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Resource - Images in Question
Resource - Images in Question
Images in Question
A Role Play Resource for Secondary School Students
Resource created for 102083 Diversity, Social Justice & Learning by:
James NORRIS—18503874
Ahmed SABOUNI—17876692
Ami-Marie SIMPSON—17975780
CONTENTIOUS ISSUES
Images in Question
A Role Play Resource for Secondary School Students
The purpose of this resource is to engage students in open ended discussion about
controversial images. Students challenge the perceptions of themselves and their
peers in respectful debate surrounding the contention of power imbalances.
JUSTIFICATION
The selection and critical analysis of an image depicting a controversial event illustrating an inequality
of authority will assist students to challenge existing pedagogies of indifferences, and develop a deeper
understanding of the impacts of racism in Australian society.
By undertaking a role play, students get the opportunity to explore a scenario in a safe and respectful
environment. This role play activity will assist in developing a deeper understanding of the issue being
discussed, a valuing of difference, and a sense of connectedness within society.
Through creative thinking, collaboration with peers, thoughtful communication and critical
analysis of those involved in the events depicted, our 21st century learners take responsibility for their
own learning. While teacher-facilitated, the students are called upon to create rules and boundaries
around their discussions, and then actively engage with their allocated roles by stepping in to
another’s perspective. Stepping back out of their roles enables them to reflect and debrief on the
matter at hand.
Applicable to different KLA’s through the choice of differing images, the Australian Curriculum
Cross-curriculum priority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures is
emphasised in the application of this resource.
This resource also serves to emphasise the Australian Curriculum General Capability priorities of
Intercultural Understanding, Ethical Understanding, Literacy, Personal and Social Capability
and Critical and Creative Thinking.
This resource is recommended for use in Secondary Schools, and is particularly relevant to the
Australian Curriculum key learning areas of Modern History, History, Civics and Citizenship, and
Health and Physical Education.
CONTENTIOUS ISSUES
Images in Question
A Role Play Resource for Secondary School Students
Resources required:
Before the game, ensure that the students establish clear rules and boundaries about respectful
discussion—this is a safe space to explore different ideas and how people will react to controversial
images, there is no room for hurtful stereotypes, name-calling or other forms of vilification.
Emphasise the PURPOSE of the role play—the exploration of how different levels of power impact on
relationships in Australian Society, with students expected to demonstrate assertive, thoughtful and
respectful communication while negotiating potential conflict.
Ensure that there is a differentiation between the student and the character—having the students
come up with names for their characters will assist in this.
Be mindful of your students and their backgrounds—special care should be taken when referring to
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. There can be no judgments made about whether a
person is an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person or not. Discuss why it is important not to make
assumptions about identities based on physical appearance.
Remember to encourage students to ‘Step In’ and ‘Step Out’ of their roles—debriefing, and critically
analysing their characters reactions is the most important part of role playing.
Differentiate—some students may want to develop their characters further, investigate their
backgrounds or be confident with building their own scripts. Others may require extra scaffolding
around building scripts. For example, their script can begin with “I feel upset about this because…”.
https://gdhr.wa.gov.au/learning/teaching-strategies/making-decisions/role-play
https://teaching.unsw.edu.au/assessing-role-play-and-simulation#
https://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/teachlearn/student/lem/dos.pdf
https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/1133370/roleplay_1.pdf
CONTENTIOUS ISSUES
Images in Question
A Role Play Resource for Secondary School Students
IMAGE SUGGESTIONS
Further info:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-25/
goodes-gutted-but-places-no-
blame/4712772
LESSON STRUCTURE
5 mins Break the cohort into groups of 4 (either teacher-led or Break up into groups
student regulated) Identify the rules around Ethical
Explain role play situation: Debate in the Classroom
One student acts as the perpetuator of racial
vilification. The other students are people in that
persons’ life and they respectfully discuss their
own emotional reactions to the incident posed in
the image.
Allocate characters:
Perpetrator
Mother
Father
Peer from a predominantly multicultural
background
10 mins Teacher floats and poses questions for expansion: Students engage in a role play,
How does your character feel? Angry/sad/ acting out responses to the
humiliated/happy? image by their allocated
What is his/her background? How does this impact characters
how they feel or their views on this topic? Can Students ‘Step-In’ and ‘Step-Out’
you explain further? of their particular
characters, allowing them to
disengage from their role
REFLECTION WORKSHEET
(Refer to the Image on the Smartboard/Projector)
IDENTIFY the power imbalance – who has the most power here? Why?
The perspectives of both the Perpetrator and the Vilified – put yourself in their shoes, how might
they be feeling?
Perpetrator Vilified
CONTENTIOUS ISSUES
Images in Question
A Role Play Resource for Secondary School Students
PERPETRATOR: Insert background here, students to add notes about their impression of the
character
PERPETRATORS MOTHER: Insert background here, students to add notes about their impression
of the character
PERPETRATORS FATHER: Insert background here, students to add notes about their impression
of the character
PERPETRATORS MULTICULTURAL PEER: Insert background here, students to add notes about
their impression of the character
PERPETRATORS CULTURAL PEER: Insert background here, students to add notes about their
impression of the character
CONTENTIOUS ISSUES
Images in Question
A Role Play Resource for Secondary School Students
REFERENCES
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role-play
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