Vocabulary: social awareness
Know and use stereotype, prejudice, discrimination, equality, equity, bias, compassion and fairness. Explain these words with everyday examples and recognise that related ideas can overlap.
What a learner can do afterwards
- Explain what 'stereotype' and 'prejudice' mean and give an example of each from everyday life
- Use words like 'equality', 'equity', and 'bias' correctly when discussing a scenario, for example: 'That's not equity because not everyone got what they needed'
- Identify an example of discrimination in a story or news article and explain why it is unfair using the correct vocabulary
1 · Read
A stereotype is a fixed, too-simple idea about a group of people. 'All girls like pink' is a stereotype. Girls have different likes. Even a claim that sounds nice, such as 'All boys are good at drawing,' can miss differences between people. Ask about each person instead of guessing from their group.
Prejudice means judging a person or group unfairly before knowing enough about them. Someone might dislike a new neighbour because of a story about the neighbour's group, before meeting them. Prejudice can involve beliefs and feelings. A stereotype can influence prejudice, and these ideas can overlap.
Bias is a leaning for or against someone or something that can affect fair judgment. It may be noticed or unnoticed. Picking a friend's idea without checking the others can show bias. Discrimination is unfair treatment because of who someone is or their group, such as excluding someone because of their religion. It can happen through a person's actions or an unfair rule.
Equality includes equal rights and chances. In a sharing task, it can mean equal amounts. Equity means meeting different needs so people have a fair chance. For a collage, Mia needs one sheet, Sam needs two and Zoe needs three. Giving these amounts meets their needs. Equal chances do not require identical tools or help.
Compassion means caring when someone is having a hard time and wanting to help. Fairness means treating people with respect and giving them a fair chance. You can show both by listening to what help someone needs. A fair choice may give equal amounts or different help.
Stereotypes can shape prejudice and discrimination. Bias can affect judgment. Equality includes equal rights and chances. Equity meets different needs. Compassion and fairness guide caring choices.
This lesson, quiz and flashcards were written for this learning dataset.
The five readings were written for this learning dataset.
More to read
Checking a choice for bias
A class is choosing a design for its garden sign. Rowan wants his friend's design to win. He has not looked at the other designs.
His friendship is pushing him toward one choice. That is a bias that could affect his judgment. Rowan can pause and compare the designs using the same questions for each one.
Bias is a leaning for or against someone or something. A person may notice it or miss it. Having a favourite does not make every choice unfair. Check whether the preference is stopping you from considering the information.
Three related words
A story claims that every older person dislikes noisy games. That is a stereotype. It gives the same dislike to a whole age group.
A child believes the claim and decides to dislike an older neighbour before meeting her. That unfair judgment is prejudice.
A games group refuses to let the neighbour join only because she is older. That unfair treatment is discrimination.
These ideas can overlap. They do not always happen in this order. An unfair rule can exclude people even when someone following it does not notice the unfairness. Find out about the person instead of relying on a group guess.
Equal chances and different help
Every child has an equal chance to join a class play. This is an example of equality.
The children need different help to take part. One needs large-print lines. Another needs a place to sit while performing. Providing that help is equity: meeting different needs so people have a fair chance.
Equal amounts can also meet people's needs. If everyone needs one sheet to make a mask, one sheet each works. Other tasks may need different amounts or tools. Equality and equity can work together. Equal rights and chances do not require identical help.
A group guess can miss the person
A comic shows every child wearing glasses as a puzzle expert. After reading it, Finn expects a new classmate wearing glasses to solve every puzzle.
The comic has given Finn a stereotype. A claim can sound like praise and still miss differences between people. Glasses do not tell Finn which puzzles the classmate enjoys or has practised.
Finn can ask about the classmate's interests and listen. Learning about this person does not tell him what everyone wearing glasses is like. It helps him replace a group guess with information about the person.
Looking at an unfair rule
A school drawing club has a rule that only girls can join. Amir wants to draw, but the rule excludes him because he is a boy. That is discrimination.
Amir talks to a trusted teacher. The teacher helps the club change its rule so every child has an equal chance to join. The new rule supports equality.
Children may still need different tools or help. Meeting those needs supports equity. Caring about someone who has been left out shows compassion. To think about fairness, ask who a rule excludes and whether everyone has a fair chance.
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