Short description
The purpose of this resource is to support English language learning for new arrivals through learning about human rights, with a specific focus on the rights of the child, helping students become aware of their rights as children/young people. Not all countries around the world respect the human rights of a child.
This lesson helps students understand why these rights are important and something that should not be taken for granted. This resource also aims to empower students by giving them the knowledge that they have an equal place in society as well as the confidence and opportunity to claim their space in the classroom, too.
Teacher tip
An effective way to bring experience into the discussion of human rights is by using elements of dra-ma. However, the teacher needs to be in-tune with their students and their language level, as the fol-lowing activity may not apply to all groups.
Drama
An example of a drama activity to involve the students is to ask all students who are wearing jeans to stand up.
The teacher-in-role explains to these students:
"Sorry, you're not allowed to join the class today. You must leave. The principal has made a new rule, and you are breaking the law. You have the wrong kind of trousers on. From today, we do not allow students wearing jeans at school."
The teacher stays in role until the students leave the class.
After a few minutes, the teacher allows the students to come back into the classroom and then can lead the discussion:
- How did it feel to be removed from the class?
- How did it feel to watch the students leave?
- Have any of the students experienced similar situations?
- To what extent do the students think the drama activity was realistic?
Allowing students to discuss in home-language groups may be ap-propriate. Using yes/no questions may also be necessary to elicit answers from students with limited language.
Writing
In the writing tasks for this lesson, you should allow the students to write in their home language first if they have limited experience with English. This helps students get started on their writing. Students may then use the internet to translate to English. In this manner, students are practicing the skill of writing as well as using tools for English language learning.
LK20 Core curriculum
Schools must consider the diversity of pupils and facilitate for each pupil to experience belonging in school and society. (§ Core curriculum 1.1) The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is also a part of human rights, giving children and young people special protection. The education and training given must comply with human rights, and the pupils must also acquire knowledge about these rights. All pupils shall be treated equally, and no pupil is to be subjected to discrimination.
Competence aims for Vg1
- use appropriate strategies for language learning, text creation and communication
- use appropriate digital resources and other aids in language learning, text creation and interaction
- use different sources in a critical, appropriate, and accountable manner
Interdisciplinary topics
Health and life skills referring to developing the ability of the pupils to express themselves and de-velop a positive self-image and a secure identity.
Democracy and citizenship helping students understand that their world view is culture dependent thus helping students experience new ways to interpret the world.
Core elements
Working with texts in English
By reflecting on, interpreting, and critically assessing different types of texts in English, the pupils shall acquire language and knowledge of culture and society. Thus, the pupils will develop intercultural competence enabling them to deal with different ways of living, ways of thinking and communication patterns. They shall build the foundation for seeing their own identity and others’ identities in a multilingual and multicultural context
Communication
Employing suitable strategies to communicate both orally and in writing.
Basic skills
Oral skills - discussing findings/own writing
Reading English-language texts - reading for understanding
Writing - taking notes / writing sentences, writing a summary, reflection & assessment
Digital skills – critically searching for information
Resources
The resources below are included to give you a starting point / background information for this project. The links will take you to official websites about human rights, with more resources that can be used. Pixabay is a free image database.
Web sites
Task sheets
Teacher preparations
- Read and understand the 41 rights of the child.
- Anticipate any difficult language that is found in these rights.
Task sheet 1
Things I could not live without. Students write down a list of things they treasure most. They discuss with a partner explaining why.
Task sheet 2
Working with specific rights - making poster / internet research. Students ex-plore deeper into specific human rights by searching the internet to produce a multi-modal poster.
Task sheet 3
Writing task. The writing process and strategies for using specific vocabulary, writ-ing sentences and a summary.
Task sheet 4
Reflection and assessment. Students reflect on the process and product of the work they have done.
Plan for lesson
Task 1
The Outcome:
Students make a list of things they treasure most, using task 1 worksheet to help stu-dents personalize the concept of human rights. The task is carried out individually and then in pairs. The students reflect on what it is like to live without something they treasure, reflecting over what is important in their lives. They experience the concept of human rights by identifying things that are dear to them and reflecting on how it would feel if these things were taken away. The students then are challenged to reflect about the difference between what they NEED and what they WANT.
The Process:
- Students make a list of 10 things they treasure the most (for example telephones, the internet etc).
- The students choose 3 things and write down why they treasure these items.
- The list is discussed with their partner giving reasons for why the item was chosen.
- In pairs, the students create a Venn-diagram to see how their lists compare.
- Finally, the students are then asked to re-evaluate the list. What items do they NEED and what items do they WANT? Which items stayed on the list and which items were taken away?
Materials needed: Task 1 worksheet and Venn-diagram
Task 2
The outcome:
Students go deeper into the human rights of a child by doing their own research. The information they find online is then illustrated in the form of a multimodal poster, in which they add pictures, diagrams, and printouts. Making a multimodal poster allows students with limited language to show their under-standing of human rights. Dividing the 41 rights up into smaller units of three ensures that all rights are covered, thus broadening the students’ knowledge on human rights. The use of pictures and texts lets students work in an area they feel most secure. Using pictures also supports the students’ writing. Together, the students learn to work in a group and make democratic decisions by asking for advice while helping each other.
The Process:
- Print out the 41 rights of the child. Divide the 41 rights so that each group gets 3/4.
- Go through the rights with the entire class by letting each group read out their rights aloud and di-recting their attention to difficult vocabulary.
- Hand out task sheet 2
- Ask students to search the internet for information about their rights. Be sure to help students criti-cally evaluate the information they find online. See the resource listed above for ideas.
- Each group designs a poster for their rights, using only pictures and the information found online.
- Once the posters are finished, they can be displayed around the classroom for everyone to see.
Materials needed:
Task 2 worksheet, scissors, poster paper, colour pens, glue, access to a printer
Task 3
The outcome
The students write sentences and then a summary of the human rights. This task equips students with strategies for writing sentences to use writing a summary. The task focuses on topic vocabular and simple sentence writing. The students read aloud their writing after organizing their sentences into a logical order. Reading writing aloud can be used as a writing strategy for revi-sion along or simple to focus on oral and listening skills. The task can lead to peer evaluation if the students know the criteria and are able to ask each other for feedback.
The process
- Students make a mind map using topic vocabulary on the given rights of the child.
- Students then form simple sentences from the information on the mind-map.
- Individually, in pairs, or in the group, the sentences are placed in an order that makes sense. De-pending on the level of students, you may provide some linking words to help connect the sentences.
- The written summaries are then attached to the posters.
Materials needed: Task 3 worksheet
Task 4
The outcome
Students reflect on their work by answering questions from the task sheet that focuses on the product and learning process. Being able to reflect and assess is a skill that promotes life-long learning.
The Process
- Hand out task sheet 4.
- Individually, ask students to write answers to the questions.
- In pairs or in groups, share the answers orally.
Reflection and assessment
During the process, the language learning focus should be on topic vocabulary and sentence structure. Allow for the use of home languages to keep the students involved and on task. Teachers can check for vocabulary understanding with their written summary.
Comments and follow-up that may lead to deeper learning:
This resource can be further developed into the students making new human rights that perhaps do not exist. This could head in the direction of the rights to education around the world.
Idea developed by
Elaine Gowie-Fleischer (EL EDUCATION) © Fremmedspråksenteret