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Education for Global CitizenshipA Guide for Schools
Why is Education for Global Citizenshipessential in the 21st century?
In a fast-changing and interdependent world, education can, and should,help young people to meet the challenges they will confront now and in thefuture. Oxfam believes that Education for Global Citizenship is essential inhelping young people rise to those challenges for the following reasons:
● The lives of children and young people are increasingly shaped by whathappens in other parts of the world. Education for Global Citizenshipgives them the knowledge, understanding, skills and values that theyneed if they are to participate fully in ensuring their own, and others’,well-being and to make a positive contribution, both locally and globally.
● Education for Global Citizenship is good education because it involveschildren and young people fully in their own learning through the use ofa wide range of active and participatory learning methods. These engagethe learner while developing confidence, self-esteem and skills of criticalthinking, communication, co-operation and conflict resolution. These areall vital ingredients in improving motivation, behaviour and achievementacross the school.
● Current use of the world’s resources is inequitable and unsustainable. As thegap between rich and poor widens, poverty continues to deny millions ofpeople around the world their basic rights. Education is a powerful tool forchanging the world because tomorrow’s adults are the children and youngpeople we are educating today. Education for Global Citizenship encourageschildren and young people to care about the planet and to developempathy with, and an active concern for, those with whom they share it.
Education for GlobalCitizenship enables pupils todevelop the knowledge,skills and values needed forsecuring a just andsustainable world in whichall may fulfil their potential.
Inside
● What is Education forGlobal Citizenship?
● Classroom activities
● Case studies of goodpractice
Crispin H
ughes / Oxfam
© Oxfam GB 2006
Page 2 © Oxfam GB 2006
What is Education for Global Citizenship?
Education for Global Citizenship gives children and young people theopportunity to develop critical thinking about complex global issues in thesafe space of the classroom. This is something that children of all ages need,for even very young children come face to face with the controversial issuesof our time through the media and modern communications technology. Farfrom promoting one set of answers, Education for Global Citizenshipencourages children and young people to explore, develop and express theirown values and opinions, whilst listening to and respecting other people’spoints of view. This is an important step towards children and young peoplemaking informed choices as to how they exercise their own rights and theirresponsibilities to others.
Education for Global Citizenship uses a multitude of participatory teachingand learning methodologies, including discussion and debate, role-play,ranking exercises, and communities of enquiry. These methods are nowestablished as best practice in education, and are not unique to Educationfor Global Citizenship. However, used in conjunction with a globalperspective, they will help young people to learn how decisions made bypeople in other parts of the world affect our lives, just as our decisions affectthe lives of others.
Relevant to all areas of the curriculum
The scope of Education for Global Citizenship is wider than a single schemeof work or subject. It is more than simply the international scale inCitizenship, or teaching about a distant locality in Geography. It is relevantto all areas of the curriculum, all abilities and all age ranges. Ideally itencompasses the whole school – for it is a perspective on the world sharedwithin an institution, and is explicit not only in what is taught and learnedin the classroom, but in the school’s ethos. It would be apparent, forexample, in decision-making processes, estate management, purchasingpolicies, and in relationships between pupils, teachers, parents and the widercommunity.
Schoolchildren improvising a role play during a lesson about the
banana trade. Participatorymethodologies are used a lot in
Education for Global Citizenship.
The 21st-century context
Today, more than everbefore, the global is part ofour everyday local lives. Weare linked to others on everycontinent:
● socially through the mediaand telecommunications
● culturally throughmovements of people
● economically throughtrade
● environmentally throughsharing one planet
● politically throughinternational relations andsystems of regulation.
Crispin H
ughes / Oxfam
Page 3© Oxfam GB 2006
A Curriculum for Global Citizenship
Oxfam’s Curriculum for Global Citizenship, outlined on pages 5–7,recommends the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes which we believe youngpeople need in order to enable them to develop as Global Citizens. Many of theideas it promotes are reflected in what teachers may know as multicultural, anti-racist, development or environmental education, but Education for GlobalCitizenship builds on these and other ‘educations’ to offer a specific – andunique – response to the challenges facing us in the 21st century.
Since the Curriculum for Global Citizenship was developed in 1997, it hasbeen used by many schools. However, it is not set in stone. Teachers andyoung people might find that there are other areas of knowledge they wouldlike to explore, other skills they need to acquire and other values they wantto examine. In a changing world, we need to be flexible and thoughtfulabout how to educate for Global Citizenship.
Oxfam’s Curriculum for Global Citizenship is based on years of experience indevelopment education and on Oxfam’s core beliefs. But of course noteveryone will agree what makes an effective Global Citizen, and differentpeople will have different ideas about the key characteristics of the ‘good’and ‘responsible’ Global Citizen. See the box above for ours.
Education for Global Citizenship is …
● asking questions and developingcritical thinking skills
● equipping young people withknowledge, skills and values toparticipate as active citizens
● acknowledging the complexity ofglobal issues
● revealing the global as part ofeveryday local life, whether in asmall village or a large city
● understanding how we relate tothe environment and to eachother as human beings.
Education for Global Citizenship is not …
● too difficult for young children tounderstand
● mostly or all about other placesand peoples
● telling people what to think anddo
● providing simple solutions tocomplex issues
● an extra subject to cram into acrowded curriculum
● about raising money for charity.
The Global Citizen
Oxfam sees the GlobalCitizen as someone who:
● is aware of the wider worldand has a sense of theirown role as a world citizen
● respects and valuesdiversity
● has an understanding ofhow the world works
● is outraged by socialinjustice
● participates in thecommunity at a range oflevels, from the local tothe global
● is willing to act to makethe world a moreequitable and sustainableplace
● takes responsibility fortheir actions.
Education for Global Citizenshiphelps pupils to recognise theirconnections to people in other
parts of the world.
Dave C
lark / Oxfam
Key elements for Global Citizenship
What skills, knowledge and values arenecessary for a young person to become aGlobal Citizen?
The key elements for developing responsible GlobalCitizenship are identified as: knowledge andunderstanding; skills; and values and attitudes.
The curriculum outline on pages 5–7 then breaks thesedown according to age and key stage, to showprogression and differentiation from FoundationStage/Early Years to 16–19.
The curriculum outline incorporates progression, witheach section building on the last. Thus skills such assharing and listening, begun at FoundationStage/Early Years, should develop throughout thechild’s education to 16–19.
Skills
● Critical thinking
● Ability to argue effectively
● Ability to challenge injustice andinequalities
● Respect for people and things
● Co-operation and conflictresolution
Values and attitudes
● Sense of identity and self-esteem
● Empathy
● Commitment to social justiceand equity
● Value and respect for diversity
● Concern for the environmentand commitment to sustainabledevelopment
● Belief that people can make adifference
The key elements forresponsible Global
Citizenship
Knowledge andunderstanding
● Social justice and equity
● Diversity
● Globalisation andinterdependence
● Sustainable development
● Peace and conflict
Pages 8–11 give examples of how Education forGlobal Citizenship can be incorporated intoprofessional practice.
● Page 8 gives activities which can be used to helpteachers develop their ideas.
● Page 9 provides case studies of two schools whichhave integrated Education for Global Citizenshipinto their curricula.
● Pages 10–11 suggest some practical classroomactivities.
Page 4 © Oxfam GB 2006
Crispin H
ughes / Oxfam
Cur
ricul
um fo
r Glo
bal C
itize
nshi
pKn
owle
dge
and
unde
rsta
ndin
g
Kno
wle
dge
and
unde
rsta
ndin
g
Soci
al ju
stic
e an
deq
uity
Div
ersi
ty
Glo
balis
atio
n an
din
terd
epen
denc
e
Sust
aina
ble
deve
lopm
ent
Peac
e an
d co
nflic
t
Foun
datio
n St
age
Earl
y Ye
ars
Und
er 5
s
●w
hat i
s fa
ir/un
fair
●w
hat i
s rig
ht a
nd w
rong
●aw
aren
ess
of o
ther
s in
rela
tion
to s
elf
●aw
aren
ess
of s
imila
ritie
san
d di
ffere
nces
bet
wee
npe
ople
●se
nse
of im
med
iate
and
loca
l env
ironm
ent
●aw
aren
ess
of d
iffer
ent
plac
es
●liv
ing
thin
gs a
nd th
eir
need
s
●ho
w to
take
car
e of
thin
gs
●se
nse
of th
e fu
ture
●ou
r act
ions
hav
eco
nseq
uenc
es
Key
Sta
ge 1
Stag
es P
1–P3
Age
s 5–
7
●aw
aren
ess
of ri
ch a
nd p
oor
●gr
eate
r aw
aren
ess
ofsi
mila
ritie
s an
d di
ffere
nces
betw
een
peop
le
●se
nse
of th
e w
ider
wor
ld
●lin
ks a
nd c
onne
ctio
nsbe
twee
n di
ffere
nt p
lace
s
●ou
r im
pact
on
the
envi
ronm
ent
●aw
aren
ess
of th
e pa
st a
ndth
e fu
ture
●co
nflic
ts p
ast a
nd p
rese
ntin
our
soc
iety
and
oth
ers
●ca
uses
of c
onfli
ct a
ndco
nflic
t res
olut
ion
–pe
rson
al le
vel
Key
Sta
ge 2
Stag
es P
4–P6
Age
s 7–
11
●fa
irnes
s be
twee
n gr
oups
●ca
uses
and
effe
cts
ofin
equa
lity
●co
ntrib
utio
n of
diff
eren
tcu
lture
s, v
alue
s an
d be
liefs
to o
ur li
ves
●na
ture
of p
reju
dice
and
way
s to
com
bat i
t
●tr
ade
betw
een
coun
trie
s
●fa
ir tr
ade
●re
latio
nshi
p be
twee
npe
ople
and
env
ironm
ent
●aw
aren
ess
of fi
nite
reso
urce
s
●ou
r pot
entia
l to
chan
geth
ings
●ca
uses
of c
onfli
ct
●im
pact
of c
onfli
ct
●st
rate
gies
for t
ackl
ing
conf
lict a
nd fo
r con
flict
prev
entio
n
Key
Sta
ge 3
Stag
es P
7–S2
Age
s 11
–14
●in
equa
litie
s w
ithin
and
betw
een
soci
etie
s
●ba
sic
right
s an
dre
spon
sibi
litie
s
●un
ders
tand
ing
of is
sues
of
div
ersi
ty
●aw
aren
ess
ofin
terd
epen
denc
e
●aw
aren
ess
of o
ur p
oliti
cal
syst
em a
nd o
ther
s
●di
ffere
nt v
iew
s of
eco
nom
ican
d so
cial
dev
elop
men
t,lo
cally
and
glo
bally
●un
ders
tand
ing
the
conc
epts
of p
ossi
ble
and
pref
erab
le fu
ture
s
●ca
uses
and
effe
cts
ofco
nflic
t, lo
cally
and
glo
bally
●re
latio
nshi
p be
twee
nco
nflic
t and
pea
ce
Key
Sta
ge 4
S3–S
tand
ard
grad
eA
ges
14–1
6
●ca
uses
of p
over
ty
●di
ffere
nt v
iew
s on
the
erad
icat
ion
of p
over
ty
●ro
le a
s G
loba
l Citi
zen
●de
eper
und
erst
andi
ng o
fdi
ffere
nt c
ultu
res
and
soci
etie
s
●po
wer
rela
tions
hips
Nor
th/S
outh
●w
orld
eco
nom
ic a
ndpo
litic
al s
yste
ms
●et
hica
l con
sum
eris
m
●gl
obal
impe
rativ
e of
sust
aina
ble
deve
lopm
ent
●lif
esty
les
for a
sus
tain
able
wor
ld
●co
nditi
ons
cond
uciv
e to
pea
ce
Age
s 16
–19
●un
ders
tand
ing
of g
loba
lde
bate
s
●de
eper
und
erst
andi
ng o
fdi
ffere
nt c
ultu
res
and
soci
etie
s
●co
mpl
exity
of g
loba
l iss
ues
●un
ders
tand
ing
of k
eyis
sues
of A
gend
a 21
●lif
esty
les
for a
sus
tain
able
wor
ld
●co
mpl
exity
of c
onfli
ctis
sues
and
con
flict
reso
lutio
n
Page 5© Oxfam GB 2006
Cur
ricul
um fo
r Glo
bal C
itize
nshi
pSk
ills
Skill
s
Cri
tical
thin
king
Abi
lity
to a
rgue
effe
ctiv
ely
Abi
lity
to c
halle
nge
inju
stic
e an
din
equa
litie
s
Res
pect
for p
eopl
ean
d th
ings
Co-
oper
atio
n an
dco
nflic
t res
olut
ion
Foun
datio
n St
age
Earl
y Ye
ars
Und
er 5
s
●lis
teni
ng to
oth
ers
●as
king
que
stio
ns
●ex
pres
sing
a v
iew
●be
ginn
ing
to id
entif
yun
fairn
ess
and
take
appr
opria
te a
ctio
n
●st
artin
g to
take
car
e of
thin
gs –
ani
mat
e an
din
anim
ate
●st
artin
g to
thin
k of
oth
ers
●co
-ope
ratin
g
●sh
arin
g
●st
artin
g to
look
at r
esol
ving
argu
men
ts p
eace
fully
●st
artin
g to
par
ticip
ate
Key
Sta
ge 1
Stag
es P
1–P3
Age
s 5–
7
●lo
okin
g at
diff
eren
tvi
ewpo
ints
●de
velo
ping
an
enqu
iring
min
d
●be
ginn
ing
to s
tate
an
opin
ion
base
d on
evi
denc
e
●be
ginn
ing
to id
entif
yun
fairn
ess
and
take
appr
opria
te a
ctio
n
●em
path
isin
g an
dre
spon
ding
to th
e ne
eds
of o
ther
s
●m
akin
g lin
ks b
etw
een
our
lives
and
the
lives
of o
ther
s
●ta
ct a
nd d
iplo
mac
y
●in
volv
ing/
incl
udin
g so
ciet
yan
d ot
hers
Key
Sta
ge 2
Stag
es P
4–P6
Age
s 7–
11
●de
tect
ing
bias
, opi
nion
and
ster
eoty
pes
●as
sess
ing
diffe
rent
view
poin
ts
●fin
ding
and
sel
ectin
gev
iden
ce
●be
ginn
ing
to p
rese
nt a
reas
oned
cas
e
●re
cogn
isin
g an
d st
artin
g to
chal
leng
e un
fairn
ess
●m
akin
g ch
oice
s an
dre
cogn
isin
g th
eco
nseq
uenc
es o
f cho
ices
●ac
cept
ing
and
actin
g on
grou
p de
cisi
ons
●co
mpr
omis
ing
Key
Sta
ge 3
Stag
es P
7–S2
Age
s 11
–14
●m
edia
lite
racy
●m
akin
g in
form
ed d
ecis
ions
●le
arni
ng to
dev
elop
/cha
nge
posi
tion
thro
ugh
reas
oned
argu
men
t
●st
artin
g to
cha
lleng
evi
ewpo
ints
whi
chpe
rpet
uate
ineq
ualit
y
●gr
owin
g ab
ility
to ta
ke c
are
of th
ings
– a
nim
ate
and
inan
imat
e
●ne
gotia
tion
Key
Sta
ge 4
S3 S
tand
ard
grad
eA
ges
14–1
6
●cr
itica
lly a
naly
sing
info
rmat
ion
●m
akin
g et
hica
l jud
gem
ents
●ar
guin
g ra
tiona
lly a
ndpe
rsua
sive
ly fr
om a
nin
form
ed p
ositi
on
●se
lect
ing
appr
opria
teac
tion
to ta
ke a
gain
stin
equa
lity
●fo
llow
ing
a pe
rson
allif
esty
le fo
r a s
usta
inab
lew
orld
●ne
gotia
tion
●m
edia
tion
Age
s 16
–19
●ha
ndlin
g co
nten
tious
and
com
plex
issu
es
●po
litic
al li
tera
cy
●pa
rtic
ipat
ing
in re
leva
ntpo
litic
al p
roce
sses
●ca
mpa
igni
ng fo
r a m
ore
just
and
equ
itabl
e w
orld
●fo
llow
ing
a pe
rson
allif
esty
le fo
r a s
usta
inab
lew
orld
●ne
gotia
tion
●co
nflic
t res
olut
ion
Page 6 © Oxfam GB 2006
Cur
ricul
um fo
r Glo
bal C
itize
nshi
pVa
lues
and
att
itude
s
Valu
es a
ndat
titud
es
Sens
e of
iden
tity
and
self-
este
em
Empa
thy
and
sens
eof
com
mon
hum
anity
Com
mitm
ent t
oso
cial
just
ice
and
equi
ty
Valu
e an
d re
spec
tfo
r div
ersi
ty
Con
cern
for t
heen
viro
nmen
t and
com
mitm
ent t
osu
stai
nabl
ede
velo
pmen
t
Foun
datio
n St
age
Earl
y Ye
ars
Und
er 5
s
●se
nse
of id
entit
y an
d se
lf-w
orth
●co
ncer
n fo
r oth
ers
inim
med
iate
circ
le
●se
nse
of fa
ir pl
ay
●po
sitiv
e at
titud
e to
war
dsdi
ffere
nce
and
dive
rsity
●ap
prec
iatio
n of
ow
nen
viro
nmen
t and
livi
ngth
ings
●se
nse
of w
onde
r and
curio
sity
Key
Sta
ge 1
Stag
es P
1–P3
Age
s 5–
7
●aw
aren
ess
of a
nd p
ride
in in
divi
dual
ity
●in
tere
st in
and
con
cern
for
othe
rs in
wid
er s
pher
e
●se
nse
of p
erso
nal
indi
gnat
ion
●w
illin
gnes
s to
spe
ak u
p fo
r oth
ers
●va
luin
g ot
hers
as
equa
l and
diffe
rent
●w
illin
gnes
s to
lear
n fr
omth
e ex
perie
nces
of o
ther
s
●co
ncer
n fo
r the
wid
eren
viro
nmen
t
●be
ginn
ing
to v
alue
reso
urce
s
●w
illin
gnes
s to
car
e fo
r the
envi
ronm
ent
Key
Sta
ge 2
Stag
es P
4–P6
Age
s 7–
11
●se
nse
of im
port
ance
of
indi
vidu
al w
orth
●em
path
y to
war
ds o
ther
slo
cally
and
glo
bally
●gr
owin
g in
tere
st in
wor
ldev
ents
●se
nse
of ju
stic
e
●gr
owin
g re
spec
t for
diffe
renc
e an
d di
vers
ity
●se
nse
of re
spon
sibi
lity
for
the
envi
ronm
ent a
nd th
eus
e of
reso
urce
s
Key
Sta
ge 3
Stag
es P
7–S2
Age
s 11
–14
●op
en-m
inde
dnes
s
●co
mpa
ssio
n
●se
nsiti
vity
to th
e ne
eds
and
right
s of
oth
ers
●co
ncer
n fo
r inj
ustic
e an
din
equa
lity
●w
illin
gnes
s to
take
act
ion
agai
nst i
nequ
ity
●re
spec
ting
the
right
s of
all
to h
ave
a po
int o
f vie
w
●co
ncer
n ab
out t
he e
ffect
sof
our
life
styl
es o
n pe
ople
and
the
envi
ronm
ent
Key
Sta
ge 4
S3 S
tand
ard
grad
eA
ges
14–1
6
●op
en–m
inde
dnes
s
●se
nse
of c
omm
onhu
man
ity a
nd c
omm
onne
eds
●co
mm
itmen
t to
soci
alju
stic
e an
d eq
uity
●va
luin
g al
l peo
ple
as e
qual
and
diffe
rent
●co
ncer
n fo
r the
futu
re o
fth
e pl
anet
and
futu
rege
nera
tions
●co
mm
itmen
t to
a lif
esty
lefo
r a s
usta
inab
le w
orld
Age
s 16
–19
●op
en–m
inde
dnes
s
●se
nse
of in
divi
dual
and
colle
ctiv
e re
spon
sibi
lity
●co
mm
itmen
t to
the
erad
icat
ion
of p
over
ty
●va
luin
g al
l peo
ple
as e
qual
and
diffe
rent
●co
mm
itmen
t to
sust
aina
ble
deve
lopm
ent
Bel
ief t
hat p
eopl
eca
n m
ake
adi
ffer
ence
●w
illin
gnes
s to
adm
it to
and
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Getting started: Activities for teachers
These activities are designed to stimulate discussion amongst teachers aboutEducation for Global Citizenship, and to develop their understanding of it. Theactivities can be used for sessions which focus on processes of curriculum and/orwhole-school development. They are suitable for use with the whole staff, yearteams or subject departments.
What is a Global Citizen?
1. Explore participants’ initial ideas by asking them to say the first word or phrase that comesinto their minds when they hear the term ‘Global Citizen’. Discuss the words that emerge.
2. Brainstorm the qualities or traits participants think would characterise a Global Citizen.Write down all the suggestions, then discuss and group them, in order to arrive at ninestatements that largely cover the traits highlighted.
3. Compare the list to Oxfam’s list on page 3. Do participants agree with Oxfam? Wouldthey alter any of their own list of characteristics?
4. As a further development, groups of teachers could rank the nine statements using adiamond ranking system, according to the relative importance they attach to each one.
Activity 1
Thinking about Education for Global Citizenship
1. Using the list of characteristics of a Global Citizen agreed in the previous session, askparticipants to consider (in groups) what knowledge and understanding, skills, andvalues and attitudes education needs to help young people develop in order to preparethem for Global Citizenship. Knowledge and understanding could include globalisation,poverty or any other global issues they consider important.
2. Compare these with Oxfam’s key elements for responsible Global Citizenship (see page 4). Do participants want to revise their ideas? Do they disagree with any elements of the Oxfam framework?
Activity 2
A Global Citizenship audit
1. Conduct a Global Citizenship audit in order to highlight where the school is alreadysupporting Global Citizenship through its ethos, curriculum, and teaching and learningpolicies, and to identify where there is potential to do more. Download a ready-madeaudit from Oxfam’s Cool Planet website for teachers,* or design your own audit based onyour list of characteristics of a Global Citizen and your key elements of Education forGlobal Citizenship (see activities 1 and 2).
2. Complete the audit over a period of time, making sure you talk to different sections of theschool community, including pupils, parents, school board members and governors.How does their feedback differ? What does this tell you?
3. Review the school’s development plan in the light of the audit.
Activity 3
Page 8 © Oxfam GB 2006
* www.oxfam.org.uk/coolplanet/teachers/globciti/wholeschool/getstarted.htm
Global Citizenship and the whole school
Education for Global Citizenship can be instrumental in whole-schoolimprovement. It can provide coherence, purpose and motivation in teaching andlearning. Integrating the principles of Education for Global Citizenship across thecurriculum and whole life of a school can present many challenges, but thefollowing case studies demonstrate the difference that it can make.
Creating happy, healthy, responsible and confident citizens An inner-city primary school, praised by Ofsted for its creative approach to teaching andlearning, decided to develop a curriculum which would inspire and empower pupils as part ofits school improvement strategy. It wanted to make teaching and learning more cohesive and tocreate a curriculum that would be ‘relevant, responsive and engaging’. After some research andconsultation with parents and pupils, the school decided that creating a curriculum frameworkbased on the principles of Education for Global Citizenship and Sustainable Developmentwould help it achieve its aims.
The school used Oxfam’s Curriculum for Global Citizenship, as well as information from the QCAand other sources, to identify what concepts, skills and values it wanted children to learn inaddition to statutory requirements; then it integrated these into cross-curricular, thematic unitsof work. For example, in one unit, pupils study conflict resolution through role play whilelearning about the Tudors.
The informal curriculum was also carefully addressed. The school grounds offer a safe andsecure space for pupils: the School Council manages the playground and oversees a rota ofactivities; playground friends and peer mediators support children; and gardening teams care forthe garden. Circle time and assemblies are used to discuss issues of concern to pupils, and theresults of these discussions are fed back to the School Council.
The school is happy with the outcome of this change. The deputy head says, ‘Our curriculumhas been a powerful tool in enabling us to achieve our strategic aim for pupils: to becomehappy, healthy, responsible and confident citizens in a rapidly changing environment.’
A wide sense of achievementA comprehensive school serving rural communities in the Highlands of Scotland formulated aclear and challenging vision statement: ‘All pupils leaving the school and all staff in it will be activeglobal citizens.’
The staff recognised that in order for Global Citizenship to be sustainable, it had to be embeddedin the normal work of all subject departments and an integral part of the School Development Plan– not as a separate item but as part of raising achievement and improving teaching and learning.A senior member of staff has been given formal responsibility for the global dimension while staff,pupils, parents and the wider community have been given the opportunity to contribute. Staff havebeen given time to do extra planning, money to buy resources and opportunities for training. Theyalso discuss and share developments of this aspect of their work at regular lunchtime sessionsover a free buffet lunch and cakes.
One example of Global Citizenship in the curriculum is English lessons for S3, in which pupilslearn about child labour through creative writing and oral work. In one instance, they researchedthe problem, and then became so enthusiastic that they exceeded the requirements of the courseand proceeded to write to MSPs and multinational companies. They presented their findings to anassembly attended by Jack McConnell, Scotland’s First Minister.
Beyond the formal curriculum, pupils are involved in the management of a vending machine thatsupplies fair trade, organic and healthy snack options; a Fair Trade tuck shop; and a Fair Tradewebsite. The school is also part of an EU Comenius sustainability project together with schools inPoland and Italy. All S2 pupils study ‘Life in Malawi’ using material developed from links withschools in that country.
The deputy head observes that ‘Global Citizenship helps create a good learning atmosphereand gives pupils a wide sense of achievement’.
Page 9© Oxfam GB 2006
Activities for Global Citizenship
Education for Global Citizenship can be integrated into all areas of the curriculum.The following activities develop some of the skills and values that are central toGlobal Citizenship. They can be adapted for use in many different curriculum areaswith a wide range of age groups and ability levels. Although they are used here toexamine particular issues, they could be used to extend pupils’ thinking aboutmany other issues associated with Global Citizenship.
Using photographs (Foundation stage/Early years)
Photographs play an important part in forming our attitudes towards other people, culturesand places. They can be used to great effect even with very young children, to promptquestions, challenge stereotypes, build empathy and develop respect for children’s own andother cultures. The following activities can help to build these skills and values.
Activity
Changing situations
Looking carefully at a photograph,discuss with the children what theythink is happening. Then, encouragingthem to use evidence from thephotograph, ask them to think aboutwhat might have happened before thephotograph was taken and what mighthappen afterwards. Encourage them tojustify what they say.
Putting yourself in the picture
Look carefully at a picture and discuss itin detail with the children. Allow thechildren to make drawings of themselvesand add them to the picture. Talk aboutthe similarities between the children andthe people in the photograph.
Beyond the frame
Stick a photograph in the middle of avery large sheet of paper. Look carefullyat the image and discuss what is in it.What might lie beyond its borders?After discussion, each child in thegroup can help to draw on the paper,around the image, what the group hasagreed lies beyond the frame.
Links and commonalities
Show the children a picture of someonein another country. Ask them to think ofall the commonalities and links betweentheir lives and the life of the person inthe picture.
A Brazilian girl playing with herfriends. Photo activities can
help children appreciatediversity, challenge stereotypes
and develop respect for othercultures.
Page 10 © Oxfam GB 2006
Julio Etchart / Oxfam
Aim
This activity developscritical thinking andcommunication skills,helping pupils makeconnections from their ownexperience to a global issue.
Water for all: from local to global thinking (age 7+)
1. Ask pupils questions about the supply and consumption of water in their own lives. Theyshould then imagine that when they go home, they find that the water supply has beenshut off with no prospect of it being restored soon.
● How would being without water affect them and those around them? Encourage themto think widely about the effects.
● Are any of their ideas linked to each other? Does one thing sometimes lead to another?
2. Show them the diagram below and explain that it helps illustrate how one problemcauses another, which can then lead to further problems.
3. Working as a class, track through one chain of likely consequences. Pupils can then workin groups and try to track other chains of consequences using large sheets of paper. Allowtime for the groups to report back. Discuss with them the enormity of the consequencesof having insufficient safe water. Would these apply to anyone, no matter where in theworld they lived?
Further work
There are many ways to extend this work, from research into the causes and consequences ofwater shortage to conservation activities and work about human rights, all of which are outlinedin Oxfam’s Water for All online resource (www.oxfam.org.uk/coolplanet/water/index.htm).
Activity
Aim
This activity promotes thedevelopment of criticalthinking and media literacyskills through an explorationof conflict issues and howthey are reported.
Investigating conflict, interrogating the media (age 11+)
1. Ask pupils to watch a TV news programme and record brief details of all stories thatinclude an element of conflict. How is the conflict portrayed? Heroically, as a good thing,as a bad thing, neutrally or in another way? Discuss pupils’ findings in the next lesson.
2. Pupils can then investigate an aspect of a current conflict, using newspapers on theinternet. Ask them to find a range of newspapers, from the UK and abroad, and to searchfor two or more articles on the same conflict. They should evaluate their sources, by askingquestions such as:
● Is there more fact or opinion?
● Does the report or article set out to be factual or is its purpose to present a point ofview? How do you know?
● How could the style of writing be described?
● How does the use of language affect how you feel about the conflict and its causes?
● What images are used? Why were these images chosen? What effects do they have?
● Who is providing information? Who has a voice?
● Whose voices are missing?
3. How do they think the same newspapers would report future events in the same conflict?
Activity
Useful websites
http://allafrica.com features links tonewspapers from all overAfrica.
www.newslink.orgwww.newsdirectory.comwww.worldpress.orgcontain links tonewspapers from all overthe world.
Water supply shut off
Nowashing-up
Dirtyplates
Germs gather
Not enoughdrinking water
People desperate to find water
Page 11© Oxfam GB 2006
Resources and further reading
Catalogue forSchools
Oxfam’s Catalogue forSchools contains over400 specially selectedresources for GlobalCitizenship across allcurriculum areas,including teachingpacks, books, games,posters and videos/DVDs. There are alsosections with resources for continuingprofessional development and initial teachereducation. The resources will help you bringthe wider world into your classroom, give youideas on tried-and-tested active learningmethodologies, and provide you withinformation about the issues facing today’syoung people.
The catalogue is available free of charge from:Supporter Relations Team, Oxfam House, John Smith Drive,Oxford OX4 2JY Tel: 0870 333 2700Email: [email protected]
You can browse and buy resources online atwww.oxfam.org.uk/publications
For further free copies of this guide or generalinformation about Oxfam’s work, contact theSupporter Relations Team at the addressabove.
Recommended classroomresources
Your World, My World: A Wake up, Worldphoto-pack for Citizenship, PSE and PSD,Oxfam 2001
An enjoyable and imaginative way to teachyoung learners (ages four to nine) about whothey are and about the lives of other childrenaround the world. The pack contains 24 A4colour photographs and a teacher’s bookletwhich includes a detailed biography for eachchild featured and lots of backgroundinformation about the countries where theylive.
Global Citizenship: The handbook for primaryteaching, Mary Young with Eilish Commins,Oxfam 2002
This comprehensive teacher’s handbookexplains what Global Citizenship is, why it isimportant, and how it can be incorporatedinto a school’s ethos and practice. There areideas for INSET, assemblies, classroomactivities and reading books, as well asdetailed lesson plans and worksheets forgeography and literacy.
Change the World in Eight Steps: A set ofposters and activities for 7–14 year oldsinvestigating the UN Millennium DevelopmentGoals, Oxfam 2005
This pack of nine posters introduces pupils tothe UN Millennium Development Goals,international targets for reducing world povertyby 2015. Each poster is accompanied byteachers’ notes and activities which help pupilsto understand and reflect on global issues(such as trade, education and hunger), as wellas to think about how they can contribute topositive change.
Get Global! A skills-based approach to activeglobal citizenship, ActionAid 2003
This major publication, extensively researchedand trialled in schools, provides a unique six-step method which can be adapted for use inany subject area and at different ages. Pupilsbegin by thinking about issues which areimportant to them, and progress throughplanning, group work and self-assessment.Get Global! was funded jointly by ActionAid,CAFOD, Christian Aid, Oxfam, Save theChildren and DfID as a way of promotingactive global citizenship.
Can be downloaded free of charge from:www.oxfam.org.uk/coolplanet/teachers/getglobal/index.htm
The above resources are available through theOxfam Catalogue for Schools (see above). Theycan also be ordered from our distributors,BEBC (tel: 01202 712933; email:[email protected]).
Useful information on Educationfor Global Citizenship
Developing the Global Dimension in theSchool Curriculum, Department for Educationand Skills 2005
This user-friendly booklet for teachers wasdeveloped by DfES in conjunction with DfID, and other partners. It is available free from DfID (tel: 0845 300 4100; email: [email protected]). Copies can bedownloaded from: www.dea.org.uk/schools/deapublications.html
Education for Sustainable Development andGlobal Citizenship, National Assembly forWales in partnership with ACCAC, Estyn andDfID 2002
This booklet contains Estyn guidelines for theinspection and evaluation of ESDGC, as wellas advice on cross-curricular planning andexamples of good practice. Available free fromACCAC (tel: 029 2037 5400; email:[email protected]). Copies can bedownloaded from: www.accac.org.uk.
Contacting Oxfam’s educationteams
Oxfam supports Education for GlobalCitizenship by publishing resources forteachers and by working with otherorganisations (such as developmenteducation centres, government bodies, otherNGOs and teacher training institutions) tosupport curriculum development andeducational practice.
For further information, or to view theresources in Oxfam’s Catalogue for Schools(by appointment), contact us in London,Cardiff or Glasgow.
England
Oxfam Development EducationGround Floor, 232–242 Vauxhall Bridge Road,Victoria, London SW1V 1AUTel: 020 7802 9985Email: [email protected]
We always need teachers to help us trial newpublications. If you are interested in doing this,please email [email protected]
Wales
Oxfam Development Education5th Floor, Market Buildings, 5–7 St Mary Street, Cardiff CF10 1ATTel: 0870 010 9007Email: [email protected]
Scotland
Oxfam Development Education207 Bath Street, Glasgow G2 4HZTel: 0845 900 5678Email: [email protected]
Cool Planet
Our website, Cool Planet (www.oxfam.org.uk/coolplanet) contains many downloadablelesson plans and activities, plus photo-stories,online resources, our online catalogue andother useful information.
Highlights include:
● Three online learning resources:
Milking It: Small farmers and internationaltrade. A global citizenship resource (for 13–16 year olds)
Water for All (for 9–13 year olds)
Mapping our World (for 8–14 year olds).
● Latest news for teachers from the world ofEducation for Global Citizenship:conferences, events, special days and newresources.
● Subscribe to our termly e-newsletter to getthe latest news about Education for GlobalCitizenship in your inbox.
© Oxfam GB 2006. All rights reserved.
This booklet is copyright, but may be reproduced by any methodwithout fee for teaching purposes. For copyright in any othercircumstances, for re-use in other publications or for translationor adaptation, written permission must be obtained from Oxfam Development Education, Oxfam House, John Smith Drive,Oxford OX4 2JY, United Kingdom, and a fee may be payable.
Written and produced by Oxfam Development EducationProgramme.
This is a revised and updated version of A Curriculum for GlobalCitizenship, which was first published in 1997 and reprinted in2003 and 2004.
Printed on environment-friendly paper. Stock code: 70369.Oxfam GB is a member of Oxfam International
and is a registered charity no 202918.
