Responding to pushback (Teach for Change 6/6)

When we bring certain themes into the classroom we may not always get a positive response. A learner may sigh or roll their eyes. A parent might ask, why are you teaching this? Even colleagues can question, is this really school material? Pushback happens. The key is not to argue but to respond calmly and with clarity.

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Before viewing
Reflect on the questions and discuss with a colleague if possible.

Have you ever received pushback from learners, parents or other teachers when you discussed certain topics in class? What happened? How did you respond?

Look at the six tips below. For each one, think of how these might help to deal with pushback.

Clarify the purpose
Link to curriculum
Emphasis inclusion, not politics
Invite dialogue, not confrontation
Set boundaries with learners
Take your time

While watching
Make a note of the advice given in each tip

For the answers to these activities and related resources, check out our website: https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/professional-development/teachers/managing-lesson/responding-pushback

00:00 – Understanding pushback
00:30 – Clarifying the purpose
00:46 – Linking to the curriculum
01:03 – Emphasising inclusion, not politics
01:22 – Inviting dialogue, not confrontation
01:55 – Setting boundaries with learners
02:30 – Taking time to respond
02:47 – Modelling respectful dialogue and resilience

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Видео Responding to pushback (Teach for Change 6/6) канала British Council | TeachingEnglish