Navigating Tough Topics in the Classroom: Tips for ELL Educators

Talking About Tough Topics: Tips for Educators

Teachers in a meeting together

Here are some tips for talking about tough topics and current events when they come up in the classroom. This article is part of Navigating Tough Topics in the Classroom: Tips for ELL Educators.

Photo credit: Photo by Allison Shelley

Acknowledgements

This project was made possible with support from the American Federation of Teachers.

It is very likely that complex, controversial topics will come up in the classroom, either in response to current events or as part of planned instruction.

Here are some tips for navigating these conversations, particularly with your English language learners (ELLs).

Before Reading: Reflection Questions

  • What are some topics you may be concerned about discussing in the classroom?
  • What skills do I want students to have in dealing with difficult discussions?
  • What can I do to prepare for difficult moments or controversy?
  • How do I respond to stress and how can I manage stress in the heat of the moment?

Being Prepared

Find out what your resources are

Ask a trusted colleague, administrator, and your local teacher’s union what kind of resources are available to help you navigate difficult conversations in the classroom, both from a content perspective and a personnel perspective. Talk with your administrator about successes or problems in the past. Starting the conversation early will help you when a tough topic arises.

Brainstorm possible responses

Consider how you might respond when a tough topic comes. What are some options you have? What can you do to give students more practice in discussion?

Responding to Current Events

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This guide is also available as a downloadable PDF.

 

Consider the impact on students

Students may vary in their desire or interest in discussing current events, as well as their own emotional response to the events. This is especially critical to remember since ELLs and immigrant students bring their own histories and perspectives to current events that may differ from other students and they may have experienced trauma. Students may have strong feelings related to events that are in some way connected to students’ prior experiences. In addition, students may be strongly impacted by events that are unfolding in their home countries, such as a natural disaster, political news, unrest, or other significant events.

If you teach students who are impacted by a global crisis:

  • Do not put them on the spot to comment on current events.
  • Let them know that you are available to talk if needed.
  • Talk with family liaisons or others who know their community well to find out how they are responding to current events and what kind of support the school might offer.
  • Consider pulling a team together of family liaisons, parents, and mental health professionals to discuss culturally appropriate forms of support.

If this is an event you will be covering in your instruction:

  • First, consider whether the topic is appropriate for discussion in the classroom.
  • Don’t hesitate to create some space. For example, after a major event, you could give students a chance to write in journals privately and tell them that the class will be returning to this topic after you’ve had time to read their journals and create a plan.
  • Do some research to see what resources are available from trusted organizations.
  • Check in with administrators and your local teachers union for guidance.

If you are discussing these current events in the classroom (either in a planned or unplanned discussion):

  • Remind all students to show respect for each other.
  • Refer back to your guidelines for classroom guidelines and discussion guidelines.
  • Do not put any students on the spot to share their experience.
  • Keep in mind that students will bring multiple perspectives about these events.
  • Ask colleagues for advice and support where needed.

Video: Omar Salem on teaching a social justice class for ELLs

Resources related to current events

For additional suggestions related to teaching current events, see the following:

Educator voices

"Our families have no obligation to speak on behalf of an entire population. We can't expect them to inform us about things that as Americans we should probably already know about. The most important thing is ensuring they feel welcome and have a safe space to share their story if and when they choose to."

— David Kauffman, Executive Director for Multilingual Education in Austin Independent School District

Ensure ELLs can fully participate in any lesson or discussion

If you proceed with a discussion or lesson plan, ensure you include ELLs by:

  • considering how the topic might connect to students’ experiences (without making those connections explicit)
  • teaching important background knowledge, vocabulary, and academic language
  • scaffolding the lesson for various levels of proficiency

Teaching Social Studies and History to ELLs

Responding to current events

Teaching big topics

Student action

Educator Voices

"When the Jan. 6th insurrection happened...it required a great deal of background on U.S. government & election process. We tried to move students’ conversation from 'Did you see that guy in the horned hat?!' to a more nuanced understanding of events. We were also concerned that some students might be traumatized by these events, especially if they'd lived through a violent coup in their own countries."

— Survey respondent

Topics in the News

Immigration

Talking about immigration may cause extreme anxiety for students. At the same time, immigrant students may welcome the chance to discuss a topic that affects them so directly.

  • If you are planning a lesson plan related to immigration (even if in a historic context), proceed with care and extensive planning.
  • Recognize that you are not an immigration expert.
  • Tell students you are open to their experiences, but any information that students share about immigration policies must be informed by research.
  • Consider talking privately with your immigrant students beforehand on whether they feel comfortable with the topic.
  • Do not put students on the spot or ask them to share their experience directly.
  • Never refer to a student’s immigration status publicly or privately.
  • Remember that all students have a right to a public K-12 education regardless of immigration status.
  • Include immigration as a characteristic that is protected against discrimination and bias.
  • Be mindful of your language and consider developing a shared list of helpful terms and vocabulary: refugee, asylum, “undocumented” (instead of “illegal”), etc.
  • Remind the class that students can discuss the merits of immigration policy while maintaining a respectful tone about the people involved.

Resources

The COVID-19 pandemic

It is important to proceed with sensitivity in discussions of the pandemic. Students may have experienced illness, loss, hardship, or other challenging/traumatic experiences. Keep in mind that your students’ experiences will have varied greatly based on their circumstances at home. Learn more about some of the particular challenges ELL and immigrants have faced. For guidance on discussing topics related to the pandemic, see these resources from the National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement.

If you are considering tying the pandemic to learning, consider a student-led inquiry- or project-based approach, such as the activity teacher Keisha Davidson describes below.

Educator voices

Cleveland high school English teacher Keisha Davidson shares the following:

"Rather than a research paper, I had my students do a community map project on the pandemic. I had them focus on Cleveland specifically, and I gave them choices. If I can see that they know how to write a claim and a thesis and show me some textual evidence, then how present it is up to them: slides, pamphlet, flyer, poster, etc. And they could choose any aspect of the pandemic. I made the questions very direct and specific about where they were getting their information about COVID-19 and the pandemic early on. I gave them resources from the Cuyahoga County Board of Health and from our school district.

"I gave them a survey like asking them, "Well, how did you hear about this? Where were you getting your news?  Where were you getting your information?  What kind of rumors were you believing or not believing about what communities were being affected, where this pandemic originated from? What are some of the issues around disparity and equity that are coming up from that, right?” Those sorts of inquiries are powerful.

"One of the things that I thought about with that project is that it would give them an outlet to talk about COVID that maybe they haven't had, but it also gave them a chance to think, 'I'm in a historical moment, and what is my place in that?'"

Incidents related to violence, hate, bias, or racism

There are so many kinds of distressing events in the news for young people to process. It can be difficult to know how and when to discuss current events that students may be learning about in the news, on social media, or from peers. For specific ideas and resources, please see the following resource pages, which are curated and updated by Colorín Colorado.

After Reading: Reflection Questions

  • Which issues do you think might be most relevant to your students?
  • Have you noticed student engagement or interest around particular issues?
  • What's a strategy or resource from this article that you would like to explore?
  • What's a step you can take in the near future to prepare for difficult conversations?