Lesson 5:

Negative attitudesLearning objectives

Understandthatpeoplehavenegativeattitudesandwhatismeantbyprejudiceandstereotypes.

Beabletorecognisemyownandothers’stereotypicalandprejudicedattitudes.

Beawareofthenegativeconsequencesofprejudiceandstereotypes.

Subject links

Citizenship PSHEE English Drama RE

Resources

Worksheets:14-TheApprentice15-Prejudicenews16-Prejudicescript(Extension1) Slides:Lesson5 Video3 Videobackgroundnotes StopSexualBullyingextensionresource(Extension8&9)

OverviewThis lesson starts with a thinking skills activity which aims to reveal students own prejudicial and stereotypical views in order to introduce the concepts. Students then explore stereotypes of different genders and of teenagers to appreciate how it feels to be labelled. This enables them to empathise with other groups that can be stereotyped and to challenge the negative labels. You can then explore prejudice through the media. Extension 1 provides a role-play activity that could be a separate lesson and effective way of developing learning through drama. Although this lesson is focussed on negative attitudes rather than behaviour, which is explored further in lesson 6, you may find that discrimination is introduced through your discussion

Starter Activity 1 (10mins): Choose your apprentice (Slides 3-13)Usetheslidesforthisthinkingskillsactivitywhichaimstorevealsomesubtleprejudicialthinkingandstereotypeswithintheclass.Provideeachstudentwiththesixcardsfromworksheet14thateachcontainsafirstnameandlinethemupinfrontofthem.Alternativelytheycouldjustwritetheirnamesonpaper.Explainthatstudentsareworkingintheroleofanentrepreneur,likeAlanSugar,onTheApprentice.Theyneedtorecruitanengineertogointospaceandsetuplifeonthemoon.Eachtimeyourevealalayerofinformationontheslides,theyhaveto‘fire’someonebyremovingthemfromtheirlineupuntiltheyhaveoneleftwhois‘hired’.Thefinalsliderevealseachperson’squalifications.Discusstheirchoices,highlightanyprejudiceandstereotypesandconcludeyoucan’tprejudgeonsuchlittleinformation.

MainActivity 2 (Option 1) (10mins): Gender stereotypes (Slides 14-19)UsingimageryfromBillyElliot,explorestudents’attitudestowardsaboydoingballet.YoucouldplayaclipfromBillyElliottoengagethem.YoucanfindfootageonYouTube.Introducegenderstereotypes.Studentsworkinpairs,introducingthemselvesasstereotypical‘girls’and‘boys’usingstatementsontheslides.Discussthestereotypesandtheassociatedproblemswiththeselabels.Highlightthatweareallindividuals.Video3showsascenarioofgenderdiscrimination.Ifyouhavetime,youcouldplaythisandusethediscussionpointsinthevideobackgroundnotestoexploretheissue.

Activity 2 (Option 2) (10mins): Labelling teenagers (Slide 20-21)Studentsworkinpairstocreatestereotypicalviewsofteenagersordifferentgroupsofyoungpeople.Selectsomestudentstopresenttheirimages/statementsandexplorehowitfeelstobelabelledinthatway.Discussissuesrelatingtoprejudiceagainstyoungpeople,e.g.hoodiewearersbeingbannedfromshops,youngpeoplegatheringinlargegroupsbeingconsideredintimidatingetc.Howisthisreflectedinthemedia,andhowdoesitaffectadults’attitudesandbehaviour?

Lesson 5:

Negative attitudesActivity 3 (10mins): Challenging stereotypes (Slides 22-23)Nowthatstudentshaveanappreciationofhowitfeelstobestereotyped,theyshouldexplorethenegativeeffectsoflabellingothergroupsofpeople.Usingalistofstatementsontheslides,studentsworkinpairstorole-playonepersonmakingastereotypicalstatementandtherecipientexplaininghowitmakesthemfeel,andwhyitiswrongorunfair.Theychoosefivestatementseach.Selectsomestudentstoperformtotheclassanddiscuss.

Activity 4 (20mins): Read all about prejudice (Slides 24-26)Usingworksheet15,studentsreadextractsfromnewspapersthatfeatureprejudicialviewstowardsaparticulargroup.Studentsshouldusepenstohighlighttheprejudicialviewsandthinkaboutthenegativeconsequencesofthisattitude.Usetheslidestodiscuss.

PlenaryActivity 6 (5mins): Gender riddle (Slides 27-31)Asafunplenary,quicklypresenttheriddleonslide28followedbythequestionsthatwillrevealprejudicialandstereotypicalthinking.Highlightthatitisimportanttobeawareofourownprejudicialandstereotypicalattitudesandtothinkabouthowtheywillmakeother’sfeel.

Support notesExtension/homework/extra activity ideasUse these ideas as inspiration for alternative, differentiation or homework activities, or to develop learning in other subjects or lessons.Extension 1: Prejudice partyWorkingingroupsof6,getstudentstorole-playascriptonworksheet16whereyoungpeoplearethinkingaboutwhotoinvitetoapartyandmakingprejudicedcommentsaboutdifferentpeople.Eachgroupshouldthenpresenttheirsketchandyoushouldhaveclassdiscussionaroundwhatiswrongwithsomeofthepeople’sattitudes.

Extension 2: Prejudging disabled people - celebrity interview PlaytheinterviewofAlisonLappertalkingabouthowsocietyjudgesherasdisabledand‘different’beforehertalentasafamousartist:www.youtube.com/user/EqualityHumanRights#p/search/1/z9kdCqTlVW4Discusssociety’sprejudicedviewstowardsAlison.Howdopeopletreather?Howdoesitmakeherfeel?Wereyourattitudeschallengedbythevideo?YoucouldalsoplaytheTanniGreyThompson(famousathlete)video:www.youtube.com/user/EqualityHumanRights#p/search/2/I_7gQE5bRw8

Extension 3: Gay love poem ProvidestudentswiththelovepoemwrittenbyWHAuden,Stopalltheclocks:www.npr.org/programs/death/readings/poetry/aude.html.Theauthorisamantalkingabouthisloveforanotherman.Afterstudentshavereadthearticle,questionthemtorevealthattheyassumeitisaboutamanandwomanandthenrevealitistwomen.Exploretheirreactionsandattitudes.

Useful links/further information

VisittheusefulinformationsectionofEqualRights,EqualRespecttoaccessthisinformation:www.equalityhumanrights.com/equalrightsequalrespect/usefulinformation How fair is Britain?-www.equalityhumanrights.com/key-projects/how-fair-is-britain/ - TheEqualityandHumanRightsCommissionTriennialReviewprovideslotsofstatisticsthatdemonstrateinequalityanddiscriminationintheUK.

Glossary-definitionsforstereotypes,prejudiceanddiscrimination.

VisitthetrainingsectionofEqualRights,EqualRespecttoaccessthisinformation:www.equalityhumanrights.com/equalrightsequalrespect/usefulinformation Equality and human rights training video -trainingtipsfordeliveringsensitiveandcontroversialtopics.

Lesson 5:

Negative attitudesExtension 4: Religion and stereotypesInRE,explorehowdifferentreligiousgroupscanbelabelled.Whatprejudicedattitudesandbehaviourdoesthisleadto?Arethesetrueorfair?Whatcanbetheproblemwiththeseattitudes?Howcouldthesestereotypicalandprejudicialviewsbetackled?

Extension 5: Freedom of expressionIfyouhavestudiedhumanrights(lessons8-10),inactivity4,discusswhosehumanrightsarebeingbreachedandwhoseareconflicting.Howcouldtheirrightsbebalanced?Iftheyrespectedeachother’srightsanddifferences,wouldtheyhavethesamenegativeattitudes?Debatetheconflictingnatureandlimitsofspecificrights,suchasFreedomofExpression(Article10)andFreedomofThought,ConscienceandReligion(Article9).Moreinformationonbalancinghumanrightscanbefoundinlesson10.

Extension 6: Can’t judge a book Followingonfromactivity1,youcoulddiscussthestatement‘Youcan’tjudgeabookbyitscover’.Isthistrue?Isitrightorfairtojudgepeopleonfacevalue?Highlighttheimportanceofunderstandingandfindingoutfacts.

Extension 7: Gay!Extendingfromactivity3,discusswhatthewordgaymeans.Whendostudentsuseit?Howdoyouthinkthatmakesagaypersonfeel?Imagineifsomeonewasactinginanegativeway,andyournameoridentitywasusedtocallthemaname.Howwouldyoufeel?Studentscouldpledgetonotusethewordininappropriateways.

Extension 8: Gender debateRefertopage2oftheStopSexualBullyingresource,producedbyWomankindWorldwide,andusethestatstodebatewhetherthegenderstatementsarestereotypesorbiologicaldifferencesingirlsandboys.

Extension 9: Gender questionnaireRefertopage6and7oftheStopSexualBullyingresource,producedbyWomankindWorldwide,andgetstudentstocompletethequestionnaireaboutgenderequalityandsexualbullyinginyourschool.Gathertheresultsanddiscussstudents’answers.Ifgenderinequalityorsexualbullyingdoesexist,whatideasdostudentshavetoimproveit?

Differentiation ideas Allactivitieswillbedifferentiatedbyoutcome.

Prior learning Noessentialpriorlearning. Understandingofhumanrights(Lessons8-10)couldenableextendeddiscussionsaroundhumanrights–seeExtension5.

Understandingofcharacteristicsandidentitieswillaidlearning(Lesson3).

Lesson 5:

Negative attitudesPreparation and planning ReviewthePowerPointslidesandtailorthemtosuityourteachingandclassability.

Photocopyworksheet14andcutoutthecardssothateachstudenthassevencardswiththesevendifferentnames.

Decidewhichactivitiesyouwilldeliverforactivity2. Consideranysensitivityamongststudents.Youcouldinformstudentsthatyouwillbeexploringsomecontroversialsubjectmatteranditisnotyourintentiontoupsetanyonebutifanyoneisaffectedduringtheclass,theycanspeaktoyouoremailyouafterwards.Ifanydisclosuresaremade,youwillneedtofollowyourschool’schildprotectionprocedure.

Beawarethatsomestudentsmayexpressnegativeattitudes.Itisimportanttoallowthemtovoicetheirviewsandtheyshouldbeprobed,butthisshouldbefollowedbyclearlystatingthatasacommunityoflearners,youdon’ttolerateoffensiveandharmfulattitudesandpromotetheimportanceofrespecttowardsdifference.Ifanyremarksaredirectedtowardspecificstudents,thenitmaybenecessarytofollowupaftertheclass,followingyourschool’sbullyingpolicy.