Don't Label Me

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AUTHORS Contents KARENHUME SHARONJEROSKI JILL KEDERSHA McCLAY KATHLEEN GREGORY DONJONES ELAINEROSE ISAWORLD RICHMACPHERSON WITHOUT STEREOTYPES POSSIBLE? 6

ADVISORS CLUSTERONE and REVIEWERS ARESTEREOTYPESANDPREJUDICETHE

Nancy Annibale (ON) Anna Filice-Gagliardi (ON) Vincent Obrien (ON) SAMETHING? Ray Appel (BC) Kelly Denneny Forsyth (ON) Yvonne Oral (ON) Janet Atkinson (ON) Diane Graves (BC) Lisa Ottenbreit (BC) What’s Your POV? 8 Terry Barron (NL) Lori Gray (SK) Mark Reimer (MB) Patrick Belmonte (ON) Kathy Puharich Hodgins (BC) Bill Schneider (ON) Is Labelling a Big Deal? article 9 J. Robert Brady (ON) Heather Jakobi (ON) Philip Sexsmith (NB) by Aisha Muharrar Kimberly Briggs (ON) Leslie L. Kennedy (NL) Mary-Anne Smirle (BC) Brave New World—Same Old Stereotypes? opinion piece 13 Cheryl Caldwell (ON) Kathy Keyworth (BC) Tamar Stein (ON) by Carlos Moreno Leah Christensen (BC) Noeline Laccetti (ON) Jim Stewart (ON) Christopher Clarke (ON) Noel Lim (ON) Andrea Sullivan (ON) Debi Coffin (SK) Michele Litster (ON) Robyn Michaud-Turgeon (ON) STRATEGY SPOTLIGHT Rachel Cooke (ON) Terry MacDonald (ON) Cat Turner (AB) Reading Opinions Cathy Costello (ON) Ian McKergow (NS) Jill Watson (ON) Predicting 14 Bibiana Couto (ON) Charles Myfanwy (ON) Lori Whiteman (SK) Making Connections 14 Bryan Curtis (ON) Mari Natress (SK) Jill Windsor (ON) Analyzing 15 Gary Dogterom (AB) Donna L. Nentwig (MB) Nadia Young (ON) Kate Elliott (ON) Sheri Nicholls (ON) Lisa Epp (AB) Yaw Obeng (ON) What’s Wrong with Video Games? opinion piece with graphs 16 by Kate Shaftoe Pearson Canada would like to thank all the field-test teachers and students for their feedback and recommendations during the I’m Tired of Skaters Getting a Bad Rap opinion piece 20 by Nick Propios development of Live Ink. Hurdles graphic story 22 by Derek Kirk Kim

One-Armed TV Host news report 24 by Mike Celizic

CHECKPOINT: Are stereotypes and prejudice the same thing? 26 3 ©P ©P CLUSTERTHREE CLUSTERTWO WHY IS IT SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO RECOGNIZESTEREOTYPING? HOWDOESSTEREOTYPINGAFFECTUS? Snow White Rewrite graphic text 55 Still Me Inside personal narrative 27 by Chelsea Donaldson by Mai Goda Where Are You From? Message in a Bottle graphic story 30 Untitled opinion piece 58 by Rodolphe Guenoden by Michelle Scott Responses for Resistance dialogue 59 by Joyce Brown STRATEGY SPOTLIGHT Comments on “Where Are You From?” message board 61 Media by various authors Analyzing Purpose 40 Using Visuals for a Purpose 41 STRATEGY SPOTLIGHT Writing Opinions Double Take poster 42 from Urban Alliance on Race Relations Persuade Me! 62 Getting Started 63 The Canyon short story 44 by Don Aker Homer Simpson—Harmless Dumb Dad or Pet Names poem 49 Dangerous Stereotype? letters to the editor 64 by Caroline Garrod by J.T., Saskatoon and S.R., Sudbury

Same Song poem 50 Injins Among Us script 66 by Pat Mora by Drew Hayden Taylor

Seven Things You Can Do to Help Address Racism and Hate STRATEGY SPOTLIGHT graphic text 69 Speaking and Listening to Opinions by Ivan Suvanjieff and Dawn Gifford Engle Sharing Opinions 52 Listening to Evaluate 53 CHECKPOINT: Why is it sometimes difficult to recognize stereotyping? 71 CHECKPOINT: How does stereotyping affect us? 54 YOUDECIDE... Is a world without stereotypes possible? 72

STRATEGY SURVIVAL GUIDE Reading, Listening, Viewing 74 Writing, Speaking, Creating 76

Credits 78

4 5 ©P ©P I Fluffy

ARE STEREOTYPES In this module you will …

AND PREJUDICE I think critically about stereotyping THESAMETHING? in our world I read a variety of texts, focusing on opinion pieces and graphic texts I identify the purpose of media texts I speak and listen to share and evaluate points of view I write to support and share personal opinions

I create a multimedia presentation ISAWORLD to express your point of view WITHOUT about stereotyping STEREOTYPES POSSIBLE? HOWDOES WHYISIT STEREOTYPING SOMETIMES AFFECTUS? DIFFICULTTO RECOGNIZE STEREOTYPING?

discrimination label stereotype prejudice diversity oppressed 7 Key Vocabulary ©P ©P ARESTEREOTYPESANDPREJUDICETHESAMETHING? WHAT ’S YOURPOV? ISLABELLING A Big Deal? BY AISHA MUHARRAR Decide your point of view. Agree or disagree with each of the statements in the chart below. BEFOREYOUREAD

Make a connection to your own experiences and decide how you would answer the JOCK question in the title. Share strong, athletic, could 1. Old people shouldn’t try to act young. your thinking with a partner. be dumb 2. Teens with tattoos and piercings should expect to be treated badly by adults. POSER 3. Dumb blond jokes are funny because they’re true. fake, like a wannabe 4. It’s fair to limit the number of teens who can be in a convenience store at one time. 5. Asking people what country they’re from is a form of prejudice. 6. Preschool kids shouldn’t be exposed to people with disabilities. TECHIE 7. Guys shouldn’t knit or sew. likes to play with computers 8. Stereotypes are okay in video games—they’re just games! SHORTY a female or young kid

Now choose one statement you strongly agree with and one GAMER into video games statement you strongly disagree with. Be prepared to share and SKATER support your point of view with your classmates. into punk culture, skateboards, long shorts, and big, bright T-shirts

stereotype the belief that all members of a certain group are the same GOODY-GOODY honour student, volunteer, teacher’s favourite

Talking about stereotypes can easily become personal. So always consider the way your comments might make others feel. Think hard. 8 Discuss honestly. But be sensitive. 9 ©P ©P Why We Label PREP/PREPPY What Are Labels? short for prep school; Labels are simple words, but they have a powerful impact. You’re “old money,” lacrosse It’s four minutes before first period at your typical high letting one word describe someone as a “type.” That person is no games/tennis matches school. Lockers are slamming as everyone scrambles to get longer seen as an individual because the label says it all. to class. So many voices are mingled together that you On the surface, labels seem to simplify the process of getting can’t even hear what anyone’s saying. Listen closer: to know other people. You don’t even have to meet the person HIP-HOPPER “This hallway’s closed—to geeks.” likes hip-hop who’s being labelled—the label you’ve heard is the only music, baggy “Preps are such clones.” INDIE introduction you need … or is it? clothes “He’s a thug!” bohemian clothes, au naturel, most Some labels—like jock—are almost universal. Others aren’t as Labels. They’re everywhere. You hear them at school likely to be voted familiar. Your school probably has well-known and not-so-well- and out in the world. They’re a part of our language. unique known labels, just like other schools throughout the country. Labels are so fixed in everyday speech that you may not Why do we have to be called nerds just because we get even think twice about them. What exactly is a label? straight A’s? Why do we get called jocks when we play a sport? Here’s my own definition: GOTH What is the point of judging people on what they do and like? Label: A word used to define or make assumptions black clothing, black Wouldn’t everything be easier if we didn’t have labels? So why eye makeup, quiet do we? about an individual. Labels are usually based on how and pensive someone looks, dresses, acts, or talks—or who the Partly, we label to try to make life simpler. We skip the part person hangs out with. about getting to know someone and go straight to making assumptions. This saves us the trouble of connecting an individual identity with every individual. NERD GEEK smart, expert in something, loves HIPPIE awkward, shy to learn, ignores popular ’60s look, free spirit, trends, possibly dorky wears protest 4 buttons The Five Factors These are five factors commonly associated with labelling. DITZ really dopey and scatterbrained 1 Clothing Style/Appearance 2 Interests/Activities/Music Preferences 3 Behaviour/Personality 4 Grades/Intellect 5 Friends

Other factors include wealth (or lack of it), race or ethnic background, religion, hometown, and being male or female. With the possible exception of religion, these additional factors aren’t things teens can choose about themselves or their families.

10 11 ©P ©P STRATEGYSPOTLIGHT READINGOPINIONS As you’ll see in the chart below, teens have their reasons for labelling or not labelling. It’s interesting that one teen who said yes DON’T LABEL ME! to labelling pointed out that labelling makes things simpler. As human beings, we like to put things in categories so they’re easier to understand and communicate about. We categorize our to-do lists. We categorize different types of food at the grocery store. We categorize our clothes by style, season, and clean or dirty. For some reason, we feel the need to categorize people as well. Brave New World— UNDERSTANDING Does labelling actually simplify—or does it make life more OPINIONS complicated? In some ways, it does both. That’s what makes Same Old Stereotypes? Everybody has opinions! labelling so confusing. Read this text and then by Carlos Moreno read on to learn about strategies you can use to better understand We are watching the birth opinions. Do you label your peers? Why or why not? of a new world—the world (The Yes’s) (The No’s) of interactive gaming.

It’s very common! “Yes, of course. I don’t believe a single “No, each person deserves to be If you don’t count simple games person who denies that they do. I use treated as an individual, not as a two main labels: like me or not like me.” stereotype.”—Girl, 16 such as Pong, video games have been —Guy, 15 around for only a few decades. Gaming “Not usually.It’s just not cool to do that.” is a brand new medium—a brave new “I do sometimes label my peers, not —Guy, 16 necessarily because I’m being mean world—and we get to be there for its but sometimes it’s just easier to “No, because it’s up to them how they creation. With each new title we buy, we’re setting the trends for what It’s prejudice! describe people that way.” —Girl, 16 want to be.” —Girl, 14 video games will look like in years to come. It’s a responsibility we all need to take seriously. “Yes, I judge everyone around me “No. Labelling my peers is prejudice, who’s at school.” —Guy, 16 and prejudice is ignorance.” —Guy, 17 Too many popular video games still play on tired old stereotypes. The main character (the one you control, so the one you see as the “Yes, it’s so common. Everyone runs on hero) is usually a White male. In the 21st century, haven’t we moved snap judgments and first impressions.” past the stereotype that heroes are always White—and male? Very few It’s not cool! —Girl, 15 games have heroes who are Black, Hispanic, Aboriginal, Asian, or female. Too often, these groups are shown in less important or TAKEITFURTHER stereotypical roles. We need to make sure that the brave new world of video games 1. Yes or No? Is labelling a big deal? Make a chart 3. Who Labels More? Do teens use labels more than with columns for “Yes” and “No,” and write reasons adults? Consider the factors of labelling on page 11. really is “brave” and “new.” Let’s have the courage to demand that that support each opinion. Then decide how you feel. Explain your opinion to the class. Be persuasive! games get rid of old-fashioned stereotypes. It’s time to start a new trend DEVELOPING IDEAS SUPPORTING OPINIONS ORAL COMMUNICATION where all groups are fairly represented. Only then will video games 2. In Your School Which factor of labelling (see page 4. New Labels With a partner, role-play a scene become the brave new world we really want. 11) is most often behind the labels used at your school? between two teens in 2040. Include two new labels How could you test your answer? that might be used then, and make the meanings clear. MAKING CONNECTIONS CRITICAL THINKING CREATING MEDIA/REPRESENTING GENERATING IDEAS

12 13 ©P ©P STRATEGYSPOTLIGHT READINGOPINIONS

STRATEGYCHECK-IN People present their opinions in lots of places—in magazine Choose the connection that links to an important idea in the text. • Which of these strategies articles, speeches, letters to the editor, documentaries, on the TRYIT! “Brave New World” reminds me of: have you tried before? Internet, and in books like this one. Reading opinions helps us • When do you use them? explore issues and make up our own minds. How can you get a Text to self: • How comfortable do you better understanding of opinions you read? Here are three a) how much I enjoy video games feel using them? strategies to try. b) a video game I’ve played where the heroes are all White guys Text to text: a) a letter to the editor about banning skateboarding in parks Predicting is making a reasonable guess based on evidence. How do b) a poster about creating a new world that is kinder to the Predicting you make predictions with opinion pieces? environment I Ask yourself questions like these: “What do I predict this will be about? What do I predict the author’s opinion will be?” Text to world: I Look at text features such as the title, subheadings, visuals, and a) a documentary I saw about stereotyping of some cultures captions. Use these as clues to help you make predictions. b) a show I saw about careers in the video game industry I As you read, look for evidence that supports your prediction (an illustration, a word, or a sentence). Ask yourself, “Is my prediction correct, or do I need to revise it?” Analyzing To analyze an opinion, ask yourself these questions: My Predictions Why I Think So I Who wrote this opinion? I What does the author want me to think or do? I Do I agree with the author’s opinion? I What techniques does the author use? Do they help make his or her opinion more convincing?

Make connections between things you know and important ideas You can use a chart like the one below to compare the author’s Making and events in the text. ideas with your own. Connections I Ask yourself, “What do I know that will help me understand the author’s opinion?” and “How does what I know help me form For more on other my own opinion on this topic?” reading strategies you What the Author Says What I Say can try, see pages I Think about the three different kinds of connections you can 74-75. make: Text: Another text–written, visual, or spoken

When you analyze, you question the author’s ideas. Why is it Self: World: REFLECT An experience you Opinion text An event or issue in important to question ideas when you read opinions? have had the world

14 15 ©P ©P STRATEGYSPOTLIGHT READINGOPINIONS

Let’s Compare Media It’s true, stereotypes exist in other media—movies and TV shows What’s Wrong with Video Games? use them all the time. Stereotypes in those media help us Predicting: Use the understand who the characters are and what we can expect Making Connections: title, subtitle, and BY KATE SHAFTOE them to do. But the stereotyping in video games is worse. Why? Make a text-to-text graphs to make connection. Do you predictions. What is the Games are interactive—we participate in them and identify with find that TV shows and author’s opinion on the Numbers tell the story of the characters we play. movies use stereotypes topic? What evidence If you’re playing as the White hero, you feel like you’re “all the time”? will she use to support stereotyping in video games. her opinion? fighting the bad guys yourself. You have no time to think, you feel personally threatened, so you have no choice but to blast Predicting: What away at your opponents. Now, remember that the bad guys are effects of stereotyping will the author point Have you ever seen a video game with an usually non-White characters stuck in stereotypical roles. What out? Asian football star? Or a Black action hero? Or effects can this have? a female Aboriginal squad leader with a White Making Connections: Make a text-to-self male sidekick? Probably not. Video games are connection. Are the full of stereotypes and we need to do something games you play full of about it. stereotyped characters? A 2009 study found that 85 % of all the characters in the most popular video games were male. Even though the number of females who play video games is growing, only about 15 % of all characters were female. And if you look at just the characters the player controls, 90 % were male. Since the player- controlled characters are the main characters and heroes, it’s easy to see that the stereotype of men as leaders is alive and well in video games. Analyzing: What The study also looked at the cultural backgrounds of characters. It information do these found that 80 % of all characters were White and 11 % were Black. All graphs provide? Do your other cultural groups together made up only 9 % of characters. These experiences make you think the information is PacificPacific Islander Islanderaa person groups included Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic, Aboriginal, and accurate? whoseperson early whose ancestors early characters of mixed cultural background. (A person of mixed cultural were among the original ancestors were among background has ancestors from more than one cultural group.) inhabitantsthe original of inhabitants various smallof various islands small in the islands Pacific What’s more, characters who were not White usually appeared in Ocean,in the including Pacific Ocean, Hawaii less important roles—they were rarely the player-controlled character. Is including Hawaii it really too much to ask game designers to treat women and all cultural groups fairly? Haven’t we had enough of the old stereotype of White guys as fearless leaders? Why does everyone else need to play a role that’s less important?

What We See—What We Do A Higher Standard When people turn off their video games, they might not turn To be fair, the trend toward characters you create yourself has off the negative stereotypes they’ve just seen. Studies show done a lot to overcome the problem of stereotyping. But there that just hearing a stereotype about a certain group can affect are still lots of games that don’t allow players to do this—and how we act toward that group. And that’s true even if we don’t these games still tend to be full of old stereotypes. believe the stereotype! We Gamers pride themselves on being smart and open to new are affected by what we see and do on screen, even though we’re not aware of it. ideas. Many of us see gaming as better than media like TV, Analyzing: Do you Most players are young people. The world they see in where you don’t get to participate. There have been many Analyzing: Do you agree that what people agree that gamers think games will affect their view of the real world. It could creative new developments in recent video games. So why can’t see in games can affect video games are better their ideas of what influence their ideas about what roles they can (and can’t) take we get rid of the old stereotypes? No more cheap shortcuts! than TV or movies? they can and can’t do on in their own lives. If people don’t tell game designers that we don’t want to see in life? the same old stereotypes, then we deserve what we get. We need Making Connections: Positive and Negative to refuse to buy games that don’t treat all groups fairly. Let’s Making Connections: Make a text-to-self Let’s not forget that games can also be a positive influence on build a virtual world we can be proud of. Make a text-to-world connection. Has young people. Research suggests that playing video games connection. Would people you know refuse playing video games often helps get kids interested in technology. Later, that made you more to buy certain games? interest may lead them to study computer science, math, or interested in Could doing this make technology? engineering. Some will decide to become game developers a difference? themselves. But video games may not be a positive influence for everyone. People who don’t see themselves shown in positive roles in games—that’s basically anyone who’s not White or male—may stop playing video games. That could mean fewer of them will become interested in math and technology. Without the skills they need to become game designers themselves, they will have even less say in how characters—and games— look in the future.

TAKEITFURTHER

1. Question the Questions Why do you think the 2. Design It Sketch a different graph or a visual that 3. Video Game Stereotypes Work with a partner to 4. Pay Attention! When reading, which do you pay author decided to include several questions in this text? shows the same information as a graph in the article. discuss the meaning of the term “prejudice.” Look back attention to first—print, pictures, or graphs? Talk with Is using questions an effective technique in a supported Does your sketch do a better job of emphasizing at the stereotypes the author mentions. Do any of these your classmates about how knowing which form of opinion? With a partner or in a small group, discuss stereotyping than the one in the article? Explain why. examples also show prejudice? Write a few sentences information you prefer can help you in your your ideas. EVALUATING USING TEXT FEATURES explaining your opinion. schoolwork. Then, share listening strategies you used FOCUS ON STYLE FOCUS ON FORM FOCUS ON VOCABULARY SUPPORTING OPINIONS during the group discussion. TRANSFERRING SKILLS METACOGNITION 18 19 ©P ©P I’MTIREDOFSKATERSGETTINGA I know that not everyone has negative feelings about skateboarders, but a lot of people do. One day, as I was wowing everyone at the skate park with my wild skills, two middle-age ladies came jogging past. I was just close enough to hear one of them say, “I hate those skateboarders—what are they going to put on their resumé, ‘I skated for four years’?” We didn’t do anything to cause her to say that, but she did. She was mean and discriminatory—and BAD RAP hurt my feelings. What will I put on my resumé? That I volunteered with toddlers and infants, that I know how to work a cash register, and that I’m a BYNICKPROPIOS smart kid and so are (most of) my friends. We really aren’t all that bad. We just like to have fun on skateboards. In what other sport can you see a guy with skin-tight clothes and spiked hair talking and laughing about who-knows-what with BEFOREYOUREAD another guy wearing baggy shorts, a tilted hat, and a bandana on his wrist? Not only does skateboarding bring different styles together, it Do a two-minute quick write giving your opinion also breaks down colour barriers. In my crew alone we have guys of skateboarders. with British, Irish, German, Laotian, Filipino, Russian, African, Mexican, and First Nations backgrounds. Skaters are smart, diverse, and friendly, but also hardworking athletes. It’s one thing to roll your ankle running for a loose basketball, but try jumping down a two-metre high drop and rolling I’m a student at Churchill High School, I get good grades, and your ankle on impact. You’d probably sprain or break your ankle. all my teachers say they love me. I have tons of friends who are And, yes, skateboarding is like many other sports. If you’re good, just like me. I’ve had a long-term relationship. I have never you can work your way up and compete. If you’re extremely good, smoked anything or drunk alcohol in my life. And I’m an you can make some money and even land endorsements from active athlete. Do you get the picture? You’d probably call sponsors. me a pretty good kid. But would you believe that I break But the stereotypes continue, especially about skateboarders and the law to have fun? drug use. It’s true that some skaters do use pot and alcohol, but the Every other day, I face the possibility of same goes for kids everywhere. Kids don’t get into drugs just because being fined or arrested just for doing what they pick up a skateboard. Jamie Thomas, a pro skater featured in I love—skateboarding. It doesn’t take much to get the Tony Hawk video game series, once told Skateboarder magazine in trouble for trespassing. You just have to be in the that skateboarding distracted him from drugs. The same goes for a wrong place at the wrong time, whether you realize lot of people. The bottom line is: We should understand people for it or not. But the troubles don’t end there. I am who they are; no one should be judged by a stereotype. constantly discriminated against, treated poorly, and stared at (but that’s probably because I’m so cute).

TAKEITFURTHER

1. Which Is It? Is this article about stereotyping or 2. Create an Outline Create a simple outline 3. Are You Convinced? Is this text an 4. Choose a Strategy Which strategy did you find prejudice? Have a class discussion about this question. of this article. Write the numbers 1 to 8 down effective supported opinion piece? Did the most helpful for this article—predicting, making Remember to give reasons to support your opinion. the left side of a page (one number for each author convince you to believe his views on connections, or analyzing? Write a paragraph to explain ORAL COMMUNICATION SUPPORTING OPINIONS paragraph). Identify the most important idea of skateboarders? What information or arguments why the strategy was useful and how you could use it each paragraph and write it beside the appropriate in the article helped you decide? with a different kind of text, perhaps in another subject. number. Work with a partner to compare outlines. FOCUS ON FORM ANALYZING METACOGNITION TRANSFERRING SKILLS SUMMARIZING FINDING MAIN IDEAS/SUPPORTING DETAILS 20 21 ©P ©P BEFOREYOUREAD

Look at just the four speech bubbles on by Derek Kirk Kim page 23. Will this graphic text focus on stereotyping or prejudice? Include your definitions of these terms when you share your answer.

TAKEITFURTHER

1. What a Character! How do you predict the coach 2. Create a Dialogue What might the boy say to a 3. It Works Both Ways Look at what the boy says 4. The Power of Metaphor In this graphic text, will respond when he realizes the boy has left the track? parent or friend about what happened at the track? about the coach. Does the boy’s attitude show hurdles are a metaphor—they represent the challenges To show your ideas, sketch a graphic text with one or Write a short dialogue. Show how the boy feels about stereotyping, prejudice, or neither one? Meet with of overcoming prejudice. In what ways is jumping two panels. the coach’s remark, and include his reasons for leaving others who share your opinion. Explain your thoughts, hurdles like overcoming prejudice? List your ideas. PREDICTING CREATING MEDIA/REPRESENTING the track. ask questions, and then summarize the group’s ideas for FOCUS ON STYLE FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE MAKING INFERENCES FOCUS ON FORM the class. ORAL COMMUNICATION CRITICAL LITERACY 22 23 ©P ©P BEFOREYOUREAD

Skim the news report and come up with three questions you will ask of this text. Then read to see if your questions are answered. Experts say that adults’ worries about TV show ONE-ARMED host are “old-fashioned”

inquisitive curious; sometimes used positively TV HOST inquisitive,” Burnell Are adults the problem? certainly they’re laws (questioning, inquiring) England has non- discrimination told BBC magazine. “I would always and sometimes negatively similar to those in North America. The SCARES KIDS, take the time to explain to a child. All (prying, snooping). problem isn’t with kids but with adults, they want is an explanation. They want Antonym: uninterested Sir Bert Massie of Great Britain’s Equality to know ‘What’s that?’ and ‘What’s and Human Rights Commission told the PARENTS SAY happened?’ and ‘Why are you BBC. different?’ And then they will move “I think what’s happening is a on.” number of adults do have prejudices, discrimination Barbara Otto, the executive director BY MIKE CELIZIC do have very negative views about treating people of Health & Disability Advocates, a unfairly because of When the BBC hired a pretty young disabled people, and instead of national American organization, said in such characteristics actress to co-host a daily program for admitting the views are their own, a phone interview that she would be as race, age, or sex toddlers, it never expected viewers to they’re projecting them onto their surprised if a person like Burnell caused complain that the young woman might children and saying the children are a similar reaction in North America. give their children nightmares. Cerrie Burnell co-hosts a TV show for young doing this,” he is quoted as saying. “We have community inclusion of “I didn’t want to let my children children. Although the target of complaints, people with disabilities,” she said. “Kids watch on the bedtime hour last night Burnell did not attempt to tell parents are going to school with people with because I know it would have played how to raise their children. “I’d never children’s network, CBeebies. But a different abilities. Here, this would be diversity the quality of on my eldest daughter’s mind and comment on anyone’s parenting or the handful have written to the station unheard of.” being different or varied, possibly caused sleep problems,” wrote complaining about her disability. Some time for them to have a discussion with as in “There is a great In England, experts have noted that one viewer in an email to the British their child about disabilities,” she told deal of cultural diversity say she may frighten the children. small children do not normally have television network after seeing Cerrie the BBC. “It’s a totally personal thing in Canadian society.” Others accuse the network of going difficulty dealing with people who are Burnell play games and read children’s diversity. and people have to do it when they feel Synonym: variety. In overboard in the interests of different. Where adults may turn their stories. comfortable to do it. But I would just science, biodiversity refers Some say they don’t want to have to heads away from someone in a to the variety of plants The viewer’s problem? Burnell was hope that, I guess, me being on address such issues with very young wheelchair, toddlers will walk right up and animals in an area. born with an incomplete right arm that CBeebies would present an opportunity children. to them and ask them about their chair. ends in a stump below her elbow. for them to do that in the comfort of “Children come up to me in the They don’t ask what’s wrong, but rather According to a BBC report, most their own home.” street every day and say ‘What’s that?’ I what it is. viewers have been supportive of Burnell, wouldn’t say they’re frightened, but who took over a daily slot on the BBC’s TAKEITFURTHER

1. Keep It Short! Use no more than 20 words to 2. Your Opinion? Should people with noticeable 3. Prove It Is this news article about stereotyping or 4. Sort Your Questions Work in a small group to summarize Cerrie Burnell’s point of view. What physical disabilities appear on TV shows for young prejudice? What evidence from the text supports your sort your questions (from Before You Read) into audience do you think Burnell has in mind when she children? Present your supported opinion to a small opinion? Choose a different text form to share your categories. Make a rule for each category. Decide which expresses her point of view? What makes you think so? group. Use gestures and emphasize words to help make response. Write a note to explain why your form suits category of questions was most helpful for CRITICAL LITERACY SUMMARIZING your point. your purpose. understanding the text, and why. SUPPORTING OPINIONS ORAL COMMUNICATION FINDING MAIN IDEAS/SUPPORTING DETAILS FOCUS ON FORM ORGANIZING IDEAS METACOGNITION 24 25 ©P ©P CHECKPOINT HOWDOESSTEREOTYPINGAFFECTUS?

ARE STEREOTYPES AND PREJUDICE THE SAME THING? BEFOREYOUREAD

Use the title, the photos, and your own 1. Inquiry Connection background knowledge Find a print ad that shows a person who is to make a prediction. What are your thoughts so far on the inquiry a stereotype. Create a stereotype-free STILL Why does the author question, “Is a world without stereotypes image of a person to replace the person in need to tell people she is possible?” To explore your thoughts, find five OR the ad. Then consider whether the ad ME still the same inside? BY MAI GODA images of people (on magazine covers, posters, would be just as effective using your INSIDE ads, etc.). Develop notes for a two-minute oral image. Use what you learned from this presentation giving your current opinion on the activity to write your thoughts so far on inquiry question. Use the images to support your the inquiry question, “Is a world without whim a sudden idea or desire. opinion. stereotypes possible?” Antonym: plan transformation a significant SUPPORTING OPINIONS ANALYZING MEDIA CRITICAL THINKING MAKING CONNECTIONS and usually positive change, I NEED A often in appearance or behaviour. In mathematics, a transformation is a mapping of 2. What Labels Stick to You? CHANGE!!! one space onto another or itself. appease give in to demands. Brainstorm a list of labels that people might apply to you (for Synonym: pacify example, student, teenager, loner, etc.). Try to come up with at 3. Your Opinion least ten labels. Use a modified PMI chart to sort the labels into Which text in this cluster is most effective three categories: positive (in the “Plus” column), negative for helping people understand the impact (“Minus” column), and neutral (“Interesting” column). Then of stereotyping or prejudice? Write a describe yourself to a classmate without using any labels on the paragraph giving your opinion on the text list. After the activity, discuss what you learned about labelling. you chose. Provide evidence to support Do you now have a better understanding of why we label And so on that single whim, I cut my long black your opinion, including one or more people? hair, streaked it bright red, and, to top it off, pierced examples of how the author made the my eyebrow. I had gone from dorky to punky in a Plus Minus Interesting (Neutral) writing interesting. (For example, point out the use of humour or vivid visual week and, as trivial as it seems, this transformation leader snob student descriptions.) has had a great effect on my life. As long as I can remember, I had always been a good DEVELOPING IDEAS FOCUS ON STYLE ORGANIZING IDEAS ORAL COMMUNICATION girl. In school, I got decent grades and never was in trouble. At home, I tried not to give my parents too much grief. But more than that, I had the “look” of a 4. Reflect good girl. People always saw me as a quiet, studious Asian girl. Friends’ parents often asked if I played the violin or Choose a text you disagreed with or found challenging. Do a quick write the piano. “No, the flute,” I’d say, and they would nod, not explaining how using one of the strategies discussed in this cluster would surprised. Walking around with my long black hair over my help you to get more out of the text. face, I hid behind my image. I felt somewhat obliged to METACOGNITION GENERATING IDEAS appease the stereotype imposed on me.