Avoiding harm and respecting boundaries (Teach for Change 4/6)

How can you explore social justice in your classroom without upsetting learners or causing harm? Watch the video to learn how to talk about sensitive topics with care, confidence and respect. Talking about social justice involves talking about rights, equality and fairness. Some topics, like violence, unfair treatment, death, loss and current global events can bring up painful emotions or memories. If we ignore this, we risk upsetting or harming learners, or even ourselves. So how can we explore these issues in our classrooms in a sensitive way? #TeachingEnglish #ELTcpd #britishcouncil #elt #englishteacher #professionaldevelopment #socialjustice #videoseries #inclusiveeducation Before viewing activity Think about the following questions or discuss them with a colleague. Do you think it's important to talk about social justice themes in the classroom? Why/Why not? What challenges might you have when discussing such themes with learners? Read the six tips below. For each one think of an example of: what it might mean in a classroom context how it could help avoid harm and respect boundaries. Look at materials in advance. Give clear content warnings. Offer safe alternatives. Build reset moments. Keep personal boundaries. Protect ourselves too. While viewing Watch the video. Make a note of the ideas given for each tip. For the answers to these activities and related resources, check out our website: https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/professional-development/teachers/understanding-learners/avoiding-harm-and-respecting-boundaries 00:00 – Understanding harm and emotional boundaries 00:28 – Preparing materials with care 00:43 – Using clear content warnings 01:04 – Providing safe participation alternatives 01:40 – Creating reset moments 02:03 – Maintaining personal boundaries 02:19 – Supporting teacher wellbeing 02:40 – Building a culture of safety and trust Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/@BritishCouncilTeachingEnglish TeachingEnglish website: https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/ Connect with us! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teachingenglish.britishcouncil/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeachingEnglish.BritishCouncil Twitter: https://x.com/teachingenglish?lang=en