QUICK RESOURCE SHEET #23

Human rights in language teaching

As teachers we may derive a great deal of satisfaction when our students master difficult verb tenses or the tongue-twisting pronunciation of certain phrases, but what is the use of fluency in another language if not for increased communication with people unlike ourselves? With travel, television, and computers breaking down more barriers every day, we are brought face to face with the challenges confronted by others in ways unimaginable just fifty years ago. How can teachers best help their students to understand these challenges? Furthermore, what can we learn about the difficulties faced by people in our own backyard?

For those committed to exploring human rights in the context of language education, there are some excellent resources available online. You’ll find the best of these resources include links to authentic documents covering a wide range of human rights issues. There are suggestions for class projects and even lesson plans classified by grade level. Below, just a few of the resources available online.

http://www.ohrc.on.ca/english/education/teaching-overview.shtml

This resource package, created by the Ontario (Canada) Human Rights Commission, was designed to be used by teachers in Grades 9 through 12, as well as those working in adult literacy and work retraining programs. It includes a wealth of teachers’ references and student handouts. Some of the topics covered by this package:

·        Age discrimination

·        Hiring practices

·        Pregnancy and breastfeeding

·        Racial harassment

·        Sexual harassment

·        Sexual orientation

·        Religious rights

“The package uses examples of real human rights cases in its illustrations and case studies. Cases have been selected which describe situations relevant to young people in language that can easily be understood.”

http://www.hrea.org/index.php

“Human Rights Education Associates (HREA) is an international non-governmental organisation that supports human rights learning; the training of activists and professionals; the development of educational materials and programming; and community-building through on-line technologies.” This is a fantastic umbrella site, covering everything to do with the intersection of human rights and education. It is frequently updated and includes links to all current human rights news headlines. Don’t miss the free study guides, interactive tutorials, and discussion boards. HREA also offers a wide selection of online courses for educators in the field of human rights. While they are not free, scholarships are offered to some applicants.

http://www.jalt.org/global/index.html

This site includes links to a large number of detailed lesson plans on human rights and related issues. The simply designed page allows you to search by topic (cultural sensitivity, educating about Africa, ethical investment, gender stereotypes, Holocaust education, indigenous peoples and eco-concerns – among many others) or by title (e.g., Experiential Role Plays for Social Awareness, Israeli and Palestinian Educators Collaborate, Teaching Global Issues Through English Movies). Most of the lesson plans include bibliographies.