Aim & Learning Objectives
This module aims at introducing the Democratic Dialogue method to improve communication skills when dealing with controversial topics in a classroom. The module encourages a constructive dialogue based on mutual understanding in order to counteract negative perceptions and polarisation and transform controversial discussions into an enriching learning experience to promote civic participation.
Through this module, learners (teachers, educators, school principles, staff and related stakeholders) are expected to:
Gain insight in political controversial topics and youth democratic participation
Improve their professional dialogue skills based on three communication models
Learn the principles of the Democratic Dialogue method
Develop an attitude of cultural awareness
Learning Outcomes
As a result of participating in this module, learners (teachers, educators, school principles, staff and related stakeholders) will be able to:
- Know more about mechanisms that trigger the occurrence of political controversial topics and youth democratic participation
- Use the Democratic Dialogue (DD) method when dealing with a controversial topic
- Integrate dialogue techniques in the practice in order to deal constructively with controversial issues
- Encourage a constructive dialogue and transform sensitive discussions into an enriching learning experience
- Act from from an attitude of cultural awareness
“Within the ‘we’ that constitutes the political community, the opponent is not considered an enemy to be destroyed but an adversary whose existence is legitimate. His ideas will be fought with vigour but his right to defend them will never be questioned. The category of enemy does not disappear, however, for it remains pertinent with regard to those who, by questioning the very principles of pluralist democracy, cannot form part of the agonistic space. With the distinction between antagonism (friend/enemy relation) and agonism (relation between adversaries) in place, we are better able to understand why
the agonistic confrontation, far from
representing a danger for democracy, is
in reality the very condition of its existence.”
Chantal Mouffe
http://pavilionmagazine.org/chantal-mouffe-agonistic-democracy-and-radical-politics/
- Before starting the dialogue, ensure a calm and secure environment
- Try and remain calm on hearing outrageous statements.
- If necessary, accompany the youngster to a peaceful spot where he / she can calm down.
- Make clear commitments with the students. Emphasize that we will talk about our thoughts on what happened without passing judgement. Each and every opinion counts and is worth reflecting on.
- Ensure that your body language and posture show openness and genuine interest.
- Project trust.
- Grant enough time and opportunities to voice all the opinions.
- Show respect by listening actively.
- Grant everyone, including the quieter ones, the opportunity to speak.
- Dig deeper: identify the underlying arguments on which the student bases his/her reasoning. What are the real grounds?
- Request clarification if you do not understand something.
- Review with a critical eye the discourse held: understand the underlying reasoning: ‘What do you mean by?’, ‘Is that always the case?’, ‘can you give an example please?’ etc.
- Paraphrase / check your interpretation regularly with questions: ‘If I have understood you correctly, you mean the following … ?’
- Pay special attention to the reliability of the source of information and reference frameworks: ‘What is your point of view based on?’, ‘Where did you find this information?’ etc.
- Show empathy: ‘Can you imagine that …?’, ‘Can this be compared to …?’ etc.
- Summarize briefly what the dialogue was about. What were the most important insights? Ask the students what they have remembered.
- Ask the students about their expectations on how they would like to proceed. This gives them joint responsibility, which can motivate them to actively seek a solution.
- Which questions remain unanswered? Does this dialogue lead to new questions? Do they need a follow-up session? If so, try to plan a session together.
- Broadening the debate: Together with the students, examine existing material on the subject concerned in greater depth in order to avoid generalizations and misunderstandings. For example, if youngsters associate terrorism solely with islam, it can be a good idea to dedicate a session to the subject of terrorism throughout history.
- Take emotions seriously and grant the opportunity to voice emotions within a dialogue. Emotions can run high (both for youngsters and the moderator) and this can sometimes hamper the possibility of a dialogue. Understanding how emotions – of both students and teacher- play a role in dealing with these subjects is an essential part of the dialogue process.
- Besides communication techniques, it is also important to pay attention to the use of coping strategies. Instead of an evasive coping strategy, which denies or avoids a sensitive topic, it is recommended to use a proactive strategy to start a constructive dialogue.
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Yentür, A., & Cornelissen, E. (2027) Embracing controversy, Democratic Dialogue in the classroom. Democratische Dialoog 37p., 2017. Retrieved from http://democratischedialoog.be/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Kijkwijzer_NL.pdf