Age and Level: B1, Middle School
Length of Lesson: 90 minutes
Prior learning related to this lesson: Students have just begun a unit on bilingual education by learning more about their cultures and languages last week, along with benefits of bilingualism. Now they are going to learn more about how students of different cultures are treated within the US school system.
Materials Needed:
Name Cards
Book, Video
Think critically about inequities in the English classroom
Read a short story and answer questions about it
Participate in a debate thinking about support, counter arguments, and rebuttals
Time: 10 minutes
LO Targeted: #1
Steps and Teacher Directions:
Cut up name cards, and as students walk in, hand each a card. → A1.
Once everyone arrives and has received a card, explain that they have been given Navajo names. Explain that they are not allowed to use their own names for this activity, and these are their new names. They will have 10 second to memorize and then the cards will be taken back.
Now do role calls with their new names. (Sheet with all the names attached below → A1.
Now some games: Can anyone spell their name? Get some people to try if no one volunteers. Have them line up in alphabetical order.
This should be difficult for them. Afterwards explain that not all students are given the same rights in the classroom. When native Americans were brought into the American settler’s classrooms, they were not allowed to use their own language at all or even their own names. Instead they were given English names that they were to be addressed by for the rest of the year.
How would you feel if you couldn’t use your name in school? What are your thoughts on using only English in the classroom? Is it beneficial?
Time: 20 minutes
LO Targeted: #2
Steps and Teacher Directions:
Now look more into how students have been discriminated (treated unequally) within the US school systems
Students will get into pairs and switch off every page reading the book Separate is Never Equal by Duncan Tonatiuh
Afterwards, they will fill some questions on the worksheet below. Questions are in chronological order → Representation Questions Worksheet below
Time: 10 minutes
LO Targeted: #3
Steps and Teacher Directions:
Students will watch a video preparing them for the debate. → A3
They will have a worksheet that will guide them in their debate. It has a section for different talking points. So we have support for their position (facts that help their argument), counter arguments which are facts that oppose the other side, and rebuttals which are responses to the other side's support.
Thinking back to our last classes and what we’ve learned about bilingualism and discrimination in schools, our topic is going to be if in the language classroom, students should use English-only or be able to use their home languages as well.
Time: 45 minutes
LO Targeted: #3
Steps and Teacher Directions:
Split class into two groups who will be having the same debate. Split those groups into half in favor of English only education and half in favor of having support in their 1st language by counting off.
Provide the supplemental worksheet found below → Representation Debate Worksheet below
Students will have 20 minutes to prepare their debate and around 15 minutes for each side to present their case.
Time: 5 minutes
LO Targeted: #1
Steps and Teacher Directions:
Shortly finish up the debates.
Tell students how they did and point out any interesting points that you took note of during the debates.
Ask students how they felt? Ask if anyone would like to share something interesting from the debate? Who do you guys think "won" their debate?
Thank everyone and wrap up.