Incorporating topical issues into your teaching
National and local newspapers are a good source of material when thinking about ways of incorporating topical issues into your teaching. News stories often make connections between local communities and the wider world, for example when discussing the possible effects of local planning decisions. News stories also address controversial issues, such as asylum seekers. A study of current affairs and controversial issues can enrich the global dimension element of the school curriculum, but it is important to recognise and challenge any bias and stereotyping that might be presented in the media.
The activity on the right provides an opportunity to explore this with colleagues.
Activity Resources:
- Images
- Interactive
- Sound
- Text
- Video
Activity
- Click on the Text icon and consider the article about Mah-Bibi in Afghanistan from The Times Magazine (12 October, 2002).
- Check the article for bias using the 'Bias alert form' (used in the 'Bias alert!' activity) and the 'Do and don't checklist' (used in preceding activity). Click on the Text icon to see these documents again. Discuss your findings as a group.
- In small groups, identify opportunities for using this article to enhance pupils' learning about the global dimension within your existing schemes of work. If you prefer, you could choose an alternative article from a local or national newspaper (or from a newspaper website) for this part of the activity - but remember to check it for bias first.
