EDD401

Unit 1
THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS
Theoretical Foundations

In this lecture, we will seek to:

understand the theoretical foundations relating to education and diversity
apply knowledge within the context of future teaching practice
define key terms that underpin this module

To do this, we will explore:

Social justice (how fair society is) in line with Constitutional values (democratic principles)
how stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination result in oppression
why teaching controversial issues in the classroom is beneficial for learners in a multicultural and
diverse context
How fair is society?

Social equality is a state of affairs in which all people in any society / group have the same legal
and social status
Social equality is closely aligned to human rights, as embraced in SA’s constitutional values
(democracy)
Human rights are rights which are critical to all human beings, regardless of nationality, sex, ethnic
origin, colour, religion, language, or any other status
We are all equally entitled to our human rights without discrimination
Human rights are
universal (belong to all),
inalienable (cannot be taken away),
interconnected (depend on one another),
indivisible (inseparable) and
non-discriminatory (respected without prejudice).
Online Activity

Visit Human Rights Basics (The Advocates for Human Rights n.d.) at
www.theadvocatesforhumanrights.org/human_rights_basics
Pay special attention to the Human Rights Characteristics table as you read through the information
on this webpage
The above link is also available on ECI
Developing critical awareness about our social world

Critical awareness comes from critical thinking - one’s ability to properly acquire
data to be processed using critical thinking

Reasoning without awareness can lead to blind spots in your ability to reason
properly leading to gaps in your understandings

Critical awareness is how you observe and absorb experiences

Key terms

Stereotype: beliefs and opinions about immediately visible characteristics, attributes, and
behaviours of members of various groups; generalisations; result in ‘snap judgements’
Prejudice: a negative attitude directed towards a person because of their membership within a
social group / the emotion a person feels when interacting with a member of a particular group; it is
always interpersonal but can be institutional
Discrimination: treating others differently purely based on their group membership; results in
someone being treated more positively or favourably / negatively or unfairly; occurs at an
interpersonal level; 4 types of discrimination:
1. Direct (obvious and deliberate);
2. Indirect (not directly intended but actions/policy restrict a person or group;
3. Harassment (unwanted behaviour that you find offensive i.e. offensive emails); and
4. Victimisation (singling a person out to enact cruel and unjust treatment i.e. bullying)
The interlink between stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination

Stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination

are interlinked
Consider the definitions on the previous
slide, and the diagram on your left, and
write a short paragraph explaining how
these key terms are interlinked
Key terms

Oppression: a conscious or unconscious system of discrimination in which one social group

exploits another. It can happen at the individual, institutional and societal/cultural levels; it is when
people reduce the potential for other people to be fully human, e.g. denying people equal
opportunities; it upholds normative constructions of social power i.e. patriarchy, ableism; it means
you are harmed or not helped by government, community or society because of your identity.

An illustration of the definition of oppression

Oppression is…

pervasive
Oppression is…

restrictive
Oppression is…

hierarchical
Oppression is…
Blac Heterosexual Professional Non-citizen Man
k
Privilege Oppression

complex, multiple, cross-cutting

Oppression is…

Privilege Oppression

Heterosexual Blac
k
Professional Non-citizen

Man

complex, multiple, cross-cutting

Oppression is…

Privilege Oppression

Citizen Blac
k
Woman
Lesbian
Poor

complex, multiple, cross-cutting

Oppression is…

Privilege Oppression

Citizen
Woman
White
Poor
Heterosexual

complex, multiple, cross-cutting

Oppression is…

class
ism

sexism

homophobia racism

internalised
Self-Reflection Activity

What are your thoughts on stereotypes?

Think about a moment in your life where you feel that you were discriminated against. How did
this make you feel?
Have you ever exercised prejudice against another person or group? When? What were the
circumstances?
Reflect on various types of oppression and consider ways in which these could be challenged.
Online Activity

Watch the documentary film A Walk in My Shoes: Social Justice in Education (K-State College of
Education 2016). The link to this documentary is given below and can also be found on ECI
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWdcN2RSHhI
Think about your own journey to becoming an educator, make some notes on how you might
approach teaching social justice in your own classroom.
Writing Activity

Match the description in Column A with the appropriate example in Column B. Refer
to L.A. Bell. (2000: 21 – 26) for help only if you need it.
Practical Activity

Using the following prompts, think about how the character being discriminated against must feel.

Identify the type of discrimination illustrated in each of the above scenarios and think about how you could
change the scenario so that there is no discrimination involved.
Now develop a lesson plan that uses role play, in which you create scenarios that address or deal with the
discrimination illustrated in each instance.
Follow the structure given in the example above.
Prescribed and recommended readings

Adams, M., Bell, L.A. and Griffin, P (eds). 2007. Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice. 2nd edn.
New York: Routledge.
Bell, L.A. 2000. Theoretical Foundations. In Adams, M., Blumenfeld, W., Castaneda, C., Hackman,
H.W., Peters, M.L. and Zúniga, X. (eds.) Readings for Diversity and Social Justice. 2nd edn. pp.
21-26. New York: Routledge.
Hardiman, R., Jackson, B.W. and Griffin, P. 2000. Conceptual Foundations. In: Adams, M.,
Blumenfeld, W., Castaneda, C., Hackman, H.W., Peters, M.L. and Zúniga, X. (eds.) Readings for
Diversity and Social Justice. 2nd edn., pp.26-35. New York: Routledge.
 EDD401

Unit 1
TEACHING CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES
God does not exist
Abortion is a woman’s choice and right
A wife should submit to her husband What are these statements?
Christianity is the only religion Have you heard them before?
Did particular statements offend
Homosexuality is not immoral; we should be able to you more than others?
love whomever we please
These statements offend us on a
Foreigners living in SA are mostly criminals / drug fundamental level. Why?
dealers and should be sent back home
There is no place for people with disabilities in society
and hence they have no right to education
Virginity testing is an acceptable cultural practice
Defining Controversial Issues

Controversial issues are uncomfortable ideas which often reveal differences in opinion and often
result in dispute or disagreement, particularly in diverse and multicultural classroom settings
Some examples include: pollution; racial privilege and racism; language; evolution; feminism;
sexual diversity and sexuality; religion; abortion; sex; politics; and vegetarianism or veganism, to
name a few
Why Teach Controversial Issues?

Are children “too young” to engage in controversial issues in the classroom?

Should children be sheltered from these issues?
Controversial issues are global issues: children are exposed to many of these through media and
modern communication technology
Children need to understand that conflicting ideas and beliefs exist in a diverse and complex world;
they need to develop the skills to for living in a multicultural and globalised world
Read Oxfam GB. 2006. Teaching Controversial Issues: Global Citizenship Guides. at:
http://www.scotdec.org.uk/aadamsbairns/files/docs/unit6/theme3/activity2/background/6.32_teaching
_controversial.pdf
.
Activity

Oxfam (2006) states:

“Today’s young people will grow up to be the citizens of the future: but what that future holds for
them is uncertain. We can be quite confident, however, that they will be faced with decisions about a
wide range of issues on which people have differing, contradictory views. If they are to develop as
global citizens all young people should have the opportunity to engage with these controversial
issues. Teachers have a key role in enabling young people to develop the skills they need to do this.”

What is the importance of engaging controversial issues in the classroom, and what might the effects
of not engaging these be?
Activity

Jonathan Jansen (2014) who is the former Vice Chancellor of the University of the Free State, and
who is very outspoken about education, claims:

“Students come to university not to have what they already know confirmed, but to be challenged by
new ideas – this enables growth and, ultimately, learning to take place. A university is a place in
which you are supposed to feel uncomfortable as your views are tested and challenged by other views.
If a university simply exists to confirm your culture, your language, your faith and your habits, then it
will decidedly not prepare you for the kind of world you will enter on graduation. In other words, you
will be a social and cultural misfit in a changing, complex and globalised world”
Do you agree or disagree with what Jonathan Jansen says? Provide reasons for your response(s).
How do we, as teachers, deal with uncomfortable ideas?

Comfort zone: a safe psychological space, not challenged

Learning edge: the edge of our comfort zone and the best place to expand understanding, take in a
new perspective, and stretch our awareness - signaled by feelings of annoyance, anger, anxiety,
surprise, confusion or defensiveness. The challenge is to be able to recognize when we are there
and stay with the discomfort we are experiencing to see what we can learn
Triggers: words or phrases that stimulate an emotional response because they tap into anger or pain
about sensitive issues. These are learning opportunities for everyone
This learning and broadening of experience will make us better, more understanding and sensitive
teachers in a multicultural context
Some perspectives on teaching controversial issues

Liberation Pedagogy: the teacher should seek to develop a “critical consciousness” amongst
learners – the classroom is viewed as part of the social world and its inequalities and problems
(microcosm of society)
Civic Humanism: prepare students for the responsibilities of active citizenship, tolerance, social
responsibility
Academic Detachment: all subjects should be taught in a detached manner – topics are as objects
of academic investigation and analysis
(Teaching Controversial Topics, 2015)
Practical Activity

Develop a poster board for a classroom that highlights one controversial issue (of your choosing),
that you can use as a base for teaching learners about that issue in your classroom.
Be alert to the age of your learners (Foundation or Intermediate Phase) when developing your
poster board.
Prescribed and recommended readings

Jansen, J. 2014. ‘It’s right to be wrong’. Timeslive. 31 January. [online]. Available at:
http://www.timeslive.co.za/thetimes/2014/01/31/the-big-read-it-s-right-to-be-wrong . [Accessed on 1
August 2015].
Oxfam GB. 2018. Teaching Controversial Issues: A guide for teachers. Oxford: Oxfam Development Education
Program. [online]. Available at:
https://www.oxfam.org.uk/education/resources/teaching-controversial-issues . [Accessed on 11 February
2019].
Oxfam GB. 2006. Teaching Controversial Issues: Global Citizenship Guides. Oxford: Oxfam Development
Education Program. [online]. Available at:
http://www.scotdec.org.uk/aadamsbairns/files/docs/unit6/theme3/activity2/background/6.32_teaching
_controversial.pdf
. [Accessed on 18 November 2015].
Teaching Controversial Topics. 2015. Yale Centre for Teaching and Learning. [online]. Available at:
http://ctl.yale.edu/teaching/ideas-teaching/teaching-controversial-topics. [Accessed on 18 November
2015].
Self-Assessment Questions for Unit 1

When we ask the question: 'How fair is society?', what are the four key areas to consider?
What are the six important questions that we should consider when engaging in critical thinking?
What are some examples of 'controversial issues' and why should we teach these types of issues in
the foundation phase classroom?
Define the following terms:
a. Stereotypes
b. Prejudice
c. Discrimination
d. Oppression