Inclusion and tolerance are crucial British values that can be explored through rich discussions with your class. To ensure that you are fostering an inclusive classroom environment, we need to go further than simply discussing equality - the texts learners study should mirror the diverse voices of the world around them.
In this blog, we discuss the importance of teaching learners about diversity, as well as some recommendations for diverse texts suited to secondary students.
Why teach learners about diversity?
Teaching learners about diversity is important. Doing so encourages open-mindedness and empathy. It helps young people appreciate that, while humans have much in common, they also differ from one another in many ways. Understanding and celebrating these differences is a key part of living in an accepting, inclusive society.
Highlighting diversity also helps learners become more aware of and sensitive to discrimination and inequality. This, in turn, can make them more likely to call out injustices or press for changes that will make life fairer for their friends and classmates.
Research by Lit in Colour found that 70% of young people believe that diversity is an important part of British society and should be represented in the school curriculum.
However, there’s still a lot of work required to make the curriculum more representative of learners. For example, the Lit in Colour survey of learners also found that:
- 34.4% of respondents are from Black, Asian or minority ethnic backgrounds, but only 0.7% will study a book by a writer of colour at GCSE (and only 0.1% a book by a woman of colour).
- Only 7% (at most) of learners will study a book written by a woman at GCSE.
This points to the need to diversify the books that KS3 and KS4 learners read at school.
What topics could be discussed?
Key topics the promote diversity and inclusion include:
- Race and ethnicity: Lesson content that acknowledges how race and racism have impacted our society and history is great, and it’s also worth talking about the great things that diversity brings to society. This includes both the contributions of people from different backgrounds and how different cultures express themselves.
- LGBTQ+ issues: Encourage your learners to be aware of LGBTQ+ issues and accepting of people regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation. Incorporating more inclusive language into everyday use is a great way to do this without making it a big deal.
- Disabilities: Look for opportunities to promote disability awareness, the importance of ensuring inclusion and how people with disabilities have contributed and accomplished great things.
- Mental health: The classroom can be a great place to foster an understanding of mental health issues, to encourage learners to discuss their own mental well-being and to teach emotional literacy.
- Neurodiversity: Some people’s brains process information differently, including those with conditions such as autism, ADHD and Dyslexia. Discussions that aim to foster an understanding of neurodiversity and how neurodiverse people can be better supported are great.
- Religion: It’s vital for learners to understand the beliefs and practices of different religions, and the importance of allowing for religious freedom and inclusion.
- Social justice: Whilst learning about the topics above, you could put them in the context of real-world issues (both historical and contemporary) such as racism, sexism, poverty and other challenges that need to be overcome to create a fairer world.
Being aware of when these subjects are relevant to the curriculum (e.g. discussing how attitudes about race may have factored into historical events) is important for bringing these topics up naturally. But you can also look to build lesson content specifically around these issues, including by studying books that address them, or by utilising awareness months like LGBTQ+ Pride in June and Black History Month in October. Check out some of our brilliant resources for lesson content around these awareness months.
Books that promote diversity for secondary learners
Need some ideas for books that are suitable for secondary school learners and that promote inclusion and diversity? While this list is far from definitive – and you should be able to find plenty more books that explore different issues and themes if you’re looking for texts to use in specific subject areas – the following may give you some handy literary starting points.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Thomas’s debut novel explores race relations as it tells the story of a 16-year-old African American girl who witnesses a police shooting.
Recommended for ages 12 - 18
Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman
The first book in her series, Noughts and Crosses uses speculative fiction to examine themes of race, power and discrimination.
Recommended for ages 12+
This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson
This non-fiction book offers an entertaining take on all things LGBTQ+ including testimonials from LGBTQ+ individuals about their experiences growing up. Written by a former PSHCE teacher, it is sensitive and responsible whilst still being a lot of fun.
Recommended for ages 13+
The Colour Purple by Alice Walker
Alice Walker’s classic epistolary novel tells the story of a young African American girl’s struggle against oppression in Depression-era Georgia.
Recommended for ages 16+ (contains some very adult themes and descriptions)
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
A novel that is notable for (among other things) being written in verse, The Poet X tells the story of a 15-year-old poet who lives in Harlem, New York, as she struggles against sexism and navigates life as a young woman of colour.
Recommended for ages 13 - 18
The Best We Could Do: An Illustrated Memoir by Thi Bui
The Best We Could Do draws on oral history and tells the story of Thi Bui’s family before, during and after the Vietnam War, including the experience of immigrating to the United States as refugees.
Recommended for ages 13+
Somebody Give This Heart a Pen by Sophia Thakur
An anthology of work from the acclaimed performance poet, Sophia Thakur’s poems explore topics that will resonate with many teenagers, such as self-confidence, relationships, politics and racism.
Recommended for ages 12 - 18
The Silence Between Us by Alison Gervais
The Silence Between Us tells the story of a deaf girl as she joins a hearing school for her senior year, with Alison Gervais drawing on her own experiences of being part of the deaf community after losing her hearing at a young age.
Recommended for ages 12 - 18
Dear Martin by Nic Stone
Dear Martin explores what it means to be a Black teenager in the modern world after its protagonist is tackled and handcuffed by a white police officer.
Recommended for ages 14+
Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender
As well as being a love story, Felix Ever After grapples with themes of identity and transphobia via its Black teen trans narrator.
Recommended for ages 12 - 18
Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow
Kathleen Glasgow’s raw Girl in Pieces follows its 17-year-old protagonist’s struggles with self-harm and explores the value of artistic expression.
Recommended for ages 13+
If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo
A story about a girl moving to a new high school and falling in love, If I Was Your Girl also examines life as a young trans person.
Recommended for ages 14+
Keep in mind that these books are most suitable for readers aged 12+ (both in terms of their reading level and subject matter). However, there are lots of books that cover similar themes for younger readers.
Vashti Harrison’s Little Leaders series, for instance, tells the stories of inspirational figures from diverse backgrounds in a simple style suitable for even KS1 learners. Can You See Me? by Libby Scott and Rebecca Westcott, meanwhile, is based on Scott’s own experiences of autism as an 11-year-old, making it a great choice for KS2 learners.
Discover our list of diverse and inclusive texts for KS1 & KS2 here.
How to incorporate discussion into the classroom
Encouraging learners to read these books is a great place to start, but what else can teachers do to encourage conversation about diversity and inclusion in class?
- Review lesson content and resources: As with the books listed above, it’s important that classroom resources and lesson content promote diversity. This means making sure lessons are accessible for everyone (e.g. ensuring any physical activities take account of the abilities of the learners involved). But it may also mean updating classroom resources to make them more representative of diverse people and cultures.
- Celebrate diversity: Schools could celebrate diverse role models and the diversity of their learners. Make sure to mark important occasions from different cultures and religions. And think about how you can give learners chances to celebrate their own identities.
- Be prepared to challenge stereotypes: It’s vital to challenge stereotypes. Make it clear that discriminatory behaviour and language are unacceptable, but use them as an opportunity to discuss why they are problematic. Likewise, be mindful of what you say as a teacher! Try to use inclusive language wherever possible (e.g. avoid unnecessarily gendered language, such as by saying “police officer” instead of “policeman”).
Perhaps the most important way to incorporate discussion is to create a classroom environment in which everyone can talk openly. Listen to what your learners have to say (they may surprise you with what they already know and their own experiences). And don’t be afraid to admit that you don’t have all the answers to difficult problems: the crucial thing is encouraging learners to be part of the conversation.
