belief.

Can be local or globalCan be local or global Any issue can become controversialAny issue can become controversial

Think-Quick Write-Pair-Think-Quick Write-Pair-ShareShare

How should schools respond to How should schools respond to controversial issues?controversial issues?

What can teachers do to avoid What can teachers do to avoid unfairly influencing pupils?unfairly influencing pupils?

What kind of values may legitimately What kind of values may legitimately be taught in school?be taught in school?

Debate Activity:Debate Activity:Rights for ChildrenRights for Children

How should schools respond to How should schools respond to controversial issues?controversial issues?

Some opportunities already exist in Some opportunities already exist in the curriculumthe curriculum

Provide opportunities for students to Provide opportunities for students to express their concernsexpress their concerns

Responsibility of the teacherResponsibility of the teacher Give equal importance to conflicting Give equal importance to conflicting

viewsviews Establish a positive classroom Establish a positive classroom

environmentenvironment Present all information and opinion Present all information and opinion

as open to interpretationas open to interpretation

Six roles of the teacherSix roles of the teacher

CommittedCommitted Objective or AcademicObjective or Academic Devil’s AdvocateDevil’s Advocate AdvocateAdvocate Impartial ChairpersonImpartial Chairperson Declared InterestDeclared Interest

Values taught in schoolsValues taught in schools Distinguish between public and Distinguish between public and

privateprivate– Public values might include:Public values might include:

Social JusticeSocial Justice Political EqualityPolitical Equality ToleranceTolerance Human RightsHuman Rights Respect for the rule of lawRespect for the rule of law Commitment to negotiation and debate to Commitment to negotiation and debate to

resolve conflictresolve conflict

Controversial issues can help Controversial issues can help develop thinking skillsdevelop thinking skills

Information-processing skillsInformation-processing skills Reasoning skillsReasoning skills Enquiry skillsEnquiry skills Creative thinking skillsCreative thinking skills

Global Education and Global Education and Controversial IssuesControversial Issues

ResourcesResources

““Teaching about controversial issues: Teaching about controversial issues: guidance for schools” The Citizenship guidance for schools” The Citizenship FoundationFoundation

http://www.citizenshipfoundation.org.uk/lib_rhttp://www.citizenshipfoundation.org.uk/lib_res_pdf/0118.pdfes_pdf/0118.pdf ““Global Citizenship Guides: Teaching Global Citizenship Guides: Teaching

Controversial Issues” Oxfam GBControversial Issues” Oxfam GB

http://www.oxfam.org.uk/education/teachershttp://www.oxfam.org.uk/education/teachersupport/cpd/controversial/files/teaching_contrupport/cpd/controversial/files/teaching_controversial_issues.pdfoversial_issues.pdf