Introduction

It is important to consider theoretical frameworks in education when producing lesson plans.

Veronica Morcom (2015) provides a study that stems from the sociocultural theory by Vygotsky

(1978). This research uncovers the role of social and emotional development in students and the

way this effects bullying within school, and wellbeing as Australian students progress into

adulthood. Included in this paper is an edited lesson plan which incorporates elements from

Morcom’s research to maximise social and emotional learning and development within the KLA of

English. It is important to edit and modify lesson plans concurrent with modern research to

maximise positive outcomes for students, increase sociocultural development for both the teacher

and the student, and to develop learning activities that will extend past the classroom and into adult

life. Interrelationships between research and pedagogical approach are explored in Morcom’s

(2015) article on scaffolding social and emotional learning. Critical analysis of this article and the

recommendations promoting sociocultural perspective in schooling is implemented in a ‘gift-

giving’ learning activity. Drawing upon recommendations and findings from Morcom’s research,

this lesson will by improved through pedagogical practices, facilitating meaningful student

engagement and a quality learning environment ("Quality Teaching Framework - Elements of

Learning and Achievement," n.d).

Description of Educational Issue

The article by Morcom (2015) is a qualitative study that examines the effects of scaffolding

social and emotional learning within shared affective spaces to reduce bullying. This research

stems from a sociocultural perspective (Vygotsky, 1978), which frames the study to exhibit how to

understand ‘shared affective spaces’ and furthermore, how to view these as an enabling factor

within the zone of proximal development (ZPD) (Morcom, 2015). The context of school in

developing social and emotional development highlights the prevalent issues that arise due to

bullying, and the negative repercussions that can endure into adult lives (Rigby, 2007). Bullying is
an educational issue in Australian schools due to the negative effect it has on student habitus and

culture. In an attempt to minimise bullying in schools, this article explores the positive effects that a

social and emotional learning scaffold will have on student culture and bullying. Social and

emotional learning can increase feelings of wellbeing in students, increase coping abilities, and

limit drug and alcohol addiction (Slaski & Cartwright, 2002; Salovey, Beddell, Detwieler, &

Mayer, 1999; Trinidad & Johnson, 2002). In response to bullying, social and emotional learning has

also been linked to mediate aggression, strengthen psychosocial functional, and increase school

connectedness (Jagers et al., 2007; McCraty, Atkinson, Tomasino, goelitz, & Mayrowitz, 1999;

Whitlock, 2003). These positive advancements linked to social and emotional learning collectively

reduce bullying and increase student capacity to learn (Bear, Manning, & Izzard, 2003; Zins,

Weissberg, Wang, & Walberg, 2004).

This issue is relevant within the English KLA as students learn about Indigenous

background in Australia, and in particular, the stolen generation. The lesson plan ("Stolen

Generations Lesson Plan - English and History Mixed Together - Australian Curriculum Lessons,"

n.d.) (Appendix 1), utilises a small level of social and emotional learning techniques through

cultural recognition. This lesson plan shows strength in promoting significance in the learning

environment ("Quality Teaching Framework - Elements of Learning and Achievement," n.d.),

through the cross-curriculum inclusion and the cultural reference to the Indigenous stolen

generation. This report will focus on modifications made to the lesson plan in respect to the

‘gifting’ process. Although this activity puts into perspective thoughts and feelings of the stolen

generation, the activity could be strengthened by utilising the research from Morcom on scaffolding

sociocultural activities within the lesson plan, and Vygotsky’s theoretical approach to the zone of

proximal development (1978).

Critical Summary
 When evaluating a qualitative report, it is important to assume that social reality is

constructed by the involved participants (Ullman, 2015). The researcher, Morcom, is affiliated with

the Murdoch University institution. Morcom’s work is heavily involved with scaffolding social and

emotional learning within schools. Morcom’s research on scaffolding learning environments

includes upwards of five published research articles of similar nature, this provides legitimacy of

her research and experience facing the issues of learning, culture and social interaction (Morcom,

2009; Morcom, 2012; Morcom, 2014; Morcom, 2010; Morcom, 2016). This level of involvement

with the topic leads to a small level of bias when describing the subject of the study (Ullman, 2015).

Although value judgements are few and far between, Morcom includes research that explicitly

states that the emotional aspect of classroom learning is often neglected in research, and is

considered an enabling factor in scaffolding (Goldstein, 1999; Renshaw, 2013; Rogoff, 1995, 2003;

Goldstein & Freedman, 2003). The sources cited in the article are explicitly relevant to Morcom’s

research and thus validate the research further, making this qualitative study a legitimate and

appropriate resource when applying approaches and findings to our own lesson plans. Morcom has

utilised ongoing literature to discover what other researchers have found concerning any questions

or hypotheses that arise (Ullman, 2015), this is a favourable research method in qualitative study

due to questions and hypotheses that arise during research.

The research used selected findings from Barbara Rogoff (1995, 2003) to foreground the

sampling and findings of the article. Rogoff (1995, 2003) was a good researcher to utilise as her

work investigates cultural variation in learning processes and settings. Rogoff’s research uses

observation, children’s interest and attention to ongoing events to facilitate a structured

examination, favouring scaffolding, social and emotional learning, sociocultural theory, and zone of

proximal development (“Barbara Rogoff," n.d.). This research also encourages child opportunity to

participate in cultural activities. This is a good case to study given the researcher’s interest in

scaffolding social and emotional learning (Ullman, 2015). Morcom’s research aims to show
research that reduces bullying. This research targets a personal focus of analysis utilising Rogoff’s

personal plane for participatory appropriation which allows the observation of the elements from

the school and the institutional planes to intersect and mutually constitute each other (Morcom,

2015). The intensity of data collection could have been strengthened through a comparative analysis

of a female group of friends, or across multiple schools. This research narrowed down male

students and focused on one boy’s response to a ZPD and sociocultural perspective. The

researcher’s goal was to examine how social and emotional learning can reduce bullying. They

largely observed reflections from the one particular boy which allowed an informal setting for this

student to reveal his thoughts and feelings. Research was founded through establishing this boy’s

friendship group and documenting evidence of how he had led them to participate in bullying

behaviours (Morcom, 2015). The research procedures were valuable in extracting reflections from

the student, yet could be strengthened through expanding the participants to better inform the

research question. Background research made by Morcom influences the drive of this research. This

pushes positive affiliation with scaffolding social and emotional learning within ‘shared affective

spaces’ to reduce bullying.

The report refers to a discussion of Vygotsky’s (1978) view of learning as a social concept.

The references to Vygotsky were stated affirmatively to the findings of the research report itself.

These findings state that the sociocultural theory (Vygotsky, 1978) melds social and emotional

aspects of cognitive learning. This foregrounds learning as a social concept and the role of emotions

as an enabling factor in scaffolding (Renshaw, 2013). The explanation of the findings were justified

through the collective standpoint of the sociocultural theorists used in Morcom’s background

research, this points to inadequate use of differing theory to create a well rounded and better

researched article. The generalisability of the findings are qualified to state that encouraging

conditions to scaffold learning with shared affective spaces to support students’ aspirations, change

student behaviour and allow them to make new friends. Morcom, however, does not explicitly
discuss generalisability because there is not enough data about the student’s response to social and

emotional learning to generalise (Ullman, 2015).

Summary of Recommendations from literature, description of learning activity, and

recommendations for changes based on literature

Critical analysis of this article and the recommendations promoting sociocultural perspective

in schooling is implemented in a ‘gift-giving’ learning activity. Drawing upon recommendations

and findings from Morcom’s research, this lesson will by improved through pedagogical practices,

facilitating meaningful student engagement and a quality learning environment ("Quality Teaching

Framework - Elements of Learning and Achievement," n.d).

Interrelationships between research and pedagogical approach are explored in Morcom’s (2015)

article on scaffolding social and emotional learning.

The interrelationships between Morcom’s article (2015) and the English lesson plan ("Stolen

Generations Lesson Plan - English and History Mixed Together - Australian Curriculum Lessons,"

n.d.) promote social and emotional learning as a positive pedagogical practice. Vygotsky’s findings

include a sociocultural perspective which encourages scaffolding within the zone of proximal

development. Mocrom’s article focuses on the importance of social and emotional learning to

reduce bullying, the stolen generations lesson plan utilises a ‘gift-giving’ activity to focus on

emotive scope and sequence. Vygotsky’s (1978) theory of ZPD highlights how children are better

able to perform tasks collaboratively before they are able to perform them alone. This term was

coined to refer to what a child can do alone, versus what the same child can do in collaboration with

others. ZPD should be included in the stolen generations lesson plan to develop student

understanding of Indigenous culture and history. According to Vygotsky (1978), development

occurs most rapidly when the child collaborates with others within his or her zone of proximal

develoment.
 The lesson plan would benefit by including references to negative comments about the

stolen generation, which will put into perspective the damage of spoken language and bullying.

Morcom’s article includes a table that references participation and rights (Morcom, 2015, p. 80).

This justifies the change to the lesson plan as it connects the effects of bullying to current context,

and to the stolen generation. The inclusion of negative comments toward the stolen generation is

justified as student learning is based on stories from their fellow students teachers, supervising

teachers, and others as well as from their own and other students’ experience (Ullman, 2015).

Through including stories that can be directly affiliated with bullying encompasses the social and

emotional learning scaffold to reduce bullying, and encompasses the zone of proximal development

as students share stories that will help them understand the negative effects of bullying.

The lesson plan would also benefit from repeat teacher observation of social and emotional

learning, and the effects that collaborative learning have on the minimisation of bullying. The

lesson plan vaguely touches on the feelings of the stolen generation, but would benefit through

repeated class discussion and activities that focus on the ‘sorry wall’ referenced in the lesson.
Morcom’s article includes an example which would benefit the English lesson plan in response to

the monitoring of ZPD and reduced bullying.

(Morcom, 2015, p. 79). The implication of these teaching and research tools will allow a monitored

level of scaffolding to occur and findings regarding reduction in bullying will be inherently clear.

The stolen generation and Indigenous subject area is prevalent in the KLA and using this as the

basis for ZPD and anti bullying strategies will create an additional layer of cultural learning to

support Vygotsky’s (1978) sociocultural learning theory.

The ‘gift-giving’ activity would benefit from utilising cultural perspectives. The assessment

component of the lesson plan which asks for students to create a ‘sorry wall’ could be extended to

help reduce bullying between the students. Adding their own apologies to another wall will allow
students to reflect on their own discourses and provide emotional learning to reduce bullying.

Morcom’s article helps to justify this change of the lesson plan as she states that “using a holistic

approach to classroom practices make explicit the affective aspects of learning” (2015, p. 77). This

creates a shared affective space within the classroom for students to share in social and emotional

learning and reflection. The findings of Morcom’s research validity the appropriateness of social

and emotional learning within the classroom, and the contrast of this scaffoldding, alongside

cultural teachings, will allow students to learn with respect to Vygotskian theory of sociocultural

learning.

Conclusion

Through considering Morcom’s (2015) article when developing and adjusting lesson plans,

the lesson was able to coin Vygotskian theory to allow social and emotional learning within the

lesson to be strengthened. Scaffolding the lesson to reduce bullying in the classroom was also

considered. The edited lesson plan incorporates elements from Morcom’s research to maximise

social and emotional learning and development within the KLA of English. The edits made

maximise positive outcomes for the student’s social and emotional growth, and provides lessons

that will extend into adult life. Interrelationships between research and pedagogical approach are

explored and critical analysis of this article and the recommendations promoting sociocultural

perspective in schooling are implemented in the learning activities of the lesson plan. By drawing

upon recommendations and findings from Morcom’s research, this lesson was improved through

pedagogical practices, facilitating meaningful student engagement and a quality learning

environment ("Quality Teaching Framework - Elements of Learning and Achievement," n.d).

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Appendix 1 (original lesson plan)
Summary of Lesson Plan:
This lesson is an attempt at creating empathy for the Mothers who had their children
forcibly removed. This lesson was originally designed for a Year 8 English Class but could
also be adapted for other year levels and other Curriculum Areas, specifically History. It
also covers Cross-curriculum priorities. This lesson has been tested and has worked
extremely well. It can be quite emotionally challenging for the Teacher and the students.

Australian Curriculum Links:

Cross-Curriculum Priorities: Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Histories and
Cultures
▪ Australia has two distinct Indigenous groups, Aboriginal Peoples and Torres Strait
Islander Peoples.
▪ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have lived in Australia for tens of
thousands of years and experiences can be viewed through historical, social and
political lenses.
▪ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have sophisticated family and kinship
structures.
Year 6 History: Australia as a Nation
▪ Experiences of Australian democracy and citizenship, including the status and
rights of Aboriginal people and/or Torres Strait Islanders, migrants, women, and
children. (ACHHK114)
Year 10 History: Depth Studies (Rights and Freedoms – 1945 through to present)
 ▪ Background to the struggle of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for
rights and freedoms before 1965, including the 1938 Day of Mourning and the
Stolen Generations (ACDSEH104)
Year 8 English:
▪ Explore the interconnectedness of Country and Place, People, Identity and Culture
in texts including those by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors
(ACELT1806)
▪ Create imaginative, informative and persuasive texts that raise issues, report events
and advance opinions, using deliberate language and textual choices, and including
digital elements as appropriate (ACELY1736)
▪ Experiment with text structures and language features to refine and clarify ideas to
improve the effectiveness of students’ own texts (ACELY1810)
▪ Use a range of software, including word processing programs, to create, edit and
publish texts imaginatively (ACELY1738)
▪ Recognise that vocabulary choices contribute to the specificity, abstraction and
style of texts (ACELA1547)

Lesson Plan Sequence:

Before the lesson:
▪ Students will have read Doris Pilkington’s “Rabbit Proof Fence” or viewed the film
adaptation directed by Phillip Noyce.
▪ Wrap up ‘gifts’ ( anything at all: books, glue sticks, spoons, pens, anything at all)
making sure that the sizes are varied and that there is one for every student in the
class.
▪ Put each student’s name onto one of the ‘gifts’.
▪ Before the students arrive, place all of the ‘gifts’ onto a desk/table at the front of the
room and cover them with a cloth.
Introduction:
▪ As you start the lesson, tell the students that because you have been really pleased
with the work they have been doing etc . . . (talk it up!) You have decided to get
each of them a present.
▪ Uncover the ‘gifts’.
▪ A few at a time, students can come out and look/check to see if there is one there
with their name on it.
▪ They can only look, they must not touch!
▪ Tell them that in order to avoid distractions throughout the lesson, they’ll be
receiving their ‘gifts’ at the end of the lesson.
Body:
▪ Have as normal a lesson as you can, doing something/anything unrelated to The
Stolen Generations, leaving about 15-20 minutes for the next part of the ‘gifting’
process.
▪ Now tell them (they may take some convincing) that you’ve decided not to give
them the gifts. Cover the gifts up. Ask the students to write down how they feel
about this decision!
▪ Explain to them:
▪ These ‘gifts’ were never really theirs.
▪ Before this lesson, they didn’t even know that their ‘gift’ existed.
▪ They don’t even know what’s inside the package with their name on it.
▪ Yet when they were told that they were not going to receive it, they felt all of
these horrible feelings.
▪ Get some students to share what they wrote . . . angry, sad, betrayed, furious etc.
▪ Remind them now about “The Stolen Generations”.
 ▪ The students felt angry, sad, betrayed etc when something that wasn’t even really
theirs in the first place was taken away. Something they’d only known about for
about half an hour, something that they hadn’t even really seen let alone touched.
▪ Now think, reflect, make posters, write: letters; poems; stories etc about this
question:
“Can we ever possibly imagine or understand the absolute despair that Mothers must have
felt when their children were taken away?”
Conclusion:
▪ Class discussion about what the students have learnt from this learning experience.

Assessment:
▪ Anecdotal notes of students’ participation in discussion.
▪ Students’ work is displayed on a “Sorry Wall” created in the classroom where
students’ work is displayed.

Resources:
▪ Wrapping paper
▪ Scissors
▪ Glue
▪ Name tags
▪ Pen/texta
▪ Table/desk
▪ Tablecloth
▪ “Gifts”