DRAFT DOCUMENT

New-Bridge Integrated CollegeTeaching Controversial Issues

Guidance for Teachers2013-2014

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Introduction

Why we need this guidance in our school. In New-Bridge Integrated College we are committed to providing an education which concentrates on helping our pupils to be well prepared and to act as responsible local and global citizens in the complex word in which they will live and work. We believe that if our pupils are to develop as global citizens then they should be given opportunities in school to deal with situations, which will help them to acquire the skills of critical literacy and self-reflection; these are so important when dealing with the diverse and complex nature of their future world. We have created for them opportunities in school to study issues for which there is no right answer and about which there is a range of differing and often contradictory views. We believe that by engaging our pupils with these controversial issues we are providing them with a breadth of experiences to draw from. Our teachers have a key role in enabling our young people to develop these skills and they will be supported and guided along the way through our continuous staff development programme.

What are controversial issues?

Controversial issues are those which provoke a wide range of opinions and different viewpoints on topics for example: gay rights, religion, gender, beliefs and values, identity, genetic engineering and migrant workers. Any topic can be considered controversial if there are different explanations and ideas about it and about which there can be controversy or debate.

Controversial issues are ones which

Divide society and generate a lot of different viewpoints for example: assisted suicide, emigration, economic or education cutbacks, or genetic engineering.

Challenge a person’s values and beliefs for example: same sex marriage, racism, identity or strong religious and political beliefs.

Generate a lot of conflicting and contesting arguments for example: war in Syria, human rights issues in China or Russia or a significant past event.

Provoke more emotional responses. May make some pupils feel threatened as they may have a personal or family connection

with the issue and the prevailing viewpoint in the class is strongly in favour of the other side of the argument.

What makes controversial issues more challenging in the Northern Ireland context?

In the Northern Ireland context controversial issues are more complicated and at times contentious especially when they are connected to a historical period or deal with past events. Often these issues are more contentious because they have personal resonance for people today and at times can present some very deeply held views which are based on personal experiences and values rather than on historical evidence. Many of these past events have been re-interpreted and reworked by some people today for contemporary political purposes and the fact that different groups and communities commemorate these events in different ways, makes them even more difficult and challenging for teachers and pupils to deal with. There is a need therefore to highlight for teachers that significant past events have to be contextualised and the historic record scrutinised to establish the facts alongside discussions, which explore different and divergent views about how we remember past events.

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Terms of Reference

This guidance is intended to support our teachers in dealing with controversial issues when they arise in and out of the classroom. It will provide

Some ideas on quality teaching and learning when teaching controversial issues Some practical suggestions and appropriate strategies to deal with controversial issues in

the classroom. Some recommendations for future action

Table 1

Some examples of good practice when teaching controversial issues as a whole school issue

Create a safe and reflective classroom environment

Our classroom environments need to be places where pupils feel safe and secure in the knowledge that there are

explicit rules to protect everyone’s right to speak ; refer to classroom rules.

where differing perspectives can be heard and valued;

where pupils in the class take responsibility for themselves, each other, and the group as a whole;

where each pupil feels they have a voice in class decisions.

Establishing a reflective classroom environment often does not happen by accident; rather, they are deliberatively nurtured by students and teachers who have shared expectations about how classroom members will treat each other.  One way to help classrooms become more reflective is to establish shared norms of behaviour by discussing them openly through establishment of a set of ground rules which everyone will respect and follow; see CRED Charter.

Develop a whole school rationale based on shared understandings for teaching these issues across the school.

When establishing a clear rationale in the school for teaching controversial issues, one of the first things we must accept is that controversial issues are everyone’s responsibility and are not just a matter for history or citizenship teachers. Our ethos needs to emphasise explicitly how identity, values and diversity will be fostered throughout the school. Teaching controversial issues is more likely to succeed where there is a strong emphasis across all areas of learning on independent enquiry, time to reflect and where students understand the complexity of the situation. It means building in enough time to consider multiple narratives of past events and explore the past from different perspectives.

Striking the right balance in our practice

When teaching about controversial issues it is important for teachers to be aware of the challenges which they present in

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striving to achieve a balanced presentation of opposing views and also how to avoid being accused of bias in their teaching. Teachers acknowledge that the idea of balance is not problem-free, for example balance could mean that every individual lesson is balanced or it could mean that there is balance over a whole topic. Is it the teacher’s responsibility to give the opposing view more prominence if the media presentation of an issue does the opposite or the overall class perspective is somewhat one-sided?

In the classroom our teachers will need particular teaching skills to prevent reinforcing stereotypes, raising tension between pupils or increasing confusion. In order to present information in a balanced way our general practice will include opportunities for teachers to: • give equal importance to conflicting views and opinions;• present all information and opinion as open to interpretation and subject to scrutiny.• establish a classroom climate in which all pupils are free to express strongly held views without fear of interruption or derision. Teachers are encouraged to address the issue of unintentional bias by • not presenting opinions as if they are facts;• not setting themselves up as the sole authority on an issue or topic ;• as far as possible, not giving their own versions of different views but allowing pupils to find these out for themselves • not revealing their own preferences in unconscious ways, e.g., facial expressions, gestures or tone of voice.

The Role of the teacher

The Role of the teacher con’t.

The reasons many teachers may avoid controversial issues as classroom topics are complex and can be seen as complicated as the issues themselves. Teachers may be discouraged, not so much by complexity, but by lack of familiarity with the topic: they may be uncomfortable if they do not feel "expert" or at least well informed about an issue. Also, teachers may be concerned that complicated issues would take too long to cover and regular curriculum would be neglected.  The very nature of controversial issues means that people hold strong opinions about them. In this respect, teachers are no different from other citizens. There is always a risk of bias, whether unwitting or otherwise, creeping into teaching and discussions with pupils.

What counts as bias? How can it be avoided?

Through regular and continuing professional development which supports teachers rather than discourages them to foster a climate of debate and risk taking in classrooms; these issues will be seen as a whole school focus and there

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is coherence and progression in the provision. Above all teachers need to be kept up to date on the research and evidence base related to the teaching of controversial issues.

Four members of staff will attend a Facing History seminar on 15th October 2013 to deliver an Inclusion and Diversity module in Year 13 pastoral programme. Whole staff awareness raising on dealing with controversial issues – action points established 2013/14

How teaching controversial issues can improve our teaching and help to raise standards.

Teaching topics which are controversial are challenging yet they can help pupils to develop critical thinking skills and their skills of critical self-reflection for example;

Managing Information pupils to gather, sort, classify, sequence, compare and contrast information, and to make links between pieces of information.

Enquiry skills enable pupils to ask relevant questions, to plan what to do and how to research, to predict outcomes and anticipate responses, to test theories and problems, to test conclusions, and to refine their ideas and opinions.

Reasoning skills enable pupils to justify opinions and actions, to draw inferences and make deductions, to use appropriate language to explain their views and to use evidence to back up their decisions.

Creative thinking skills enable pupils to generate and extend ideas, to suggest possible hypotheses, to use their imagination, and to look for alternative outcomes.

Self evaluation skills enable pupils to evaluate what they read, hear and do, to learn to judge the value of their own and others’ work or ideas, not to take all information at face value, and to have confidence in their ownjudgements. (Oxfam Guidance on teaching Controversial issues)

How do we teach controversial issues in the classroom?

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Role of the teacher: Be prepared

The best starting point for teachers is to consider which issues are controversial in their school context and for the pupils that they teach. Some issues may be controversial with a particular group of pupils coming from a particular community while they may be totally uncontroversial with pupils coming from a different community. “Teachers need to be aware of the context in which they are teaching the controversial issue and be prepared for the controversy”. (CDVC 2012).

It is also a good idea , where possible, if the teacher reflects on how comfortable or not they are with a particular issue. Having worked through their own standpoint on an issue and considered what exactly it is that makes the issue controversial, teachers are then in a better position to choose the appropriate strategy.

Creating an environment where pupils feel that they will not be ridiculed for expressing their own views or asking questions out loud can only be done where there is an atmosphere of mutual trust. In order to do this it may be necessary for teachers to use some of the following activities before moving on to the hard and conflictual issues.

Use powerful moving images or film extracts to set the scene and engage pupils in discussing relevant background information regarding the issue. Use any of the characters in a film extract to find out what the pupils may know already about the issue and their initial feelings. The teacher can use these first responses to help diagnose the general direction of future in depth discussions.

Use sets of visuals or images on cards portraying an issue and provide pupils with lists of words or phrases or quotations representing a range of outlooks and opinions. Physical or tangible activities such as card sorting can help pupils to begin to feel more secure before they begin to talk openly and freely about an issue.

Pupils do not usually like to work on their own and when beginning a discussion: start them working in pairs and then moving on to fours or eights is an effective way of getting them to share their ideas without the pressure of having to write or say something on their own.

Reassure the pupils that disagreement and difference of opinion is a fact of life and that it is more important for them to learn to live with differences and uncertainties rather than to settle for over simple solutions.

Establishing a good set of ground rules for example (See CRED Charter).

Listen with respect. Try to understand what someone is saying before rushing to judgment Always listen when others speak Be prepared to give your own opinion If you do not feel safe making a comment or asking a question, write the thought down first .

You can share the idea with your teacher first and together come up with a safe way to share the idea.

If someone says something that hurts or offends you, do not attack the person. Put-downs are never okay. If you don’t understand something, ask a question Do not interrupt others while they are speaking. Write down your thoughts if you don’t have time to say them during class.

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How teachers may respond to;

1. Unplanned controversial issues which may arise in classroom discussions There may be occasions in the classroom where a controversial issue can arise spontaneously and can present a different set of challenges for the teacher. The teacher can respond to these spontaneous issues by applying the same methodologies which they use for issues they have planned for. In this instance a ‘No Easy Answers Board’ or a ‘Graffiti Board’ strategy (see teacher guide hand out on teaching strategies) would be appropriate.

2. Inappropriate and negative commentsThere may be occasions when a situation may arise from an inappropriate comment from a pupil or an overheard conversation about an event in the playground or changing rooms. In these circumstances it is essential that the teacher employ the correct strategy which not only diffuses the situation but deals effectively with the issue raised. Throw away comments of a sectarian, racist or homophobic nature or an insulting personal remark about another pupil are challenging for teachers. If a comment is made in a class, for example in Maths, where controversial issues are not being taught explicitly then there are a different set of challenges for those teachers. It may be necessary for a school to have an appointed person on staff, to whom teachers who feel uncomfortable or lack confidence to deal with the situation may refer to, for advice and suggestions. If the comment cannot be ignored or referred then the individual teacher may decide to use one of the following displacement activities which take the focus away from the pupils who made the comment in the first place.

Contextualising the personal challenge with a concrete example from the media or a text or story or film which deals with the consequences of making offensive comments on other people for example racist or sectarian chants made to footballers on a football pitch. Taking the comment away from the pupil and focusing on the consequences may help to restore safety and security to the classroom by demonstrating how these inappropriate comments affect other people (box file of examples of this stored in library?)

The Teacher as FacilitatorWhen teaching controversial issues often the teacher will find themselves in the role of facilitator rather than the more traditional one of all knowing expert. CCEA has provide teachers with a list of roles which they may choose to develop when in the role of facilitator in Active Teaching and Learning methods at Key Stage 3, page 4 and 5

“In an active classroom environment the role of a teacher is often that of a facilitator, supporting pupils as they learn and develop skills in, for example, assessing evidence, negotiation, making informed decisions, solving problems, working independently and working with others. Pupil participation and involvement in their learning is essential. Sometimes it is appropriate for the facilitator to take on a particular role/function in an attempt to enhance the learning within the class or to challenge their thinking in a new way. Some of these possible roles include:

1. Neutral facilitator: The facilitator enables the group to explore a range of different viewpoints without stating their own opinion.

2. Devil’s advocate: The facilitator deliberately adopts an opposite stance to confront people, irrespective of their own views. This method is slightly ‘tongue-in-cheek’.

3. Declared interests: The facilitator declares their own position so that the group knows their views.

4. Ally: The facilitator supports the views of a particular sub-group or individual (usually a minority) within a group.

5. Official view: The facilitator informs the group of the official position on certain issues e.g. official organisations, the law etc.

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6. Challenger: The facilitator, through questioning, challenges the views being expressed and encourages the pupils to justify their position.

7. Provocateur: The facilitator brings up an argument, viewpoint and information which they know will provoke the class, and which they do not necessarily believe, but because they are authentic beliefs of other individuals or groups, they present them convincingly.

8. In-role: The facilitator may “become” a particular person or caricature (for example a church leader or a politician), putting across their arguments and position to the class.”

In order to engage pupils in the enquiry process and to participate fully in class and group discussions it may be useful for teachers to consider these questions beforehand and how they might be a good way to start lessons on controversy

What is the issue about? Is it about a concept such as racism, is it about information presented on the media or is it about values?

Why is the issue controversial in the first place? Why might so many different people care about the issue? In other words what are the arguments around an issue and why are there so many different opinions about it? If the pupils decide that the controversy or debate is centred around information then they must begin to question that information how is it presented to them? Where did it come from? Who created it and for what purpose? Pupils must engage in this process if they are to make reasoned judgments about the validity of the arguments presented.

It is considered good practice when debriefing an issue that the following questions could be asked. Would you like that done to you? What if everybody did that? Are there any situations where you would feel different or disagree with this value? These questions give students a set of criteria for making judgments that can take them beyond their own personal position and also help them critically reflect on the validity of some strongly held viewpoints.

Planning for Effective QuestioningGood questioning can only take place where there safe and secure environment where pupils feel comfortable answering questions. The best questions range from simple to the more complex and can involve all pupils in the class discussion. Thinking about the types of questions beforehand and the key questions they might ask pupils related to a controversial issue is useful planning tool. Thinking through possible pupil responses will also help teachers to deal with some of the more emotional responses which some of these issues can evoke in pupils. Table 3 below provides examples of the different types of questions which can be used to drive a discussion forward and Table 4 provides examples of some prompts which may be used to conclude discussions and debrief topics.

Here are some effective learning techniques adopted from CCEA guidance. Ask big questions at the start of a topic which pupils can then answer at the end of the lesson

or topic.

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Use questions to build on ideas and to allow pupils to develop their responses and encourage discussion.

Ask open ended questions which encourage a range of responses and stimulate thinking Use No Hands Up technique or Dot voting (see Active Teaching and learning Methods at KS3

CCEA ) to encourage all pupils to keep thinking. Ask questions which progress from low order challenge (what/where/when) to those which

encourage a higher level of challenge. Give pupils thinking time before responding and use a prompt question instead if pupils

have difficulty responding.

Table 3 Effective Questions Stems QUESTION PURPOSECould you explain that a bit more......What part of the activity do you think you did well in?What parts did you find difficult?What approach did we use?Could we have done it a different way?Does anyone have a question to ask

To evaluate pupils learning

What do we mean by?What do you mean when you say?Why do you think that?What was your thinking behind the approach that you used?How did you reach that conclusion?How would that help us to....What have you learned from this topic that was new to you?How will this help you to learn next time?

To clarify pupils reasoning and thinking

To identify pupils new learning

Can you give me an example of how you could do this differently?What could you do to improve your understanding about...?What will help you to improve how you think about...?

To encourage pupils to think about their next steps.

Table 4 Debriefing prompts Are we any further on our understanding than we were at first?

What else could we discuss about this issue?

Have we left anything out? What else would we have needed to get the full picture?

Why is it important that we always debrief when discussing some issues?

Why do you think some people might find this topic difficult to explore?

Activities which promote good learning when teaching controversial issues

The teaching strategies which teachers choose will depend on their own confidence and experience as well as the maturity and skills of the pupils. Some teachers may plan a topic to raise controversy

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or controversy may arise unexpectedly – and they will need to be prepared for both. Pupils themselves are likely to express a wide range of responses when confronted with controversial questions. Their different experiences, learning styles and emotional intelligence levels can lead to different reactions. The aim of this section of the guidance is to offer you appropriate ways of introducing controversial issues and of managing the responses that result. Refer to teaching guide.

Table 2 Strategy How it can be used No Easy AnswersWhat is it?This activity encourages pupils to record any thoughts and feelings around topics for which, as the name suggests, there may be no easy answers. The method aims to demonstrate to pupils that nobody including the teacher has allthe answers!

How does it work?1. A particular area of the room is dedicated as a ‘no easy answers board’ where pupils can write and record their thoughts on the issues which they cannot find answers to. These may be questions which can be displayed as they arise during the topic. 2. At various points during the course of a topic, questions may be revisited in order to see if pupils’ thoughts, ideas and opinions have developed.3. At the end of a topic, pupils might discuss and consequently decide if the question has been answered or not. If yes, the question might be removed from the board. If no, the question may remain and pupils may wish to return to it at a later time.

Graffiti Board KWLWhat is it?This activity encourages pupils to record their thoughts, feelings, ideas and suggestions around a particular topic. The methodology is similar to that of the‘No Easy Answers Board’ above.

How does it work?1. A particular area of the room for example the wall is dedicated as a graffiti board where pupils can write and record their thoughts on the issues being discussed.2. Pupils might be asked what they think they ‘know’ about an issue, what they ‘want’ to know and what they have ‘learned’ at the end of the topic.3. Pupils might be asked to contribute to the graffiti board at different times using a KWL perspective – what they think they ‘know’ about an issue, what they ‘want’ to know and what they have ‘learned’ at the end of the discussions 3. Any comments which arise as a result of debriefings may also be noted.4. Pupils should be given the opportunity to contribute to the graffiti board at any time during the course of the discussion to add on to, amend or change their first ideas as they gain more knowledge.

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5. The graffiti board could be used at the end of the topic for summarising issues and drawing conclusions.

CONSCIENCE ALLEYWhat is it?This role-play strategy allows pupils to gain a quick synopsis of all the issuesrelated to a specific topic. It has the advantage over ‘standard’ role play in that it can be carried out reasonably quickly. It might be particularly useful for youngeror less able pupils since they do not have to remain in role for very long. They alsodo not need to know a great deal of information about the issue as their role card will simply state who they are and how they feel about the particular scenario being discussed.

How does it work?1. Explain the scenario to the pupils (e.g. a bullying incident that took place at school has resurfaced again in the local youth club. The school has been asked to deal with the situation). Other contexts could be a sectarian chants on the school bus2. Then place each pupil into role by giving him or her each a role card which tells the pupil who they are and briefly how they feel about the situation (e.g. a bully, the victim, victim’s friend, bully’s mates, parent, youth worker, form teacher, etc).3. Get pupils to stand in two lines facing each other with a pathway up the middle.4. Select a pupil randomly and ask them to state their role.5. Ask remaining pupils to think of one statement they would like to make to this individual.6. The selected pupil then walks between the lines and the remainder of the class make their statements as they pass by. (You may need to repeat this a number of times, encouraging pupils to “get into role”).7. Debrief by asking the selected pupil which arguments they found convincing and what their view is on the scenario.8. The activity can be repeated by selecting other pupils to walk in role through the “Conscience Alley”

FIVE QUESTIONSWhat is it?This is an information gathering activity which also allows pupils to explore theissue in more depth or to break it down into smaller sub-themes or tasks. It givespupils the opportunity to unpack complicated topics. It allows an exploration of all kinds of possibilities which may lead to action planning and target-setting.

How does it work?1. A large, wide sheet of paper and a marker are needed.2. A question is posed to pupils using ‘How’ or ‘Why’.3. Suggestions are written on the flip chart.4. Teachers use the same question word to develop ideas and explore further ideas.5. Teachers continue to use questions with the same question word until the idea/suggestion has been explored fully.

An example in Local and Global Citizenship; How can we get young people involved in the community?

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How can we promote issues which interest young people?How can we promote issues?How can we Raise awareness of youth issues.How can we raise awareness

HOT AIR BALLOON What is it?This activity can be used as a planning tool. It encourages pupils to confront an issue, explore its implications in a comprehensive manner and adopt a structured approach to future preparation and planning.

How does it work?1. Pupils are presented with a picture of a hot air balloon.2. Pupils are given a structured set of questions around a particular issue, including:Who needs to be in the balloon? Pupils write the names of key stakeholders around the issue - people who need to be on board in order for it to go anywhere.What needs to be in place for the project to be successful? On the balloon itself, pupils note all the elements which they think are necessary in order for the project (planning) to be successful.What is holding it back? Next to the anchor pupils note the issues which may hinder a successful start to the project.What will make it fly at great speed? Pupils note above the hot air balloon what developments would allow the project to move forward effectively, such as commitment, motivation and creativity.What might blow the balloon off course? On either side of the balloon pupils note the problems which may arise during the course of the project.3. Once completed, pupils could compare and contrast their balloons to further enhance their understanding.

USING POWERFUL IMAGES AND FILM. There are four strategies explained in this section for use with photos, images, and film extracts.

1. COLLAGE2. WHAT DO YOU SEE?3. FREEZE FRAME4. SLOW REVEAL

1. COLLAGEWhat is it?This activity asks pupils to represent their views on an issue or concept in a visual,

How does it work?1. Pupils get into groups of between two to four.

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creative and engaging way. It encourages pupils not only to communicate effectively, but also to develop their interpretation skills of other people’s work.

USING POWERFUL IMAGES AND FILM Con’t.

2. Each group is given a relevant word, idea, issue or concept which they must represent using a range of provided materials. Such materials might include magazines, newspapers, sticky shapes, coloured card and paper, marker pens, scissors, glue and felt-tips.

3. The facilitator may wish to establish a certain criteria for the collages in order to add a challenge aspect to the activity (i.e. the collages must contain a number of colours, images and words and be completed within a certain deadline, etc).

4. Once completed, pupils could move around the room carousel-fashion and view the work of other groups. They could try to guess what word, issue or concept each group in turn is trying to represent.

Examples of Collage Representations: Citizenship

- Discrimination- A particular Right

from the Human Rights’ Convention

- Inclusion.Example of Collage Representations: Historical Events

3. WHAT DO YOU SEE?

What is it?This is a Facing History strategy which allows pupils to discuss their first ideas and opinions about an issue before rushing to a make judgment which could be ill informed and not based on all the evidence available.

How does it work?1. Look closely at the image or picture for a good long time. Observe shapes, colours, textures, the position of people and/or objects, etc.2. Write down what you see without making any interpretation about what the picture is trying to say.3. What questions do you have about this picture that you would need answered before you can begin to interpret it? (Ask as many questions as you have.)I want to know... I was wondering...Who?...What?... Where?...When?...Why?...

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4. Discuss your questions with two other people in the class to try to find some answers.5. Given the historical context and subject of the piece, what do you think the cartoonist is trying to say (what does the piece mean?) and who do you think is the intended audience?I think the artist is saying...I think the intended audience is... 6. Discuss your interpretation with the class, and be prepared to support your view by referring to specifics in the drawing and in what you know about the history of the time.Other Examples:Use this technique in class to analyze a:

piece of art photograph political cartoon propaganda poster film clip (any visual image)

FREEZE FRAME What is it?This physical activity can be a useful tool for encouraging pupils to engage in discussion about a particular issue. Pupils are asked to pose as a still image representing a particular significant moment in time and place.

How does it work1. Pupils get into small groups.2. They are asked physically to pose in a snapshot representation of a specific significant moment.3. Pupils could work together as a group to discuss what they are being asked to depict and how it might look in a freeze frame.4. Alternatively, pupils could act out a role and, on the facilitator’s command, freeze in scene.5. Groups could take it in turns to move around and view other groups’ freeze frames.6. A debrief afterwards could focus on the nature of body language used in the freeze frame, why pupils decided to depict the scene in the way they did, and why others might have depicted the event in a different way.7. As an extension, groups could enact different developments in a particular issue and take photos, creating a photo-story.

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SLOW REVEALWhat is it? Slow reveal is a strategy whereby not all of an image is revealed to the pupils at one time. This can be created in PowerPoint using a gird to cover the whole pictures and then slowly revealing the picture bit by bit on bits of the grid to reveal

How does it work?Slow reveal is best used with powerful mages which generate a lot of discussion around an issue. As parts of the image is revealed pupils can be asked about their first ideas about the picture and as they begin to see the picture in its entirety , then can be asked how their opinions have changed and what judgments would they now make.

CONSEQUENCE WHEEL What is it?This activity allows pupils to consider what points may be most relevant when considering a key question. It subsequently asks pupils to prioritise ideas and information on the question and discuss justifications for their choices

How does it work?1. Pupils can work in pairs or groups.2. Each group is given a set of cards with words, phrases or pictures which relate to a key question. Alternatively, pupils might write down their own ideas on a piece of paper or post-its and use them to ‘construct’ their wall.3. Each group is also given the Wall Template (see example below) with the key question at the top. Alternatively, each group might draw their own Wall.4. Pupils work through the cards (or their own post-its), deciding as a group on how relevant each one is to the key question. Most important factors form the bottom line, least important factors the top etc.5. Groups then give feedback on their decisions, justifying their choices if they happen to contrast with the decisions of another group.

GIANT STEPSWhat is it?This is a useful activity for exploring diverse opinions and emotions as regards a particular issue. It might be used as a lead into a particular topic and to gauge pupil interest and base understanding of the issue in question. It requires pupils to take a stance on an issue and allows everybody to have a voice, even if they do not speak out. The aims of this activity are similar to those of the walking debates, such as the Four Corners Debate.

How does it work?1. Pupils stand in a long line. In order to get pupils in the line and to break the ice as regards discussion, the facilitator may ask pupils to create a spectrum based on the issue at hand. For example, pupils might be asked to form a line from the most optimistic to the least optimistic, the most organised to the least organised, etc. Pupils should be able to justify their position in the line.2. Once all pupils are in the line, the facilitator reads out a statement. Sample

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statements might include, for example:3. The pupil then takes a step based on how comfortable they feel about the issue or based on whether they agree with the statement or not. If they disagree or are totally uncomfortable with the statement, they take a step backwards. If they agree/are comfortable, they take a step forward. If they are not sure they stand still. The degree of the step may also indicate just how comfortable or uncomfortable they may feel. A small step forward, to cite an instance, might mean that a pupil agrees but with perhaps some reservations.4. As pupils move, they should explain why they have taken their particular step. Views could be obtained from those who have moved forwards and those who have moved backwards, as well as those who remained still.5. Subsidiary questions could be used to draw out more complex issues and to refine the initial statement.6. A debrief after the activity could discuss the issues upon which there was widespread consensus

This guidance has been developed in co-operation with Sheelagh Deane NICIE and CCEA and reviewed through the CRED team at New-Bridge Integrated College.

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