Teaching strategies

A sexuality education program provides opportunities for student to reflect on and develop their knowledge, values, beliefs and attitudes in a wide range of areas. Teaching strategies where the teacher takes the role of guiding and facilitating learning results in students actively constructing meaning within a program that is personally relevant.

Language

When conducting sexuality education lessons, language must be carefully considered to reflect on the messages that are given to students about sexuality issues. The use of correct ‘scientific’ language for reproductive body parts can be addressed with students at the start of a unit of work on sexuality education. Using correct language for reproductive body parts normalises these body parts and removes shame and embarrassment. Using correct language also provides students with a vocabulary to communicate in clear, accurate terms, to ask for help if they need it, and to be understood. Some students may not have heard of or used scientific language for genitals or reproductive body parts, and so teacher modelling of language use will support student learning. The slang or ‘pet’ names that some students’ families will use for body parts can also be acknowledged, while reinforcing that during the sexuality lessons using scientific words for body parts is important.

An inclusive curriculum

An inclusive curriculum caters for all students’ needs, challenges stereotypes and enables all individuals to feel represented and included. This ensures sexuality education is relevant and allows all students to participate equally. Creating an inclusive curriculum involves teaching staff reflecting on gender issues, orientation issues, and the needs of students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, with an additional learning need or disability, or from indigenous backgrounds. Using inclusive language will help reinforce the notion that everyone is equal and has the right to sexual and reproductive freedom.

Responding to students' questions

When conducting a sexuality education program, particularly when a safe and supportive environment has been created for students, it is natural that students will have a variety of questions. When responding, it is important that teachers remain non-judgemental, respect the question and answer it simply and factually. Students are always able to ask more questions if they need to. The freedom to ask questions and explore topics that spark interest is an important part of creating a supportive environment for sexuality education.

Turning the question around

This technique is particularly useful gauging students’ current level of knowledge. For example,

Q. “What does the baby eat and drink when it is inside the mother’s body?”

A. “That‘s a good question. Who thinks they know the answer to that?”

Continuum

This technique is a useful response to values- based questions. It presents the range of attitudes and values that can be held about an issue. For example,

Q. “Is abortion ok?”

A. “Some people believe that abortion is never ok. Other people believe that it is the woman’s right to choose. Some people believe that it depends on the circumstances.”

I don’t know

It is honest and acceptable to admit a lack of knowledge. A question can be opened up to the class, or it can be suggested that a class member do some research into the question, or that the teacher will do some research and discuss the question again in the next lesson. For example,

Q. “When a woman has Artificial Insemination, how do they put the fertilised egg back into her body?”

A. “That’s a really good question, but I’m not really sure of the answer. Maybe someone could find out the answer for next lesson.” Or, “I’m not sure, but I’ll find out for our next lesson together.”

The straightforward answer

This technique gives an honest, straightforward answer. For example,

Q. “ What is a homosexual?”

A. “A homosexual is a person who is attracted to people of the same sex.”

Referring to rules about privacy

This is relevant when a student asks a teacher a personal question. For example,

Q. “How old were you when you first had sex?”

A. “Since that is a personal question, I prefer not to answer it. Remember our ground rules about respecting other people’s privacy.”

Using a question box

This strategy provides students with opportunities to ask questions without being identified to the group. It can be built into the program on a regular basis.

It is important to establish guidelines around the use of the question box. The rules need to be explained to students before the activity.

Suggested guidelines for the use of a question box:

• each student receives an identical piece of paper
• all students return their piece of paper
• everyone writes something on their paper (this may simply be ‘No Question’)
• if students don’t wish to ask questions they may write something they have learnt from the lesson, or give some feedback about the lesson
• students may ask more than one question and they should be reassured that teachers will try their best to answer their questions
• once students have finished writing they put their folded piece of paper into the box

As students are writing on their paper reinforce that the teacher will be the only person to look at the questions.

Points to be considered when answering questions from the question box:

• be brief and factual
• be honest and matter of fact, especially with the more explicit questions
• reword questions written in the first person to general format. For example, if a student writes the question “how do I know I’m getting my period?” read the question to the class as “how does someone know they are getting their period?” or “how might a girl know she is getting her period?”

Protective interrupting

Sexuality education, especially lessons on personal safety, may provide a catalyst for disclosures of harm. Teachers need to be prepared for this situation. It is recommended that if a student starts to disclose in a group, the teacher should ‘protectively interrupt’ the student by referring to the privacy rule, and ask the student to instead speak to them privately, at the end of the lesson. Follow this up using relevant disclosure policies and child protection protocols.

During lessons, teachers may also need to protectively interrupt a student should they begin to disclose something that should remain confidential, eg “My big sister has…” These topics are better discussed in private with the teacher. It is important that teachers communicate to students that in the event of a disclosure of harm, confidentiality cannot be promised.