With the notion of being a matter of the past, the topics of racism, stereotypes and prejudices are oftentimes put aside in today’s youth mindset. But, although seemingly far away from Germany, these subjects are still present and have been ever since the racial segregation in the US has been dissolved; unfortunately the same applies in Germany and the issues are increasingly present in German news, e.g. PEGIDA movements or the burning of refugee homes. Especially now, teachers are required to focus on educating critical citizens and making students aware of the current developments and critically reflect the dangers and possible ways of diminishing such developments.
This paper shows a possible approach to tackle the challenge described above in devising a lesson that handles with the subject matter by using En Vogue’s “Free Your Mind”. Although released in 1992, the song still addresses contemporary problems of racial discrimination and calls on overcoming fossilized stereotypes in order to get beyond those conflicts.
This paper provides an approach on designing a lesson within a unit on those issues, using authentic material and contemporary techniques. It suits the requirements of the "Lehrplan" in Rhineland-Palatinate and the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Theory and analysis
- The concept of race
- The concepts of stereotypes and prejudice
- The song's lyrics analysis
- Didactics and Realization
- Teaching Aims
- Group of Learners and prerequisites
- Lesson plan
- Student's Results
- Anticipation of Problems
- Conclusion
- Works Cited
- Appendix
- Lyrics
- Lesson plan
- Task sheet
- Project week schedule
Objectives and Key Themes
This paper aims to demonstrate how En Vogue's song "Free your mind" can be used to address contemporary problems of racial discrimination and stereotypes in an ESL classroom setting. The lesson plan is designed to promote critical thinking about these issues and prepare students for a school-wide project week focused on "Respekt".
- The concept of race and its impact on social and political power struggles
- The role of stereotypes and prejudices in shaping perceptions and promoting social inequalities
- The influence of fashion as a means of communication and its potential for conveying diverse messages
- The importance of intercultural awareness and critical reflection on media representations
- The need for educators to promote critical citizenship and empower students to address societal challenges
Chapter Summaries
The introduction sets the context for the paper by highlighting the ongoing relevance of racism, stereotypes, and prejudices despite attempts to view them as historical issues. It emphasizes the need to address these issues in education and introduces En Vogue's "Free your mind" as a powerful tool for tackling these topics in the ESL classroom.
The theory and analysis section delves into the concepts of race, stereotypes, and prejudice, providing theoretical frameworks for understanding these concepts. It explores the historical and social contexts surrounding these issues, emphasizing the interconnectedness of these concepts and their role in perpetuating inequalities.
The song's lyrics analysis focuses on examining how En Vogue's "Free your mind" addresses the specific experiences of African-American women and challenges stereotypes and prejudices they face. It highlights the song's contemporary relevance and its potential for sparking critical discussion and reflection among students.
Keywords
The main keywords and focus topics of this paper are: racism, stereotypes, prejudices, intercultural awareness, critical thinking, fashion as communication, social inequalities, cultural studies, ESL classroom, En Vogue, Free your mind, Respekt.
- Quote paper
- Sarah Wunderlich (Author), 2015, The Concept of Racism, Stereotypes and Prejudices Reflected in En Vogue’s "Free Your Mind", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/308683
