Applied to education,
the Medicine Wheel illustrates the necessity of attending to the physical,
emotional, intellectual,
and spiritual dimensions of learning and personal development.
Aboriginal Education:
Fulfilling the Promise
Castellano, Davis, and Lahache
(2000)
Students come to the classroom with a wide range of backgrounds and cultural lenses through which they see the world. Given the varied backgrounds of students, teachers may wish to utilize a more inclusive approach to classroom dynamics.
The teachings of the Medicine Wheel offer a model for inclusion of all students. This holistic educational philosophy is geared toward teaching the whole child. Holistic teaching from the Medicine Wheel begins with the individual and expands therefrom to include an Aboriginal view of human development: mental, spiritual, emotional and physical.
Figure 1 (although American) illustrates the synthesis of the Medicine Wheel and the seven intelligences, but includes an eighth intelligence, the indigenous worldview.
Pewewardy (1999) applies this holistic model to Harvard psychologist Howard Gardner’s seven intelligences. The seven intelligences are centered around the self that, with the addition of an eighth intelligence, indigenous worldview, all impact on the individual as he or she learns and grows in life. The seven intelligences not only surround the self, but also act as spokes that connect to the outside circle and the world.
(Pewewardy, Cornel, 1999, pp. 29-30. Adapted with permission.)
Figure 2 is an adaptation of Pewewardy’s Medicine Wheel model as it relates to Native Studies 10. Notice that the Aboriginal worldview permeates the entire the entire model, and consequently, the entire course. In Native Studies 10, Aboriginal worldview is seen as the overriding lens through which content is taught. Therefore, instructional approaches that affirm Aboriginal worldviews are listed first.
Subsequent strategies are also categorized under a circular model geared toward the Aboriginal philosophy of the circular nature of teaching and learning. Please note that instructional approaches are categorized for organizational purposes. Teachers know that instructional approaches are not easily categorized and one strategy may fit under several headings.
| When inviting storytellers, try to create a comfortable atmosphere for the storyteller and the students that is less institutional. Compensation in the form of a gift is appropriate. |
Storytelling, as a teaching and learning strategy, is central to illuminating both Aboriginal history and Aboriginal worldviews Petrone (1999) points out, in her study, Native Literature in Canada, "Long before Europeans came to Canada, even long after their arrival, the natives of Canada had an oral literature that had been transmitted by word of mouth from generation to generation through storytelling, song, and public ceremony, which itself involves oration and song." She also cautions that although Aboriginal peoples have an oral tradition, that those traditions are unique to the nations. "Canada’s Indian peoples, however, do not share a common literary heritage. Tribal literatures are culturally specific to each of the five cultural groups in Canada…. Their oral cultures reflect this great diversity in their histories and literatures." ( Petrone, Penny. 1990 Reprinted with permission.)
The teacher may use the following instructional strategies to enhance understanding of Aboriginal worldview in any of the units.
(See IWAP13 Narrative and IWAP15 Passing on the Knowledge at the end of Unit One for protocol.)
Talking circles foster respect, enhance self-concept, nurture a sense of belonging and affirm identity. Talking circles are most useful when:
Talking circles may also be useful to:
The group sits in a circle and each person has a turn to contribute. An object (stone, stick or other) can be used to signify whose turn it is to speak. The teacher facilitates by ensuring that guidelines are followed.
The facilitator should model respectful listening and speaking by participating in the talking circle. The facilitator might also consider the size of the group. Small groups are preferable when students are uncomfortable speaking in a large group or when time constraints are an issue.
(Four Worlds Development Project, 1988 . Reprinted with permission.)
Timeline activities are presented to give teachers a starting point from which to develop their own repertoire of timeline activities. The timeline shows unique features of Aboriginal life, and offers teachers a source with which to dispel myths about Aboriginal peoples. The timeline shows that there was a profusion of activity (intellectual and otherwise) in North America prior to the arrival of Europeans, and provides a "snap shot" of events from which the teacher and students can explore the rich cultures of Aboriginal peoples. One of the difficulties in devising a timeline is determining what to include and what to leave out. This dilemma can provide rich learning opportunities because events left out are useful as springboards for exploration and discussion.
Like the National Aboriginal "role model" posters, students may develop their own "you have inspired me" posters. Sometimes people are reluctant to be seen as role models, even though they make important contributions to students and the community. Respecting people’s reticence to be seen as a "role model" is important; however, they may be more willing to participate in being honoured when they are being honoured for a specific contribution. A student may be inspired, for example, by his or her grandmother or grandfather to learn traditional hunting or trapping methods. A student may want to honour an extended family member for carrying on a cultural tradition or for helping him or her to cope with one of life’s many challenges. The reasons for honouring the people in our lives are as unique as each student. This activity is particularly appropriate to the inclusive nature of Native Studies 10. It fosters personal and community pride because everyone has a mentor.
(Riese, Kandis, 2001, Churchill Composite High School. Used with permission.)
In Native Studies 10, students may be introduced to information or ideas that are completely new to them. Students may come to your classroom with misconceptions or misinformation about Aboriginal peoples. The teacher’s challenge is to teach the skills required so students can think critically for themselves. For this reason critical thinking skills are important to Native Studies.
Critical thinking allows us to determine the accuracy of statements, the soundness of reasoning that leads to conclusions, interpret complex ideas, appraise evidence offered in support of arguments, and distinguish between reasonableness and unreasonableness. Both problem solving and decision making depend on critical thinking, as does the meaningful discussion of controversial issues. Traditionally, our notion of critical thinking is based upon logic rooted in Western philosophic tradition. Matters under discussion are divided into smaller parts to make them more manageable as is shown by the following linear thinking model.
One of the problems associated with this way of thinking is that it asks us to detach ourselves from what we are discussing. In other words, we ask our students to disregard experience, intuition and indeed the context in which a problem occurs. This model requires linear thinking.
This linear method may work for thinkers who can separate problems into discrete parts and analyze each separately. For some students, this method of thinking is inappropriate and unproductive. In fact, some students rely on context and the interrelatedness of ideas to gain meaning and solve problems.
(Ruggiero, Vincent Ryan, 1990, p. 14. Adapted with permission.)
In the following daisy pattern, ideas are not laid out in a form that leads directly from one conclusion to the next. Instead, background context is developed, even before identifying the point of the discussion. The central idea, the center of the daisy, will not be addressed in full until the entire background is thoroughly provided. In fact, the central idea may not be explicitly discussed at all. Instead, the background context and the richness of that context makes the sense of the central idea evident. Meaning is embedded in context.
This daisy pattern illustrates how the following problem was solved: This is a true story. There was a man once who had a dog that barked at night. That dog barked and barked, and kept neighbors up at night. This man did not seem to care. He did nothing to stop his dog barking. So a group of neighbors talked about his problem. They could not sleep because of the barking dog. One man said, "I know what to do," and without knowing what he would do, and without asking what he would do, the community gave its consent. The man went and talked with the man. He did not talk about the dog. He talked about the neighborhood. About the weather. About how the man was. And the neighbor asked if he could come back and visit. And he did, and they talked about the neighbors, and so-and-so who has been sick and needs rest, and … before long, that dog did not bark at night anymore. Nothing was ever said about the dog, or the problem of barking at night, or angry upset neighbors. The context created the frame for just one behaviour being acceptable within the context: to keep the dog quiet.
(Palmerton, Patricia R and Yvonne Bushyhead , 1994. Adapted with permission.)
In this particular case, the idea of explicitness inherent in linear thinking would limit and create boundaries to solving the problem. Hence, although linear thinking is a valuable method to apply to problems and has its place, it is not always the best model. Teachers may wish to experiment with both methods of critical thinking, and have students determine which is most effective for them.
Concept mapping is designed to show meaningful relationships between concepts. The difference between concept mapping and concept webbing is that "mapping is hierarchical. Mapping can make clear to students the key ideas on which to focus. It can show new relationships between concepts and can "stretch" the student’s mind to see things in a new perspective. The following concept map may be used to show the strengths and weaknesses between two methods of decision making.
Consensus
The concept map at the top of the next column may be used to show the interrelationship between ideas. For example, the cause/effect relationship between negative stereotyping, bias, prejudice and the consequences.
Concept webbing may begin with a concept presented in the middle of a page. From that concept, a group of students may brainstorm all related concepts that they feel are relevant or that flow from that initial concept. Concepts will multiply as more and more of them are generated and presented on paper. Each individual within the group may build upon the concepts of others.
Concept webbing may also be used as an evaluation tool. Teachers may ask students to discuss the relationships between items on a self-made, or provided, blank concept web. Students can be asked to complete it with the knowledge gained from a particular unit. Students may be asked to explain how the following elements affected Aboriginal family life in a specified time period.
Figure 3 depicts strategies as intersecting circles reinforcing the idea of a circular method of teaching and learning. The headings of the five circles are then used to organize the instructional strategies on the following pages.
(Pewewardy, Cornel, 1999, p. 30. Adapted with permission.)
Direct instruction is usually deductive. A rule or generalization is presented and then illustrated with examples. While this strategy may be easier to plan and use, it has limitations for developing the abilities, processes, and attitudes required for critical thinking and for interpersonal and group learning. Native Studies 10 requires development of the affective domain and higher level thinking skills. Direct instruction is most effective when the teacher prepares students to become actively involved in the activity. Direct instruction should not be discounted, just used sparingly with a wide variety of other strategies.
Video
The use of video or film can be an effective instructional strategy for Native Studies 10, particularly when they present an Aboriginal perspective. However, watching a video or film is of little use to students if they are passive listeners/viewers. To help students become productive when viewing a film or video, teachers may employ a number of methods before, during and after viewing.
Pre-viewing
Viewing
Post-Viewing
The importance of knowledgeable guest speakers to Native Studies 10 can not be overstated. Students can gain valuable knowledge about Aboriginal content and worldview. It is important for students of Native Studies 10 to see knowledgeable Aboriginal people as the owners of their knowledge. Knowledgeable Aboriginal speakers are invaluable both to their own communities and to the community at large.
During communication between the teacher (or a selected student) and the speaker, the teacher/student needs to find out:
*If the speaker is using a lecture style, the
teacher can help the students prepare by conducting a brief discussion that solicits students’ prior knowledge about the topic.
Information the teacher can share with the guest speaker:
Indirect instruction is student-centered and may also be called inquiry, induction, problem solving, decision making and discovery. Indirect instruction may involve reflective discussion, concept formation or attainment, cloze procedure, problem solving and guided inquiry. Students may be asked to observe, investigate, draw inference or form hypotheses. Indirect instruction taps into students’ natural curiosity and encourages them to seek intriguing alternatives. Students are free to think creatively without worry about giving the wrong answers. Interpersonal skills are enhanced as students seek out the appropriate material and human resources. This strategy is most appropriate when:
Inductive Inquiry may be approached in two ways:
Guided Inquiry
The teacher provides the basic information to conduct the lesson and asks the students to make generalizations or conclusions that can be reasonably inferred. The teacher begins the process of induction through a set of guided experiences. The teacher’s key role is to ask questions, prompt responses, and structure materials and situations. The teacher is the main organizer of the learning. Thus, guided inquiry takes substantial teacher preparation time, but students become active thinkers and doers.
Unguided Inquiry
Generally once the students have gained some skill at guided inquiry, they may then begin this more independent method of study. Students take on more responsibility for collecting and examining data, concepts and events or situations.
The teacher’s role becomes one of "clarifier." As students develop their own generalizations and hypotheses, the teacher acts as a sounding board.
(Orlich et. al., 1990 , p. 339)
Decision making is an intellectual process that requires students to select the "best" alternative choice based on a set of conditions and circumstances. This process requires that the students review and describe the issue or the problem to be resolved and identify the various alternatives for resolution. They study the effects and consequences of each possible alternative choice. After each possible selection has been compared according to the same set of characteristics, the final selection is presented with a list of reasons for selecting this choice over the other alternatives. Teachers can engage students in problem solving and decision-making activities through a variety of sources:
(Orlich et. al.,1990 , p. 285)
The following steps may guide students.
Native Studies 10 lends itself most appropriately to experiential learning in a variety of ways, in particular, attending cultural events and activities. However, to ensure that meaningful learning takes place, students need to be prepared accordingly. Students should be reminded that they are going on a learning adventure. Their conduct during the outing is as important to the success of the outing as the event itself. Students should also be aware of:
Skits
Have students write and perform skits that portray an historical or contemporary situation related to what they are learning. Creating their own props and improvising costumes enhances student learning.
Background knowledge
An effective role playing exercise builds on knowledge that students already possess about a particular historical concept. They may have read a certain curriculum reading, literary work or an excerpt from a textbook. Their knowledge may be imperfect or superficial, but that makes little difference to the success of the exercise. The purpose of the activity is to enhance their understanding of a specific historical situation, so it is actually a good thing if they have not yet mastered the ideas or perspectives under discussion. Difficult texts are often the ideal foundation for a role playing activity. While students may have trouble immediately discussing a text they had difficulty understanding, role playing allows them to focus on one aspect of the reading and to delve more deeply into the author’s points of argument and evidence.
Perspectives
The second element of the role play is to design the roles themselves to maximize student involvement and, most important, student conflict. Whether students choose their roles does not seem to make much difference, so long as conflicting perspectives are equally presented.
In some instances it is important to have opposing views represented, while in other instances it is important that students focus on the perspectives of the historical personalities involved in the conflict.
Situation
Some role playing exercises need more in the way of a story than others, but it is almost always a mistake simply to "let the students go" in a role playing discussion without giving them a focal point for debate. Students feel an investment in the part they are to play if there is a specific, immediate crisis to be solved.
Management
The final and most critical element of a successful role play exercise is the teacher’s management of the debate. This is the most difficult element to master and to explain. The two keys to a well-managed role playing discussion are the teacher’s limited involvement and willingness to be flexible. One of the main purposes of the role play is to get students talking to each other, instead of to the teacher. Accordingly, the teacher’s role is to guide the students’ conversation among themselves through questions issued from the side lines. This limited role means that sometimes students may follow an unanticipated line of argument, or take up positions that were not originally a part of the lesson. These circuitous or unexpected routes can provide some of the most interesting and valuable insights into the historical situation. While the teacher does need to manage the discussion so that it does not veer off onto unproductive tangents, to a large extent the role of the manager is to let the students drive the discussion and to remain flexible about the paths students take to understanding.
(McDaniel, Kathryn N. May, 2000. pp. 357-62. Adapted with permission.)
By giving students actual or fictional case studies but not providing them with the concluding accounts of the situation, teachers can pose analytical dilemmas to students to be resolved. After reading and discussion, students may try to complete the case and reach resolution individually or as a group. If conclusions cannot be reached, students offer alternatives, or may declare the problem a dilemma.
The case study is a valuable strategy for skill building, particularly in strengthening critical thinking abilities. Commercial case studies are difficult to find. Most teachers develop materials themselves.
(Dynneson & Gross, 1999, p. 339. Adapted with permission.)
A journal is one way to help students record what they learn from classroom experiences and course materials.
Journals should be kept at school, although students may add entries they have written elsewhere. Assign specific journal entries and allot specific times for daily entries.
Confidentiality should be guaranteed; entries are not shared with the class without the individual’s permission. Students may choose to have the teacher share a journal entry, but keep the authorship anonymous. These general rules of journal writing should be clearly stated, as should the dates for handing in and returning the journals.
To establish positive relationships with students it is important that the teacher respond to journals expediently and sensitively. Students need immediate feedback, both for their self-confidence and to get to know their teacher. There is always something positive to say to every student. Journals provide privacy for the free exchange of thoughts, feelings and ideas that discussion cannot ensure.
To facilitate learning through journals, prepare and display a series of questions or provide a handout as a journal recording guide. Provide thought-provoking questions after lessons. For example:
Journal entries may include poems, short stories, artwork, questions or comments related to the topic.
Journal entries may provide springboards for further discussion and other activities. As you read the journals, try to share with the class (with permission from the writer) a journal entry from each student. You will undoubtedly read a variety of perceptions on a single issue. This illustrates the students’ individuality, and at the same time, shows that they each have a contribution to make.
Periodically, ask the students to reread their journals, and notice specific instances of personal growth and learning. Ask them to write, or share with others, some of their personal feelings as a result of this growth.
Journals may also be used for unit-ending summaries. They may provide ideas for short essays or areas for further study.
Teachers may also keep a journal and occasionally share entries with the class. Students benefit from seeing teachers as partners in the learning process.
Benefits of Journal Writing
The writer:
Types of Journals
Dialogue Journals provide a forum for communication between teacher and student and student and self.
Journalogs are usually written in chronological order and cover main ideas/generalizations and opinions.
Reaction Journals assist students in absorbing information, answering questions, highlighting main points, sorting new information and expressing feelings.
Diaries are personal and student’s choose when and if to share these thoughts.
Learning Logs differ from journals in that the focus is upon course content and classroom experiences. Generally, topics decided by the teacher stem from required reading, viewing or discussing issues related to the course.
Learning logs serve a number of important functions. Students may be encouraged to write more, to provide more detail or to investigate an issue. Students may be asked to perform specified tasks, then respond to the product. They may model problem-solving techniques or critical thinking skills.
| It is important that teachers allow students class time to complete journal assignments. Often the quality of journal entries is equal to the quality and quantity of time given during class time. |
Poem/Song Activity: Ask students to compose a poem or song based upon the concepts or facts in a particular unit. Specific topics and/or historical perspectives may be used.
Personal Letter: Ask students to write personal letters to fictional characters in the literature, or to the author of the expository reading material.
Biography: Have students write a biography of an historical or contemporary Aboriginal person of interest to the student.
Autobiography: Have students write an autobiography (in the first person) from the perspective of an Aboriginal individual of interest.
Parody: Have students write parodies of poems, newspaper articles or other short narratives.
Pamphlets: Have students develop a pamphlet of information on a particular unit or issue being studied.
Cartoon: Have students create cartoons with captions that depict an ironic situation or issue.
Advertisements: Have students create an advertisement that will convince an audience to choose their side on a particular issue.
Oral Histories: Have students interview an Elder or other members of the Aboriginal community who have cultural knowledge. Students may ask the Elder for permission to practice their storytelling skills using the information.
Allegory: Have students create and illustrate an animal allegory or fable representing a key concept in a particular unit.
Book Review: Have students design a book cover for a book by an Aboriginal author; write a review that goes inside the cover, and display it for others to see.
Newsletter: Have students write a newsletter to be sent home, or for the school newspaper explaining the current unit of study.
Native Studies students need to develop thoughtful interpretations of the reading material. They need to be actively involved in making sense of what they read. Teachers can encourage students to become actively involved in the process of making meaning by choosing instructional approaches that meet the needs of their students. Consider the following instructional activities:
Help students prepare to read by:
Help students employ effective reading strategies during reading by:
Help students understand and respond after reading by:
(Saskatchewan Education, April 1999. a)
Note-Making Activity: Have students read a short curriculum reading or other selection and discuss the central or difficult ideas in pairs. Students try to remember basic points of the selection without referring to the text. Students share their notes with the class. Each pair contributes until all the main ideas are charted on the board or chart paper.
Map and Chart Interpretation: Students interpret maps and charts supplied by the teacher, or develop their own from material being studied.
Glossary Activity: Students compile a glossary of terms, concepts and organizations that appear in a specific unit. Students may use this glossary to develop crossword puzzles to test their classmates. This glossary could be used in class and kept as a permanent Appendix.
Collage: Students work through a particular concept or unit and then collect photographs, pictures, cartoons, articles and headlines for the production of a collage, or mixed-media work illustrating the ideas presented in the unit.
Verbal-visual Essay: Combines collage and writing. Students create a verbal-visual collage using pictures and captions from magazines/catalogues. Then students provide a brief summary on the back of the collage on the topic they are assigned or have chosen. Then they provide 10 "verbals": five factual statements reflecting the content under study and five statements reflecting their opinion.
Current Affairs Activity: Students locate materials and sources for current information regarding Aboriginal issues, or on the content of a given unit. Appropriate sources may be:
Newspapers
Journals
Magazines
Radio and television programs
Friendship Centres
Aboriginal rights organizations
Video and audio tapes.
Clippings and references may be shared with the class, displayed in the classroom, evaluated for bias, and/or compiled into folders. Keep clippings for class use and placement in a school resource centre.
Assign, or have students choose, a topic to explore as a research essay. Students may use the readings provided at the end of each unit, listed sources and independent research to document and write about their topic. The readings often supply the names and addresses of organizations and companies involved with the subject of a particular unit. Contacting such organizations may yield more specific and current information. Students may choose to present their findings to the class.
Essay Writing
The essay is a prose form with which all students should become adept. Native Studies 10 offers plenty of opportunities for students to refine their writing skills. An essay usually begins with an opening paragraph that states the topic or thesis, a body of one or more paragraphs that provides evidence or proof and a concluding paragraph that sums up arguments and relates to the thesis.
Teachers have a variety of essay writing formats from which to choose. Native Studies 10 is particularly suited to three particular styles of essay writing: the Personal Essay, the Persuasive Essay and the Research Essay.
Personal Essay
The main purpose of a personal essay is to share an insight with the reader in a manner that reflects the writer’s personality and attitude toward a subject. This type of essay leaves room for individuality and creativity. It is written in a conversational style and usually from a first-person point of view. It does not just narrate events or experiences; it explores their significance or insignificance, and offers the writer’s perspective on them.
In Native Studies 10 students might:
Students might introduce their personal essay in a casual or easy way by arousing their readers’ interest and stating the theme or insight the essay will explore. They might consider opening with a proverb or a familiar quotation, challenging a statement made by someone else, asking a question that will arrest the attention of the reader, or beginning with a personal anecdote or experience. The opening should announce the subject of the essay, and establish the tone (e.g., humorous, reflective) and point of the essay. The body of the personal essay should stick closely to the subject and maintain the thesis and tone.
It might include commentary, narrative passages, and descriptive details to illustrate or convey an idea, feelings or experience of the subject. The reader needs to be able to follow the treatment of the subject and understand the meaning intended. Finally, students should bring the essay to a satisfactory end. They might conclude with a strong statement about the lesson their experience has taught them, a thought-provoking question or a concluding paragraph that states what they have learned.
Persuasive Essay
A persuasive essay gives the writer’s opinion about a topic. A persuasive essay appeals to the emotions and the logic of the reader. The writer’s task is to convince the audience that his or her point of view is correct (or at least reasonable).
In Native Studies 10 students might:
The introduction of a persuasive essay should begin with a device to catch the reader’s attention (e.g., a strong statement of the main idea/thesis, a question, or an important, unusual or dramatic detail). The introduction should also express a firm opinion or position that the writer wants the reader to consider. The body of the essay should provide evidence to support the opinion that has been offered in the introductory paragraph. It should support the thesis with appropriate facts, incidents, expert opinions, or responsible appeals to emotion. An effective persuasive writer tries to anticipate opposing or alternative viewpoints, and may provide counter arguments along with main points of the essay.
The conclusion usually ends with a summary of the most important details of the argument and restates what the reader is to believe or do.
Research Essay
A short research essay explores a specific topic, synthesizing and incorporating information from a variety of sources. In addition to stating clearly the purpose in a thesis statement, an effective research essay uses evidence and details from a variety of sources to support the thesis. It contains only accurate and relevant information, documents sources correctly, and includes a properly formatted reference list or bibliography. Finding and evaluating relevant sources, and determining useful, accurate information from those sources, requires students to explore a range of human, electronic, and print resources and to check if they are authoritative, up-to-date and respected. It also requires students to make notes as they paraphrase, summarize, and quote the key ideas they wish to use. To avoid plagiarism, students need to credit sources using documentation procedures employed in various acceptable style guides (e. g., Modern Language Association). Students should feel comfortable using a research strategy that might include:
Teachers may provide students with the Essay Instructions and Outline provided on page 272 in Unit Three - Governance: Aboriginal Perspectives.
(Saskatchewan Education. 1999. b)
Learning contracts can be used for enrichment, or as a replacement for missed assignments. The learning contract may be as simple or as complex as the situation requires. The teacher and student may develop the learning contract together, negotiating the terms of the contract, specific goals, learning outcomes, evaluation criteria, resources, learning environment and due dates. An example follows.
Name:
From this project I hope to learn:
This project will be evaluated based on:
I can find the resources at:
I will use the following schedule to complete the work:
This project is due on:
Obstacles I might encounter:
Persons I could consult if obstacles occur:
We, the undersigned, agree to consult
from time to time to discuss my goal and to review my plan.
______________ _______________________________________
Student’s Signature Teacher/Librarian/
Significant Adult or Classmate’s Signature
Group work not only facilitates learning, it also gives grade 10 students a structured environment in which to develop important social skills. However, to keep grade 10 students motivated requires more than providing the forum for discussion. Ayers and Paris (1994) suggest that motivating students involves creating a student-centered classroom. A classroom that puts students at the center of its environment provides the following:
(Paris, Scott G., and Linda R. Ayres. 1994, p. 4. Adapted with permission.)
The teacher’s ability to conduct discussions is a key element in the development of inquiry and critical thinking skills. Skillin facilitating a discussion is achieved through continued practice. There are a few questions teachers may think about when conducting discussion.
Classroom discussion can be an effective teaching tool. Teachers may provide students with some basic ground rules for discussion. It may also be practical to start with small group discussions prior to entire class discussions, depending on the students’ comfort level with open discussions.
A debate is a structured discussion. The degree of structure and formality is up to the teacher. There are usually two teams of at least two people each. One team, the Affirmative, supports the resolution. The second team, the Negative, opposes it.
The topic can be selected to achieve a particular educational goal. In a debate, students are often required to debate both sides of a proposition, which offers them the opportunity to understand more than one viewpoint.
In preparing to debate, participants are required to proceed through a variety of steps. First, students research the topic to identify what the issues are. The research must then be examined to allow the formulation of propositions and the gathering of evidence to support these propositions.
The Affirmative will examine problems and try to formulate resolutions advocating the most logical solution. The Negative will try to show that the reasoning, evidence and propositions of the Affirmative are faulty, and may offer solutions of their own. Debate focuses on oral communication and thorough preparation, which triggers pragmatic and spontaneous response. Debating contributes to the development of several of the Common Essential Learnings.
The Saskatchewan Elocution and Debate Association (SEDA) suggests the following ideas to get started.
Guiding Principles in Teaching Debate:
Depending on circumstances, debates may work better if you use teams of three, four or more students. Consider the maturity of your students, the time available and the class size.
Warmups (One hour)
Step #1: In partners, give students a word (blue, birthdays, happy). They must speak for 30 seconds, then switch.
Step #2: Give students a list of words. One partner begins, and must talk about the first word for as long as possible without pausing or saying "um." As soon as he or she pauses, the partner starts on the next topic. Have students time each other.
Step #3: Give students a simple resolution (e. g. school is important, birthdays are fun) and have each partner take a side. The Affirmative one speaks for 30 seconds, then the Negative one speaks for 30 seconds.
Step #4: Have each pair choose sides, as described above, but this time he or she must listen to their partner and clash with as many points as possible. It is not quite a debate, just: Negative speech (1 min), Affirmative reply (30 seconds), then Affirmative speech (1 min), Negative reply (30 seconds).
The following Sample Unit using debate is a guide to help teachers develop their own.
Step #1: Explain the idea of resolutions. Have the students develop resolutions (one hour).
Step #2: Once the resolutions are prepared, students divide into groups of six to study the implications and set the basis for the research. The teacher should provide a template or general guide for the students to use.
Template suggestion:
Students may be familiar with some type of KWL procedure:
K - First, the students record what they already Know about the topic.
W - Next, students record what they Want (or need) to know about the topic.
L Finally, after their research, students record what they have Learned about a topic - usually in a chart format.
Research tools should be student-centred, but other simple and general patterns are PMI (plus, minus and interesting) the classic W5. Active learning needs to involve the students at all stages, including the guiding of their own research.
Step #3: Once each group has researched its’ issue (at least two hours), divide the groups into two teams of three people. The teams draw for Affirmative/Negative, then spend time preparing their arguments. It is a good idea to ask at least three students and probably five to act as judges for the debate.
Step #4: The teacher then takes time to explain the roles of each of the debaters and the debates begin. (See Step by Step Guide available from SEDA for this information.) Discussion style works best. Some teachers have debaters clashing only in their speeches, and a large number of the audience or class act as questioners, distributing questions between the two sides. The remaining groups take their turn; if time is controlled carefully, all the groups of six can finish debating in two hours.
The "Step by Step Guide" to debate contains detailed information about debate in general. The "Debate Information Package for Teachers" contains information on using and adapting debate for the classroom and can be obtained from SEDA.
SEDA also offers research packages, in a pro/con format for a reasonable price. Those relevant to Native Studies 10 may be: Pardon of Louis Riel (1991), Media, Influence (1999), Native Rights and Self-Government (1994). For more information, contact:
Colleen Yanush,
Executive Director
1860 Lorne Street
Regina, SK
S4P 2L7
Telephone: (306) 780-9243
Fax: (306) 781-6021