Language and Arts Language and Arts Speaking, listening, interpreting non-verbal cues, and communicating various emotions are core (first and additional) language skills and peacebuilding capabilities. Name and negotiate as a class to agree upon norms and expectations for students’ own classroom and school interactions: non-violent, inclusive (non-discriminatory), and communicative. Class discussions to develop these community agreements respectfully acknowledge the range of social identities and personality types in the groups (Mexico and Canada). Dedicate the last half-hour of the school day (or another regular time) to open class discussion, dividing students into small groups to increase opportunities for inclusive participation. Students submit topics to discuss in a suggestion box; the teacher uses their suggestions to craft well-structured discussion questions and processes (Canada). Play games that require students to practice active listening, or to interpret non-verbal body language, such as taking turns describing a hidden object while the listeners ask questions until they can guess what it is, or draw what they believe it looks like based on what they hear (Mexico). Develop vocabulary for understanding and exchanging views about conflict, violence, peaceful resolution, and fairness concerns, through reading and responding to different kinds of texts (using language for meaningful purposes). Students write a letter to a family member, thanking them for something (Mexico). Literature Study See the list of peacebuilding-relevant literature for young readers, under the References and Additional Resources tab. Engage students in interpreting conflict situations in story plots— naming each party (character) in the story and their feelings about the situation, and discerning each party’s interests (desires and needs) and options from what the characters said and did in the story. Sometimes, the teacher stops reading the story in the middle — when the problem is emerging but before the story characters choose a response or solution — to facilitate this analysis discussion and maybe predict what will happen next in the story. Students may retell the story in their own words (paraphrase), role-play scenes, and/or write new endings to the story (Mexico and Canada). Analyze, discuss to understand, and role-play the viewpoints and emotions of various characters, and the escalation and de-escalation of conflicts, in poetry or prose. For example, in The Other Side of the River, a girl dreams of building a bridge to escape cultural bias conflict. Students discuss contrasting perspectives about prejudices against the Other (Canada). After reading a short story about the conflict between a mouse and a cat, students analyze the two characters’ contrasting roles and points of view. With their eyes closed, students act out the feelings and actions of the mouse being persecuted by the cat. Then they open their eyes and tell how they felt. Next, they act out the cat’s role, and then reflect again on the conflict, comparing with their own social aggression experiences (Mexico). Media Literacy Examine the standpoints (biases) of radio, television, or internet news stories about conflicts or violent events. Conduct follow-up inquiries about the escalation or de-escalation and effects of those conflicts over time, and any peacemaking processes used or proposed. To express their own views on these situations, students write blogs, letters to editors, or their own news stories. Each student brings in a news story that they find interesting. Each takes a turn as a small-group group leader, preparing by creating a discussion question about that news item. Everybody in the group reads a copy of the story. Then they have a discussion, initiated by the student leader’s question. Students had discussed news about issues such as police racism against people of African heritage, and refugees fleeing the Syrian war, in groups of 4-5 (Canada). Media production: Students create persuasive documentary films (on electronic tablets) on social justice issues they select, such as usurped aboriginal land usurped, environmental conflicts, factory farming, why to educate girls, and resisting bullying. In their films, students give persuasive speeches, or produce animated cartoons; or present drama scenes; or create public service announcements. Students show their films to peers, for instance at an anti-bullying, anti-homophobia event in their school (Canada). Critical thinking, perspective taking, and elaborating ideas Brainstorm and act out multiple ways of expressing the same feeling or idea. Practice critical thinking skills, such as to recognize and compare alternate perspectives, to deliberate about natural and fair consequences for particular behaviours, and to evaluate the consequences of different actions in response to conflicts. Develop expressive and persuasive writing skills: write position statements (Bangladesh) or dialogues between imagined characters, write new endings to stories, using conflict (resolution) concepts such as discerning the interests (wants and needs) underlying positions, (de-)escalating conflicts, or giving persuasive reasons and examples. Students interview family members or neighbours, then write a letter to the mayor or city councillors about the daily challenges faced by themselves and peers (their generation), their parents’ generation, and their grandparents’ generation, and proposing remedies such as open public space, community events, or changes to the transportation system (Canada). Students, in teams, study a conflictual issue they have chosen, then present a creative panel discussion among actors with different perspectives on that theme. For instance, one group of girls presented a dialogue between a teenage daughter, her father, a social worker and a psychologist about appropriate limits on her freedom to go out and to interact with boys (Mexico). Dramatic Expression Students write skits and poetry to express feelings and thoughts about bullying issues (Canada). Students speak or write ‘in role’ (as if they were somebody else), using readers’ theatre (dramatic reading, without physical acting) or improvisation, creating alternative representations of problems and alternative resolutions. Drama skits about positive and negative touch: Students in small groups describe situations from their experience involving human touch that they considered either positive or negative, and created skits to portray what happened, the good or bad consequences, and how they might handle that situation (Mexico). Drama improvisation tableaux about teasing and social exclusion: Students in small groups each simultaneously move quickly (spontaneously) to represent a series of scenes each as a “tableau” (silent dramatic representation as a frozen image)— situations where someone was being ostracized or made fun of. Groups work without speaking, to focus attention on their feelings and their communication through gestures, facial expression, and body positions (Canada). Expressing Justice Concerns and Peacebuilding Citizenship Actions Each student investigates a peaceful person (role model) they admire, then writes (in prose or poetry) and speaks in public, using feeling words, expressing their personal definition and goals for peace (Canada). Analyze images of justice and of the ‘Other: ’Students describe and discuss photographs depicting various kinds of discrimination (Mexico), Indigenous First Nation concerns (Canada), and equity, social justice, diversity and inclusion. Read, write about, and discuss social conflict issues involving oppression, injustice, and/or corruption, such as gender-based harassment and discrimination, and marginalization of indigenous peoples in the country (Bangladesh). Practice the Language Skills in Peace Processes Small groups role-play a mediation process —at first, with teacher guidance— using scenarios from story books or news, or (anonymized) students’ own experiences: Some students play the part of disputing parties and each tell their side of the story, mediators in pairs taking turns) paraphrase and reframe to interpret and share understanding of each party’s point of view, disputing parties further explain their concerns as needed, then the mediators engage the disputing parties in brainstorming several creative ways to meet each party’s needs and address their feelings or desires. The parties negotiate to select and improve solution ideas, until both feel satisfied with a mutually selected solution that satisfies everybody. The mediators help by asking open-ended questions, paraphrasing to clarify and confirm, and supporting each party (Canada). Negotiate conflicts in the news: practice negotiation skills, such as making suggestions, encouraging input and feedback from differing perspectives, predicting consequences, and evaluating possible actions, in relation to current events.