CONTENTIOUS ISSUES

Images in Question
A Role Play Resource for Secondary School Students

Please see below for video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROGGkkfryyE&feature=youtu.be

Resource created for 102083 Diversity, Social Justice & Learning by:
James NORRIS—18503874
Ahmed SABOUNI—17876692
Ami-Marie SIMPSON—17975780
 CONTENTIOUS ISSUES
Images in Question
A Role Play Resource for Secondary School Students
The purpose of this resource is to engage students in open ended discussion about
controversial images. Students challenge the perceptions of themselves and their
peers in respectful debate surrounding the contention of power imbalances.

Specifically identifying the perceived implied power of Caucasian people, students

work in groups to investigate how other factors such as gender and class intersects
with racism to either enhance or counteract the power imbalance.

Sourced from: Daily Mail UK

 CONTENTIOUS ISSUES
Images in Question
A Role Play Resource for Secondary School Students

JUSTIFICATION

The selection and critical analysis of an image depicting a controversial event illustrating an inequality
of authority will assist students to challenge existing pedagogies of indifferences, and develop a deeper
understanding of the impacts of racism in Australian society.

By undertaking a role play, students get the opportunity to explore a scenario in a safe and respectful
environment. This role play activity will assist in developing a deeper understanding of the issue being
discussed, a valuing of difference, and a sense of connectedness within society.

Through creative thinking, collaboration with peers, thoughtful communication and critical
analysis of those involved in the events depicted, our 21st century learners take responsibility for their
own learning. While teacher-facilitated, the students are called upon to create rules and boundaries
around their discussions, and then actively engage with their allocated roles by stepping in to
another’s perspective. Stepping back out of their roles enables them to reflect and debrief on the
matter at hand.

Applicable to different KLA’s through the choice of differing images, the Australian Curriculum
Cross-curriculum priority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures is
emphasised in the application of this resource.

This resource also serves to emphasise the Australian Curriculum General Capability priorities of
Intercultural Understanding, Ethical Understanding, Literacy, Personal and Social Capability
and Critical and Creative Thinking.

This resource is recommended for use in Secondary Schools, and is particularly relevant to the
Australian Curriculum key learning areas of Modern History, History, Civics and Citizenship, and
Health and Physical Education.
 CONTENTIOUS ISSUES
Images in Question
A Role Play Resource for Secondary School Students

BUILDING THE LESSON

Time: 1 hour (approximate)

Resources required:

 Smartboard or Data Projector and Laptop/Desktop computer

 Pre-determined controversial image portraying an imbalance of power between Caucasians and a
minority group (see pg 4 for suggestions)
 Appropriate websites bookmarked explaining image and its context
 Reflection Worksheet (1 per student) OR this could be group workshopped on the board
 This needs to be amended to suit the chosen image
 Characters need to be identified with a background that would create contention,
differentiating their gender and class

Facilitating Effective Role Play

 Before the game, ensure that the students establish clear rules and boundaries about respectful
discussion—this is a safe space to explore different ideas and how people will react to controversial
images, there is no room for hurtful stereotypes, name-calling or other forms of vilification.

 Emphasise the PURPOSE of the role play—the exploration of how different levels of power impact on
relationships in Australian Society, with students expected to demonstrate assertive, thoughtful and
respectful communication while negotiating potential conflict.

 Ensure that there is a differentiation between the student and the character—having the students
come up with names for their characters will assist in this.

 Be mindful of your students and their backgrounds—special care should be taken when referring to
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. There can be no judgments made about whether a
person is an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person or not. Discuss why it is important not to make
assumptions about identities based on physical appearance.

 Remember to encourage students to ‘Step In’ and ‘Step Out’ of their roles—debriefing, and critically
analysing their characters reactions is the most important part of role playing.

 Differentiate—some students may want to develop their characters further, investigate their
backgrounds or be confident with building their own scripts. Others may require extra scaffolding
around building scripts. For example, their script can begin with “I feel upset about this because…”.

Helpful resources for Role Play tips

 https://gdhr.wa.gov.au/learning/teaching-strategies/making-decisions/role-play

 https://teaching.unsw.edu.au/assessing-role-play-and-simulation#

 https://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/teachlearn/student/lem/dos.pdf

 https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/1133370/roleplay_1.pdf
 CONTENTIOUS ISSUES
Images in Question
A Role Play Resource for Secondary School Students

IMAGE SUGGESTIONS

Adam Goodes incident—Image sourced at http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2331441/Adam-Goodes-Moment-

Aboriginal-Aussie-rules-footballer-confronted-
racist-13-year-old-girl-called-ape-escorted-
stand.html

Event: AFL player Adam Goodes is called

an ‘ape’ by a 13 year old female spectator
during the Indigenous Round in 2013.
The spectator was then escorted from the
match by security.

Further info:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-25/
goodes-gutted-but-places-no-
blame/4712772

Artwork— Image sourced from: http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/2726964/illawarra-through-the-eyes-of-early-explorers/

Event: Depiction of explorer’s Bass and Flinders and

their discovery of Port Hacking.

Further info: http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/

story/2726964/illawarra-through-the-eyes-of-early-
explorers/

Cronulla Riots—Image sourced at: http://

nicholsoncartoons.com.au/cronulla-beach-riots-
lebanese-550.html

Event: Through text messages,

residents of Cronulla were incited to
protest against the alleged influx of
Lebanese migrants to Cronulla in
2005.

Further info: http://

www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-11/
locals-reflect-on-the-cronulla-riots-
ten-years-later/7018836
 CONTENTIOUS ISSUES
Images in Question
A Role Play Resource for Secondary School Students

LESSON STRUCTURE

Time Teacher Students

20 mins Teacher-led discussion Engage in discussion
Discuss the term ‘contentious’ and its meaning Commence Reflection Worksheet
Present the image to the class
Assess students’ prior knowledge of the incident
Explore further as a class using bookmarked websites
Commence Reflection Worksheet and move through the
questions step by step

5 mins Break the cohort into groups of 4 (either teacher-led or Break up into groups
student regulated) Identify the rules around Ethical
Explain role play situation: Debate in the Classroom
One student acts as the perpetuator of racial
vilification. The other students are people in that
persons’ life and they respectfully discuss their
own emotional reactions to the incident posed in
the image.
Allocate characters:
Perpetrator
Mother
Father
Peer from a predominantly multicultural
background
10 mins Teacher floats and poses questions for expansion: Students engage in a role play,
How does your character feel? Angry/sad/ acting out responses to the
humiliated/happy? image by their allocated
What is his/her background? How does this impact characters
how they feel or their views on this topic? Can Students ‘Step-In’ and ‘Step-Out’
you explain further? of their particular
characters, allowing them to
disengage from their role

10 mins FREEZE! Students engage in role play,

Re-allocate characters – everyone changes: acting out responses to
The Perpetrator is removed and replaced with previous arguments
another Peer from a white privileged background
The Peers then react to the Mother and Father and
their justification of their responses
15 mins Class Reflection and Debrief – Teacher-led Engage in discussion
What did you know? What do you understand better
now?
What elements of white vs non-white influence are
apparent in the reactions of different characters?
How did you feel having to justify the position of
someone that you might not agree with?
What are new roles or practices that could be created
that would enhance equality in this particular
situation (refer to image)?
 CONTENTIOUS ISSUES
Images in Question
A Role Play Resource for Secondary School Students

REFLECTION WORKSHEET
(Refer to the Image on the Smartboard/Projector)

WHEN did the event happen in time?

WHAT is happening? What happened after?

WHERE did it happen and what is the context of the event?

WHO are the participants? What are their backgrounds?

IDENTIFY the power imbalance – who has the most power here? Why?

The perspectives of both the Perpetrator and the Vilified – put yourself in their shoes, how might
they be feeling?
Perpetrator Vilified
 CONTENTIOUS ISSUES
Images in Question
A Role Play Resource for Secondary School Students

ROLE PLAY—BUILD YOUR CHARACTER

(Refer to the Image on the Smartboard/Projector)

PERPETRATOR: Insert background here, students to add notes about their impression of the
character

PERPETRATORS MOTHER: Insert background here, students to add notes about their impression
of the character

PERPETRATORS FATHER: Insert background here, students to add notes about their impression
of the character

PERPETRATORS MULTICULTURAL PEER: Insert background here, students to add notes about
their impression of the character

PERPETRATORS CULTURAL PEER: Insert background here, students to add notes about their
impression of the character
 CONTENTIOUS ISSUES
Images in Question
A Role Play Resource for Secondary School Students

REFERENCES

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