In the classroom, learners not only cultivate soft skills, but it is also a good opportunity to cultivate values, respect, and empathy. In working to create that environment for all learners, it is very important to be able to respond to hate speech situations that may be encountered.
Forms of hate speech can manifest in the form of xenophobia, racism, anti-Semitism, anti-Muslim hatred, anti-LGBTQ+ hatred, misogyny and other types of intolerance (UNESCO, 2023).
These types of situations can be addressed through education, especially in the classroom. The instructor must be " there" and intervene in any kind of hate speech in the classroom. On the one hand, to not allow any form of hate speech to pass and, on the other hand, to guide learners through the challenges of verbal confrontation or hate speech and promote an environment that encourages educative discussion. These are age-appropriate interventions designed to empower the tutor in order to be ready if the need arises, ensuring a safe and inclusive educational journey. A common ground is open dialogue, fostering a sense of community.
Ages 6-8:
Explain how we communicate with each other using age-appropriate language. We can give examples of simple dialogues that are age-appropriate.
Through two scenarios of dialogue between tutor and learners:
1st Dialogue Scenario
Tutor: 'Children, always remember to be nice to your classmates. How do you feel when someone is being mean to you?"
Student 1: "I feel sad..."
Student 2: "I feel bad too..."
Tutor: "Very well. What can we do when someone is sad?"
Student 3: "We should help him!"
2nd Dialogue Scenario
Tutor: 'Children, I would like to learn about the word 'hate'. It can happen when someone says bad things or does bad things to someone. But we want to be friendly with each other. What can we do to help if someone feels bad?"
Student 1: "Tease him with nice things!"
Tutor: "Not really! We can surround them with friendship and show them that we are here to help them. Friendship is always the best option!"
We encourage open dialogue between learners. For example, if a classmate ever says something that makes them feel sad or teased, we encourage learners to express themselves openly and say what is hurting them so that they can help each other through open dialogue. In this way, empathy is also enhanced through the learners' feelings about how they felt.
We create an environment where all learners feel comfortable to express their thoughts. Communicate often the importance of respect for others. Explain that each person is unique and important and should respect each other.
Remind them of the importance of communication and active listening.
Show videos that reinforce an understanding of diversity. In this case, the tutor can skip through an activity, spending 10 to 15 minutes showing some YouTube videos about diversity.
Ages 9-11:
Strengthen cooperation. How would they react as a group if one of them had been the victim of hate speech? Direct the dialogue if necessary. We challenge the learners themselves by asking them questions to think of ways to resolve the debate. How do you feel about this situation? Or How could we find a solution that satisfies everyone?
We promote dialogue. We educate children to follow the rules of dialogue and respect everyone's time. It's a good opportunity to remind some basic rules of respect in the classroom:
Listen respectfully without interrupting.
Listen actively to others' opinions, and don't just think about what you are going to say while someone else is talking.
Criticize ideas, not individuals.
Comment for the purpose of sharing information, not to persuade.
Give everyone a chance to speak.
In the link below, you can find more guidelines for discussing hate, prejudice and discrimination incidents.
We do activities that promote diversity, inclusion and respectful communication. We asked the children to write on a padlet some characteristics about other children in the class. In this way, they will see different characteristics of each child that do not prevent them from being a team for as long as they are in the class together!
We give scenarios or role play so that they are confronted with real hate speech situations.
Scenario with roles: Learners will role-play a group of friends who are confronted with hate speech through social media messages.
Instructions: Each student will have a role (e.g., the Receiver, the Bully, and the Observer).
They will be given text messages to reproduce. Examples:
What are you wearing? You look ridiculous. You have no style at all!
You know, you shouldn't be here. People like you don't belong in this place!
You're so useless! You have no reason to be with us. Get out of our group!
Learners will then discuss the consequences and ways of dealing with hate speech.
Ages 12-14:
Hold a discussion with children about the effects of hate speech. By talking about the emotional impact of using hate speech, you give learners the opportunity to examine their own feelings, observe their impact on others, and evaluate their decisions.
Encourage children to explore the legal and moral dimensions of free speech. (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/charter/pdf/text_el.pdf). EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
Cultivate children's critical thinking. We advise learners to confront hateful situations with arguments and not with viewpoints to convey that there is both freedom of opinion and criticism of opinions. Learners need to learn how to recognize reasoning errors, formulate strong arguments and weigh multiple perspectives (UNESCO, 2023).
We teach learners conflict resolution skills to deal with disagreements. A simple way to resolve conflicts is not to blame each other as this can cause a conflict to escalate. At the same time, everyone should have equal opportunities to speak up without being excluded. It is very important to let everyone express their feelings and thoughts during the conversation.
Guide children towards a respectful dialogue. We negotiate with them about how they can maintain a respectful dialogue, even when they disagree.
We use examples. We preferably present examples from real-life situations that demonstrate how to deal with disagreements respectfully.
Example: Suppose there is a team project where two team members have different opinions on the best way to implement an idea. Instead of ignoring their differences, they decide to treat them with respect.
In this case, instead of immediately dismissing the other's views, they listen carefully and express their own thoughts with respect to the other. They use ideas and examples to support their positions while recognising the value of the other point of view.
Instead of focusing on their differences, they try to find common ground and solutions that will satisfy both sides. Respect for each other's views is the pillar for good conflict resolution, promoting cooperation and respect in a team.
Ages 15-17:
We promote learners' autonomy by encouraging them to develop their own opinions. We can ask some questions to get learners' opinions: Is the use of hate speech a good or bad way to feel superior? Is using hate speech a good or bad way to feel powerful?
We teach conflict resolution strategies and reinforce their skills in managing conflict and tension. There are seven steps to successfully negotiating conflict resolution: 1) Understand the conflict, 2) Communicate with the opposing side, 3) Brainstorm possible solutions, 4) Choose the best solution, 5) Use a third-party mediator, 6) Explore alternatives, and 7) Deal with stressful situations and pressure tactics (https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/implement/provide-information-enhance-skills/conflict-resolution/main).
We cultivate dialogue. We encourage children to listen respectfully to the views of others and to be open to new ideas.
We encourage critical thinking about the balance between freedom of speech and preventing negative influences.
We encourage children to use their voices responsibly and constructively, having points to be ready to respond to opposing thoughts and opinions.
We promote a comprehensive understanding of diversity. We encourage learners to listen to a TEDx talk on "It's (past) time to appreciate cultural diversity" by Hayley Yeates on the topic of cultural diversity/diversity.
At all ages, it is important to emphasise the importance of achieving a constructive conversation based on respect and understanding. As tutors, mentors, and pedagogues, let us join together in this effort to empower our learners to thrive in a world where respect and understanding set the foundation for a brighter future.
References
-United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) (2023). Addressing hate speech through education. A guide for policy-makers. New York, NY, UNESCO.
-Center for Research on Learning and Teaching (CRLT). Guidelines for Discussing Incidents of Hate, Bias, and Discrimination. Ann Arbor, MI, University of Michigan. https://crlt.umich.edu/publinks/respondingtobias
-The Community Tool Box. Chapter 20. Providing Information and Enhancing Skills. Section 6. Training for Conflict Resolution. The University of Kansas. https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/implement/provide-information-enhance-skills/conflict-resolution/main