Dealing With Controversial Subjects

Handling sensitive and controversial issues

The authors of this British site feel that controversial topics will come up -- they can be found in some curricula -- and they should be tackled head on. They feel students "should not be sheltered from difficult issues – it is important for them to clarify their emotions and values and learn to think for themselves. ... Additionally, using controversial issues helps young people to develop a number of skills, including inquiry, critical thinking and analytical skills." The site provides concrete guidelines and ideas for how to handle these topics in the classroom.

Guidelines for Discussing Difficult or Controversial Topics

Topics come up out of the blue, and an immediate response is usually called for. This article from the University of Michigan suggests taking these 3 steps..

• Acknowledge the student who raised the issue while noting that students may vary in their responses.
• Decide whether you are ready and willing to engage with the topic right away.
• Quickly assess whether the class would like to spend time sharing views about the topic.

If students want to have a dialogue, but you want to wait, schedule a discussion for a later class and suggest ways that students can prepare.

This article suggests additional steps when discussing controversial topics, including...

• Identifying a clear purpose
• Establishing ground rules
• Providing a common base for understanding
• Summarizing discussion and gathering student feedback
• Handling issues that involve the instructor's identity

Teaching Controversial Topics

These workshop notes from Carilton College looks at the some of the issues surrounding controversial topics -- pre-held beliefs, biases and stereotypes, and all or nothing attitudes -- and how to deal with them.

Includes details and strategies on teaching evolution and environmental issues.

Handling controversial issues

This site from Great Britain looks at the Teacher's dilemma and how setting ground rules up front can help.

Dealing with Controversial Issues

The Annenberg Foundation's encourages teachers to use past controversies to teach students how to see different points of view, separate fact from opinion, and develop skills for dealing with controversial subjects.