Avoiding harm and respecting boundaries
Talking about social justice involves talking about rights, equality and fairness. Some topics, like violence, unfair treatment, death, loss and current global events can bring up painful emotions or memories. If we ignore this, we risk upsetting or harming learners, or even ourselves. So how can we explore these issues in our classrooms in a sensitive way?
Before viewing
Think about the following questions or discuss them with a colleague.
- Do you think it's important to talk about social justice themes in the classroom? Why/Why not?
- What challenges might you have when discussing such themes with learners?
Read the six tips below. For each one think of an example of:
- what it might mean in a classroom context
- how it could help avoid harm and respect boundaries.
- Look at materials in advance.
- Give clear content warnings.
- Offer safe alternatives.
- Build reset moments.
- Keep personal boundaries.
- Protect ourselves too.
While viewing
Watch the video. Make a note of the ideas given for each tip.
Watch 'Avoiding harm and respecting boundaries'
- Answers
Look at materials in advance. Before class, look to see if a scene or words might upset learners. Change the details for age-appropriate summaries. This can help learners feel less overwhelmed.
Give clear content warnings. Tell learners what is coming and tell them that it's OK if they prefer to write privately or just listen to the discussion. This helps learners prepare.
Offer safe alternatives. If a task feels too emotionally difficult, offer alternatives, like writing answers privately, creating a response through art or discussing in pairs instead of talking as a whole class. Learners can use a silent signal, like turning over a card, to show that they don't want to participate publicly in that part of the class.
Build reset moments. Add routines for relaxation and emotional balance after dealing with difficult topics – for example, a two-minute pause, a breathing exercise, a short journal or a light reflection question.
Keep personal boundaries. Instead of asking directly 'Has this happened to you?', use case studies, news stories or literature. This creates distance while still building empathy.
Protect ourselves too. If we feel upset, write a short teacher journal or talk to trusted colleagues.
- Transcript
Avoiding harm and respecting boundaries.
How can we explore social justice themes without causing harm? Some topics, like violence, unfair treatment, death or loss, can bring up painful memories or emotions. If we ignore this, we risk upsetting or harming learners, or even ourselves. So what can we do?
Number one: Look at materials in advance. Before class, look to see if a scene or words might upset learners. Change the details for age-appropriate summaries. This helps learners face tough topics without feeling overwhelmed.
Number two: Give clear content warnings. Warning in advance helps learners prepare. You could say 'Today's text mentions bullying. If you prefer to write privately or just listen during the discussion, that's fine.' Normalise giving choice without naming specific learners.
Number three: Offer safe alternatives. If a task feels too emotionally difficult, there are alternatives instead of talking as a whole class. Learners can write their ideas privately, discuss in pairs or create a response through art or role cards. Tell learners they can use a silent signal, like turning over a card or placing something on their desk, and this shows that they prefer not to participate publicly for that part of the lesson.
Number four: Build reset moments. After emotionally difficult content, add routines for relaxation or emotional balance. This could be a two-minute pause, a short breathing exercise, a short journal or a light reflection question like 'What's one thought you're leaving with?'
Number five: Keep personal boundaries. Instead of asking 'Has this ever happened to you?', use case studies, news stories or literature. This creates safe distance while still building empathy.
Number six: Protect ourselves too. If we feel upset, we can keep a short teacher journal to process difficult moments or arrange regular conversations with a trusted colleague.
We model care when we say 'This is tough. Let's take a pause' or we gently guide the group back to safety. When we respect boundaries and watch for things that could cause harm, the classroom remains a place of trust, where students feel protected enough to learn and supported enough to grow.
After viewing
Which of these ideas did you find the most useful?
Would you feel mre confident incluing social justice themes in your classroom now?
What else can we do to avoid harm and respect boundaries in class?
This series of videos explores how teachers can approach English language teaching in a way that helps learners express themselves respectfully, listen with empathy, address real-world social issues in a sensitive way and stay resilient. These videos are to help you create classrooms where learners can grow, feel confident in themselves and connect with each other and the world.
Watch the other videos in this series here.
Dialogue, not debate
Representing people, not issues
Creating safe and brave spaces
Creative + collaborative = real-world impact
Staying resilient when facing pushback
Further resources: Lesson plans
In this lesson, learners practise and improve their listening skills as they listen to a conversation between two teenagers talking about the challenges they face at school.