Teaching Tool - Societal Views - Impact on Stigma (Grade 8)
The purpose of these resources are to help inform educators about the impact word choices and societal views have on mental health and mental illness. Teachers need to understand how negative perceptions about mental illness and mental health can affect people and perpetuate stigma.
Learning goals
- I will explain how word choices and societal views about mental health and mental illness affects people and perpetuates stigma
- I will identify actions that can counteract stigma regarding mental health
- I will learn about the importance of reaching out when struggling with mental health
Core knowledge content
Core knowledge content provides the teacher with the background information needed to prepare and teach this health class.
Ontario curriculum expectations
Grades 1-8: Health and Physical Education (2019)
- D3.4 explains how word choices and societal views about mental health and mental illness can affect people and perpetuate stigma, and identify actions that can counteract that stigma. This specific expectation is also connected with the social emotional learning expectations A1.4 Relationships and A1.6 Thinking.
Supplementary resources
- Addressing stigma: This resource provides information about challenging the stigma associated with mental illness and takes a closer look at our own attitudes toward health.
- Bust stigma and stereotype: Students will examine the representation of mental illness in the media.
- Reducing stigma: This video was created to inform people about the stigma around mental illness and how everyone in the community can help to diminish stigma.
- Stigma and discrimination: This resource breaks down the common and outdated terms that were once used and suggests the appropriate and preferred person-first language when talking about mental health.
Virtual learning
- How data from a crisis text line is saving lives: This is a TedTalk about the importance of establishing a nationwide crisis text line for people struggling with addiction, suicidal thoughts, eating disorders, sexual abuse and more.
- The stigma of mental illness: This is a TedTalk with speaker Sam Cohen who explores what it means to be mentally ill in society.
Curriculum connections: Reducing stigma, and bust stigma and stereotype
Oral communication - Ontario Language Curriculum (2006)
- 1.4 demonstrate an understanding of the information and ideas in increasingly complex and difficult oral texts in a variety of ways
- 1.5 develop and explain interpretations of oral texts using the language of the text and oral and visual cues to support their interpretations
- 1.6 extend understanding of oral texts, including increasingly complex or difficult texts, by connecting, comparing and contrasting their ideas and information
Media literacy - Ontario Language Curriculum (2006)
- 1.2 interpret increasingly complex or difficult media texts, using overt and implied messages as evidence for their interpretations
- 1.6 identify who produces various media texts and determine the commercial, ideological, political, cultural, and / or artistic interests or perspectives that the texts may involve
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