Teaching about Perception: The Arabs. Cultural Studies Series, Volume 1.

Materials Distribution, CTIR, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado 80208 ($5.95 paper cover)

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Arabs; Bias; Bibliographies; Case Studies; Class Activities; Cultural Awareness; Elementary Secondary Education; Ethnic Studies; Evaluation Methods; Middle Eastern Studies; Minority Groups; Objectives; Perception; Resource Materials; Social Attitudes; Social Bias; Social Discrimination; Social Studies; Teaching Methods; Units of Study

This unit contains 17 class activities which can be used with intermediate and secondary level students to teach them about perception. Perceptions play an important role in an individual's understanding of, and behavior toward, people from other cultures. In the unit students are asked to better understand what their perceptions of Arabs are, where these perceptions come from, and how these perceptions influence their attitudes and behavior toward others. The unit is not intended to provide an historical or cultural background of either Arab peoples or of their role in the Middle East Conflict. Its focus is on student images of the Arabs, on how stereotypes function in human thinking, and on how we can consciously control what we know and believe about other cultures. The materials can be easily adapted for units on the Navaho, Mexicans, Blacks, Chinese, and other minorities. The activities involve students in compiling surveys, analyzing songs for stereotypes, expressing attitudes about situations involving the Arabs using a rating scale, going on a scavenger hunt to find as much information as they can about the Arabs, and examining textbook data about Arabs. For each activity a brief introduction, the objectives, indication of classroom time needed, teaching procedures, and evaluation methods are provided. All student handouts are included in the document. A bibliography of student and teacher resource materials on Arabs is also included. (Author/RM)

1977

ED138488