Danny Whitehead The Elephant in the Corner: Controversial Content in the Classroom

Abortion, obesity, HIV/AIDS, religion, prostitution... Can you guess what these have in common? These are controversial issues which can emerge in discussions class or can be brought up for discussion by the teacher. There are several factors that make an issue controversial and can be identified by the following characteristics:

• a) It provokes strong reactions

• b) It provokes different ideas on the same topic
• c) It promotes anxiety
• d) It can relate to suffering
• e) It goes against your believes

Why should we bring these questions for discussion?

• a) It is motivating
• b) It triggers cognitive involvement
• c) If not teachers, then who?
• d) It is natural taking into account the unique role language teaching occupies in the curriculum...

What are some of the concerns teachers might have when deciding whether to bring controversial issues for discussion? They fall into two categories: ethical and pedagogic. The former include cultural appropriateness, ‘depositing' alien cultural values, breaking learners trust and breaking teachers' confidence and trust. The latter include motivation, high affective filter, de-motivation in the classroom because of negative emotions, inhibition of cognition and build-up of a barrier between the teacher and the students.

The session has persuaded me once again that it is necessary to discuss contraversial issues with the students in the classroom. Maybe, it can help them avoid or deal with better with these issues in life. Even if not, still we should discuss them in the classroom to raise our students' awareness to them.