Race Equality
Race proofing classroom materials
All teachers will naturally want to evaluate classroom materials before use. It is likely that you will consider a range of aspects - who has produced the material, who it is aimed at, views from colleagues and its suitability.
To this end, 'race proofing' classroom materials is no different from applying a general check of how relevant and effective your teaching and learning materials are.
The information below offers a guide to undertaking this, by asking a range of questions.
Key questions/issues for review in race proofing your classroom materials
Some further guidance for race proofing teaching and learning materials includes asking, does the material:
- Help the learner to reflect on, review and digest new learning?
- Demonstrate how new knowledge and skills can be applied to real problems?
- Contain accurate, valid and up-to-date information?
- Stimulate and motivate the learner?
- Include activities for the learner and keep the learner involved?
- Use appropriate language?
- Provide useful and supportive feedback?
This approach can be used in the context of anti-racist education with some additional questions to assess the appropriateness of the material:
- Does the material include people from different backgrounds?
- How are they presented: positive, negative, marginal, stereotype?
- Does the material exclude people from different backgrounds?
- Is there good reason why this should be the case?
- Does it represent a missed opportunity?
- Does the material represent different places?
- Are learners likely to receive generally positive or negative impressions, likely to reinforce common misunderstandings or stereotypes?