As the war in Ukraine has taken over most of the international scene and media, our students are faced with unprecedented coverage of human tragedy. Dealing with sensitive topics like war, refugees, identity and death has taken its toll on society as a whole and it is affecting young and old people alike.
As teachers we cannot ignore what is happening in our society and it is our duty to help students cope with these hard, but real problems. Here are some ideas you can use today in your class and which your students will find interesting and engaging.
Powerful Informational Texts
There is power in informational texts. They present the world as it is and offer precious insight in the manner in which students should react to the avalanche of information. It is refreshing to see that other real people have encountered the same situations and have dealt with them in a constructive way.
Passages on the topics of How To Be A Good Host To Refugees or There’s No Shame In Grieving Your Dog’s Death teach students that their pain and struggle are also important and they can be of use to the people around them. Use these texts to develop their comprehension and response skills together with their empathy and courage.
Inspiring Poetry
Poetry is a profound expression of humanity and a constructive manner to deal with feelings. Poems come from the depth of the human spirit and capture its struggles in a sensitive way. For understanding the suffering of refugees, you can use The Refugees – Sir Herbert Read. A great poem that deals with the theme of death is If I Must Die by Claude McKay. Of course Invictus By William Ernest Henley is probably the best poem for understanding identity and assuming the role of a victor even when life seems to be fighting against you.
Besides analyzing the poems’ theme, title, figures of speech, tone, mood and so on, your students should benefit from a one pager activity. In this way they can blend their representation skills with deeper understanding of the poem.
Memorable Short Stories
One of the best ways to deal with sensitive topics is through storytelling. The art of telling stories is as old as humanity and it is used therapeutically by both the author and the readers.
To understand the suffering caused by war, you can use The Fly by Katherine Mansfield. The wonderful symbolism in The Last Leaf by O. Henry presents death under a new perspective deeply connected to nature. Identity can be analyzed in depth in A Cosmopolite In A Cafe by O. Henry.
Coupling these short stories with attractive activities which encourage reflection and deeper understanding will help students deal better with the feelings, emotions and symbols that are alive in all these short stories.
Engaging Writing Prompts
After reading and being exposed to the opinions of other people, your students will find writing liberating. Challenge them with quick writes, picture prompts or quote prompts to get them thinking about sensitive topics. If you are looking for longer and more consistent pieces of writing, integrate argumentative, informative or narrative prompts in your standards based lessons.
You do not have to be afraid of tackling the sensitive topics of war and refugees, death or identity with your students. They are part of life and of who we are as humans. By integrating them in your English class, you will help your students understand more about their feelings and reactions while consolidating their reading and writing skills.
