Nurturing inclusive dialogue in Cyprus education

By Hanna Yerega

Without a doubt, schools play a pivotal role in creating an environment that promotes empathy, respect, critical thinking and the prevention of hate speech. That’s why introducing sensitive and controversial issues (SCIs) in the classroom is critical to help students understand diverse perspectives, enhance their analytical and interpersonal skills, and contribute to a more inclusive society. But, how can we effectively introduce inclusive dialogue when addressing contesting narratives and controversial topics in Cypriot schools?

Roadblocks to inclusive learning

Teaching controversial issues can potentially present many challenges in highly centralised educational systems, such is the case of Cyprus, especially if SCIs aren’t included in the official curriculum. Teachers find themselves having to address such topics and issues on a day-to-day basis while institutional top-to-bottom responses, that entail curriculum revisions and changes, from the ministry take time and experience many delays.

To add to that, it should be taken into consideration that multiple stakeholders and parameters come into play and affect the teachers’ decision and capacity to introduce SCIs in their classrooms. This includes school administration, culture, curricular overload, time constraints, parental reactions, and the lack of training and support. Overloaded curricula and limited instructional time pose challenges, requiring a balanced pedagogical approach that allows for comprehensive analysis and debate on these topics while the teachers still face uncertainty and obstacles in teaching SCIs.

Insufficient training, strong emotional reactions from students, pressures from the school, parents and community, personal values and beliefs, fear of promoting political agendas, and lack of agreement on controversial topics all pose significant challenges. To better address these, teachers require support, guidance, and the development of effective pedagogical practices. Thus, it is vital that school leaders grant them academic freedom and offer them support to effectively address controversial topics and create inclusive and safe learning environments.

Fostering discussion over conflict

Luckily, it’s not all doom and gloom over here. The study CARDET conducted through the DD@S project, presented at the Symposium for Teaching Controversial Issues earlier last month, showed that despite the challenges the vast majority of Cypriot teachers recognised the importance of addressing sensitive and controversial issues in schools. Indeed, the participants of the study suggested that SCIs should be an integral part of the curriculum to promote critical thinking, empathy, and understanding in today’s diverse world.

To foster inclusive learning environments, teachers in the study emphasised the importance of setting norms for respectful dialogue and creating a safe space for discussion. They utilised real-life scenarios that students could relate to (i.e. cultural differences, racism, inequality) while the introduction of collaborative assignments to engage students, enabled the study and exploration of multiple resources and perspectives, and encouraged discussions in groups or pairs, as well as whole-class settings. By exposing students to different perspectives, teachers helped them reflect on their own assumptions and biases, promoting critical thinking, empathy, and tolerance. And this is just the start of the change.

Inclusive dialogue – where to now?

When we discuss contested narratives and controversial issues in Cyprus education, it is crucial to recognise the importance of nurturing dialogue and providing teachers with the necessary tools and support to navigate these challenging topics. By addressing the roadblocks, promoting effective pedagogical practices, and creating a culture of inclusivity, Cyprus can empower its teachers to guide students towards critical thinking, empathy, and understanding, ultimately contributing to a more harmonious and tolerant society.

Practical training and interactive approaches can equip teachers with the necessary tools and strategies to facilitate meaningful discussions, and this isn’t something that should await a centralized decision. Just like any other skill, it is our responsibility to build on the research and provide practical means for teachers to excel at their jobs. That’s why, beyond the research, the DD@S project sets out to provide an online game-based training tool on Democratic Dialogue for Teachers available for free here.