Good Practice in building Equality and Diversity into Subject areas:

By Sue Conroy and Ruth Hewitt.

Art:Works exploring personal social identity

Encourage learners to highlight multicultural influences in the history of art, and display examples of work by artists who have experienced various physical disabilities or mental health issues, or who work explores such themes.

Draw attention to artists who work explores various aspects of personal or social identity, including race, ethnicity and sexuality.

Ask learners to look at the work of Alison Lapper and explore her experience of being an artist with at disability. They should focus on ability and how society discriminates because of the way you look.

Illustrating the importance of equality

“Discrimination, harassment and bullying are not tolerated in any form”. Work with other curriculum teams to develop numerous displays, posters, focus groups and events that illustrate how fundamental equality of opportunity is to the curriculum.

Ask learners to develop anti-racism posters for the classroom walls.

Invite learners to research the nine protected characteristics and develop projects in art to showcase contributions, abilities and experiences of groups and individuals. One project could tell the story of the Holocaust through pictures, for example.

Ways to encourage learners to express their own identity through art include:

• self-portraits• reference to excellence in a range of different cultural

traditions• exploration of cross-cultural borrowings and influences• visiting artist-painters, photographers, potters, sculptors,

printmakers drawn from a range of diverse backgrounds• using art to explore social and political issues.

Art based on the culture or history of a country

Encourage learners to research a country of their choice and get them to produce an imaginative image or object that symbolises part of the culture or history of that country, for example a learner assigned to Egypt may produce an object or collage using different colours, styles and textures of paper such as wallpaper, sandpaper and notebook paper to symbolise the history of papyrus.

Business Studies: Marketing messages in different cultures

Ask learners to compare how marketing messages are communicated in different cultures, for example how would they compose a different marketing message for advertising in the UK and/or Uganda (where there is a mainly Muslim population)?

Building relationships with customers

Ask learners to explore different approaches to building relationships with customers/segments which are predominately of a different culture, age, sex and so on.

Hot topics for discussion and debate

Hot topics for discussion and debate could also include:

• entrepreneurs from around the world• key principles in different settings• successful business as a route out of poverty• highlighting successful female business women• gender inequality in business• disabled business champions• analysing diversity in advertising• partnerships/mentoring schemes with businesses to

widen participation/access• globalisation• fair trading

Home EconomicsWorld foods celebration

Hold a world foods celebration that is created and run by your catering and hospitality learners. Tasks that they will need to cover include:

• cooking and preparing different foods from around the world

• preparing table decorations• serving duties• making presentations and collages about world foods

Your learners could also adopt traditional clothes and outfits to promote their country and food.

If you do not want to hold a large-scale event, small events such as learners offering tasters in the canteen over lunch time would still be effective.

Common foods in British culture

As a shorter activity, you could investigate common foods found in British culture and ask learners to research the origins of the food. This will get your learners to consider the fact that many items of food they consider to be ‘British’ are actually from different parts of the world.

Catering for different dietary requirements

Hold a cookery session including menu planning to meet different dietary requirements. Ask learners to consider dietary requirements, whether religious, medical, cultural or lifestyle.

Ask learners to look at different dishes from around the world and ask them to consider the differences when sitting down and eating.

Respecting festival traditions, such as Ramadan, could also be explored.

Plan trips to a variety of restaurants and ask learners to consider different cultures and diets.

Occupational segregation

Ask learners to consider the number of women compared to the number of men and the number of people from minority ethnic groups (which are over-represented) working in the sector. Ask them to consider the types of jobs done by

different groups and the availability of jobs for people with disabilities

Producing accessible menus

Ask learners to consider producing assessable menus. Get them to consider different fonts, layouts and colours for those with specific disabilities and the use of visual images to aid those with literacy issues or for whom English is an additional language.

Unhealthy diets associated with certain groups

Ask learners to look at why certain groups might have unhealthy diets and the links to poverty and homelessness. Issues to consider include poor teeth in children and older people on low incomes.

Design and TechnologyDefine and research activities

Ask learners to focus on equality and diversity as they define and research:

• campaigns in local communities to raise the profile of design and technology careers and attract diverse learners into the associated professions

• technology in a global context• diverse inventors• technology and the media• the use of internet to forge local, national, global links

with others• traditional/alternative technologies • signs and symbols from around the world• toys from around the world

English Research and explore activities

Promote equality and diversity by allowing your learners opportunities to explore:

• the work of writers from around the world for comparative purposes, drawing out key themes, values and concerns which human being have in common

• the work of authors from a range of backgrounds, including lesbian and gay writers

• bias of literature• the issue of language and power• oral traditions• writing in learners’ home languages• texts in vernacular/dialect• their own identity by writing about it• images/representations of religion, disability, age,

ethnicity and different sexual orientations used in the media

Poetry or creative writing covering the issues of discrimination

Ask learners to produce a short piece of poetry or creative writing covering the issues of discrimination, for example:

• a story about a learner suffering discrimination• a piece of poetry about racism• a script for a play about bullying

GeographyLife expectancy in different countries

Ask learners to research life expectancy rates for different countries and investigate why there are such differences. The purpose of this activity is to get learners to consider inequality and how left expectancy rates are so different from each other in a world that we all share.

This activity often surprises learners when they realise that, on average, being born in some countries means you are likely to live to just over 30 years old. Encourage learners to consider factors such as malnutrition, living in sub-standard accommodation and not having access to medical treatments.

Ask them to compare their lives to the lives of other young people who live in areas where life expectancy is considered so low. How would they cope and what would they miss if they lived in a similar environment.

Research and explore activities

Ask learners to research and explore:

• ‘the street where I live’• the historical context of how developing and developing

and developed world emerged• media images of third world countries • class structures in different contexts• globalisation• wealthy communities in the southern hemisphere

• the importance of local experts addressing issues of hunger and malnutrition compared to an over-emphasis on Western efforts to address these issues

• differences and commonalities in humankind’s relationship with the physical environment

• migration and settlement as recurring themes of human experience

Health and Social CareIdentifying bias and negative stereotypes

Ask learners to construct a checklist of what bias and stereotypes look like in relation to the nine protected characteristics.

Ask learners to review learning materials to see if they contain any bias or negative stereotypes using their checklist to remind them of the sort of things to look for.

Log experiences of working with people from diverse groups

Ask learners to keep a learning log of their experience of working with children/people from diverse backgrounds and to use this to develop their practice in order to meet the diverse needs of children and other groups they work with.

Create case studies to explore equality issues

Create case student about working with people with different protected characteristics in health and social care settings, for example working with the same-sex parents of a young child.

Resolving dilemmas

Ask learners to consider the case of foster carers who are prevented from continuing to foster because they refuse to allow any discussion of same-sex relationships due to their faith.

Discussion topics can include:

• how to remain objective• the hierarchy of protected characteristics, for example

whether faith is less important than sexual orientation• the implications for people who are of faith working in

the health and social care sector

Factors contributing to inequality

Ask learners to explore the links between socio-economics, housing and health outcomes and the protected characteristics.

Gender stereotyping in health and social care

Ask learners to consider the differences between the roles of men and women in the health and social care sector in the past and how to show changes in gender stereotyping in job roles and how far there is still to go.

Dietary requirements

Facilitate a discussion about the various foods from different cultures and include dietary requirements prompted by medical conditions, faith and lifestyle choices. Ask them to consider the need for specialised cutlery and equipment for individuals with disabilities.

Health and safety audit for users of accessibility equipment

Ask learners to use equipment often used by people with disabilities and conduct a health and safety audit of an area to see how safe it is for people using this type of equipment.

HistorySchindler’s list

Tell learners about Oskar Schindler and his famous list.

Split learners into groups and give each group a piece of flipchart paper with the numbers 1-50listed on it. Ask each group to create their own Schindler’s list where they have to choose 50 people who they will save. This can be anyone: famous people, teaching staff, friends and family. Stress that the people they choose have to reflect the society in which we live, work and play. Each time a group member wants to make a suggestion, the whole (or majority) of their team must agree to it before it can be added to the list. Remind learners that they will have to justify their selection later.

Take feedback from the groups. As well as challenging learners about the reasons why they have chosen a particular person and the value the person brings to individuals, society and the world, explore the equality issues within the learners’ choices. For example, discuss:

• How many disabled people are on the list?• Why do you think the number of people on the list with

a disability is low/high?• Why do we believe people with certain characteristics

are more or less deserving of being on this list?

This exercise can be completed with all protected characteristics including race, gender and religion.

This is a very powerful activity and is also very effective as a full class activity. It is probably better for older learners due to the emotions the activity could stir.

The activity can also be run over weeks, rather than completed in one session. For example, you could list 100 name spaces on several pieces of flipchart paper and display them on the wall. Then, at the start and end of each session, ask learners if they have any contributions of who they would like to save. When a learner makes a suggestion, discussions must take place around why they feel he or she is worthy enough to be added to the list.

Put yourself in their shoes

Using the Internet, we offer our learners an interactive means to venture outside the borders of their own experience to try on an alternative cultural identity.

Ask learners to use the internet, memoirs and novels to explore issues of discrimination, harassment as if they were a significant individual such as:

• Martin Luther King• Mary Seacole• Albert Einstein• Helen Keller• Nelson Mandela• Maria Runyan

Research and explore activities:

• the local heritage, neighbourhood and community to support all learners’ sense of personal identity and personal history

• multiple perspectives within topics ensuring the inclusion of often overlooked voices

• oral history – stories from members of the local community describing their family histories and experiences

• the history of women’s rights, gay rights, the rights of people with disabilities and so on

• local people’s resistance to forms of oppression, for example by comparing civil rights movements around the world

• social media and social movements • colonisation and its effects • the contributions of ancient civilizations from around

the world• American history and the Black Power movement of the

1960s beginning with Rosa Parks

ICTProducing accessible electronic presentations

Talk to learners about producing accessible PowerPoint presentations and ask them to create a presentation that adheres to accessibility and readability best practice.

See Module 5: Top tips for creating accessible learning materials and environments for tips on creating accessible PowerPoint presentation and improving the readability of the materials your produce.

MATHSStatistics relating to protected characteristics

Ask learners to research statistics about each protected characteristic. The statistics about protected characteristics can relate to representation, under-representation, achievements, historical dates, presence in society, experience and so on.

Split learners into groups and encourage them to use their findings to create a quiz with answer sheets.

When they have developed the resources, use the finished resources as part of the session or as a quiz activity exploring statistics at the beginning of a subsequent session.

Famous mathematicians

Ask learners to research various famous mathematicians and inventors with a range of protected characteristics.

This activity helps learners to identify with these role models and value their experience and contributions.

Research and discuss activities

Research and discussion activities could include:

• using maths to problem solve issues relevant to learners

• using maths to analyse social, economic and political affairs

• the maths used by indigenous and other contemporary cultures throughout the world

• acknowledging and highlighting female contributions to the profession

• those prompted by visits from practitioners (accountants, bankers, insurers) from groups under-represented in the profession

MEDIAContent appropriate to different groups

Ask learners to consider carefully the needs of different sections of the learning community when planning the content of a college magazine.

Whilst dealing with key concepts such as brand image and target audience, challenge learners to consider how different sections of the population (covering the protected characteristics) might respond to their product ideas.

This enables learners to explore design ideas and using type and images to appeal to potential readers of different ages, with varied cultural backgrounds or with disabilities. It also helps them to explore gaps in the market where there is potential to attract new business customers and readers.

Producing content for a diversity magazine

Ask learners to interview their parents/carers about their lives as children, the stories they remember, favourite poems, and family recipes. The results of these interviews will inform you about the rich diversity within the classroom.

Ask learners to make the information from the interviews into newspaper articles and produce them in the form of a diversity magazine. Extracts from the magazine could be used for Black History month.

You could also do this activity around learner experiences in relation to the protected characteristics.

Modern Foreign Languages

Research and discuss activities

Ask learners to research and discuss:

• bilingualism and multilingualism in different contexts, including among learners

• diasporic language communities• colonialism• language and identity• raising the profile of formal and informal

community languages

MUSIC

Research and discussion

When looking at music and society, explore issues such as:

• sexuality, black issues, equal rights, older people and so on

• using music to explore/express aspects of personal identity and social problems and issues

• musicians and music drawn from a range of backgrounds and traditions

• musical styles, including opportunities for practical work in a range of different styles

• artists who do not ‘fit the stereotypes’, for example Black opera singers, disabled artists and so on

• the history of genres such as Rock ‘n’ Roll, Reggae, Blues, Calypso, Classical and Hip Hop

• globalisation through music (fusion of musical styles/influences)

• stereotypes and music

Performing Arts

Dramatised research findings on equality issues

Ask learners to examine issues such as immigration, race and culture affect different areas of society and how these issues have changed (or not) since the 1950s. Encourage learners to producing a piece of contemporary theatre to show the results of their investigation.

An examines different relationships

Ask learners to work on a piece that examines the different relationships between a diverse range of people including those with disabilities, older people and a domestic abuse situation.

Inclusive choreography

When choreographing, talk through every move in details so that learners with who are blind or visually impaired can learn at the same pace as everyone else. Auditory learners also benefit from this approach and it makes the experience inclusive.

Produce an inclusive script

White your own scripts for learners to perform. Tailor the script to the specific group, providing opportunities for all learners to participate in the production. A play could explore different ideas around issues such as gender identity, gay marriage and racism.

Challenging gender stereotyping in option choice

Ask learners to create a play about choosing GCSE options which encourages learners to challenge stereotypes and choose options that genuinely interest them rather than fulfilling gender expectations. Invite learners from Years 8 and 9 to view the performance.

Research and discussion

Explore issues such as:

• drama as a tool to explore your own identity and thoughts

• drama as a tool to explore your own identity and thoughts

• drama as social commentary through the ages

PSYCHOLOGYResearch mental illness and BME groups

Research suggests that people from BME (black and minority ethnic) groups are more likely to experience mental illness. Ask learners to consider this link and the issues that are most commonly reported by BME groups as contributing factors to mental health illnesses.

Explore these factors and ask learners to record what they think individuals, society and the government can do to help this.

Research and discussion

Hot topics for research and discussion include:

• learners’ multiple identities and life experiences• the shared cultural values of a range of groups,

whilst recognising diversity among individuals• considering theories and research from a range of

perspectives including the views of those from disabled, LGBT and BME backgrounds

• learners’ own cultural values• the stereotypes and perceptions of others based

on media portrayals and assumptions• cross-cultural communication• the links between poverty and mental health• psychology and historical theories of racial

inferiority

• bias, for example many psychological theories are based on the student of American college learners, how transferable are they?

Religious Education

Religions wall chart

Ask learners to create a wall display to raise awareness of the different religions and their particular beliefs by giving each learner a large piece of paper and allocate them a religion to work on. Advise them that they must include:

• the name of the religion• its beliefs• its god(s) of worship• customs and practices• prayer and worship information

Research and discuss

Hot topics for research and discussion include:

• common elements, concerns and values in different religious traditions

• cultural, national and ethnic diversity within each religious

• indigenous religions• religion and politics• religious diasporas• stereotypes and religion• religious oppression

Science

Research and discussion activities

Research and discussion activities could include:

• the lack of a scientific basis for the concept of ‘race’

• the contributions to science from around the world

• female scientists• disease and patterns in populations around the

world• visits from people working in the profession from

groups under-represented in STEM careers.

Valuing difference in the periodic table

Split learners into groups and allocate them sections of the periodic table. Ask learners to prepare a debate about why their section and individual elements of the periodic table are better than anyone else’s/ For example, learners with the element gold (Au) could argue that they have one of the most important elements because their material makes beautiful pieces of jewellery; learners with oxygen (O) in their section could argue that their element allows humans and other life to survive.

Get some healthy competition going and, at the end, tell your learners that although some may believe their

section is better than anyone else’s, when all the sections are merged together it creates an impressive and powerful scientific masterpiece, and when the elements work together to form compounds they become greater still. Make the links between valuing the contribution of people with individual and diverse characteristics to society.

The diversity behind the discover of the elements

Ask learners to research the history behind the names of the chemical elements, opening up a discussion of the global perspective of scientific discovery in contrast to the assumed view of scientific knowledge as being a Western domain. Draw attention to the contributions of Eastern, Black and female and scientists from other often under-represented groups.

Sociology

Social inequalities experienced by particular groups

Ask learners to investigate the social inequalities experienced by particular groups of people in the UK. You could allow learners to choose their own group or allocate certain groups with shared characteristics yourself.

Research and discussion activities

Research and discussion activities could include:

• exploring social inequality in a range of contexts• examining social norms from a range of cultural,

historical contexts• the role of religion in a range of contexts• attitudes to health and well being in a range of

contexts

Sport

Use current sports news stories to prompt discussion

Use current news stories to prompt discussion on topics such as racism, disability, age and gender. Encourage learners to explore the impact of these stories on sport, communities, individuals and policy makers and to look at how discriminatory behaviour can be prevented.

Focussing on ability

Focused on a different protected characteristic each week and ask learners to identify a diverse range of people who are involved in sport but who are from sections of this group usually under-represented in the sport. Encourage learners to comment on the impact these people have made on the sport and on society.

Research and discussion activities

Research and discussion activities could include:

• a comparative study of the role of sport across different communities/societies

• examining and challenging stereotypes – which groups are associated with certain sports, why/how has this evolved?

• Politics and sport• Gender and racial inequality in sport in a historical

and modern-day context• Gay and lesbian athletes

• Disabled athletes• Ageism in sport

AnyQuizzes and questionnaires as icebreakers

Use quizzes and questionnaires covering issues such as race, disability, gender, religion or belief as icebreakers. This is an excellent way to encourage learners to get to know each other and at the same time encourages greater cultural understanding and tolerance of learners’ personal circumstances and lifestyles. They show learners that everyone is valued, whatever their background, and that everyone can contribute and learn from each other.

In vocational subject areas these quizzes, case studies and worksheets can focus on issues around customer care, how to behave respectfully when working alongside people from different cultures or with customs and so on.

Organise a ‘faith walk’

Organise a ‘faith walk’ for learners where they visit local areas of worship and meet faith leaders from Muslim, Hindu, Jewish and Christian faiths. Introduce them to the place of worship and provide opportunities for questions afterwards.

Afterwards, incorporate the live experience into discussion or other activities as appropriate for your subject.

Make a fabric doll

Design and make a fabric doll exercise. Ask learners to consider equality issues such as how and where the fabric might have been made (swear shops, child labour), design features (ethnicity, disability) and what designs are currently available in shops and how this influences and socialises young children.

Using small groups to encourage participation by EAL learners

Learners for whom English is an additional language (EAL) may be reluctant to raise their hands to participate in whole class discussions due to a fear of responding in front of the whole class and being laughed at because they are still developing their English skills. This issue also applied to some of our traveller community learners.

Use small groups and paired work to do collaborative research and projects so that EAL speakers and others who need it can practise speaking in English in a smaller group.

For more information and to download samples of

these resources, visit the EDUK website at www.equalityanddiversity.co.uk