Respect for all: Cultural matrix

This activity was used with pupils in key stages 2, 3 and 4, years 6 to 11.

Aim

• To challenge preconceived ideas and stereotyping, through the medium of sport.

Activity objectives

• To challenge negative attitudes towards cultural differences.
• To explore beyond the biased views based on skin colour.

Activity description

This activity challenges pupils' knowledge about high-profile role models, and in this way encourages them to consider their preconceived ideas about people.

The class was divided into small groups and given a questionnaire about a high-profile sports person (eg Dwight Yorke, the international footballer). The pupils were asked various questions, such as:

What is Dwight's favourite food?
What is Dwight's nationality?
Do you think Dwight has ever experienced racist taunts?
How would Dwight overcome this?

Each group told the rest of the class their answers and then the class discussed the reasons for their answers. The teacher challenged the answers by proposing alternatives and asking why pupils didn't think of them.

Commentary

Through this exercise the pupils began to understand how easy it is to prejudge, stereotype and discriminate (possibly indirectly) against people who they had previously believed they knew well. The pupils' knowledge, use of language, and understanding of ethnicity and diversity were increased as a result of this activity.

Points to note

Approximately 23 per cent of male professional footballers in the English Football League are from minority ethnic groups. There is also a high percentage of ethnic minority players in women's football at the highest level; in 1998 Hope Powell (the former international player) became the first black person to coach and manage the England women's team. Many of the popular football and general sports magazines profile such high-achieving sportsmen and women who highlight the professional, cultural and racial experiences they have had within their sport as representatives of minority ethnic groups.

Resources

The physical education schemes of work can be found at www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/schemes
The online national curriculum can be found at www.nc.uk.net