View Content #20470

by Julie Sykes, CASLS Director

Social justice issues span a wide range of topics, political arenas, and social contexts. Yet, despite the critical nature of these topics, they are often missing from language classrooms. This can be due to administrative and curricular concerns, missing materials in textbooks or time constraints, among other reasons.  Despite the many challenges associated with teaching social justice issues, their inclusion in the language classroom is vital, and should be addressed to ensure the best possible outcome. This week, we explore three tips for framing classroom implementation with the intention of avoiding potential pitfalls and landmines.

1.  Use non-crucial topics before discussing major issues to help learners recognize everyone has a perspective and has to use that perspective responsibly.

One reason to avoid social justice issues is the fear of stepping on someone’s toes or bringing up issues that are highly polemic. While this does happen, one way to help mitigate instances of disrespect is to remind all that they come with a unique perspective by having learners engage in activities to challenge that perspective prior to adding sensitive subject matter. Often, it can also be helpful to have learners act from a perspective that is different than their own.

2.  Learning objectives should be carefully defined, clearly articulated, and skill centered.

Without intention, caution, and carefully defined learning objectives, discussions of hot button topics can result in unwieldy conversations in which many students’ feelings are hurt, parental concerns are voiced, and which, despite best intentions, further solidify the need for caution. Learning objective should include the learning of relevant information, but, more importantly the skill of discussion and meaningful inquiry around a topic.  For example, this could include teaching skills to evaluate news sources, to support an idea respectfully, to use data to make an argument, to avoid the use of “buzzwords” in a scholarly argument, or to learn how to ask instead of assume. Whatever the objective, learners must be explicitly taught how to engage around critical issues respectfully, instead of avoiding the topics.

3.  Be sure to be well versed in all perspectives, regardless of one’s own opinion.

Preparation does not mean that you must agree with all of the arguments from multiple perspectives; in fact, you may have strong personal feelings about the issue.  However, knowing all sides is critical to engaging all students where they are. Without proper preparation, an instructor might have trouble identifying hurtful language, refocusing a conversation using facts, or selecting learning objectives related to the topic.  A thorough understanding of the issues is needed to ensure a productive outcome.