Celebrating Diversity through World Literature Module 2

1. BEING SENSITIVE
TO OTHERS
Module 2
Lesson 3

2. Your Journey
“ We cannot be more sensitive to
pleasure without being more
sensitive to pain.”
– Alan Watts

3. Being sensitive to others
means understanding their
joy, their pain, their situation,
and where are they coming
from. The test of our sensitivity
then is when we understand other people without
bias or prejudice. Let the activities here help you
develop a caring attitude for others.

4. This week’s lesson tells about one man’s undying
devotion to his muse and other historical trivia
during the age of rebirth – the Renaissance. Our
featured literary piece is a poem rich in poetic
elements. You will also get the chance to understand
more about bias that thrives in our society. Using
correct grammar in making definitions and
acknowledging citations in preparing a bibliography
will help you effectively deliver an impromptu
speech at the end of the lesson.

5. Task 1:
PICTURES
TALK
Look at the
photos. What do
they reveal about
men, women,
and children?

6. Task 2:
MIND YOUR
WORD
Find out the
message conveyed
by the comic strip
and be ready to
share your ideas in
class.

7. Discussion Points:
1. What is the character in the comic strip prejudiced/biased for/
antagonist?
2. What could be the reason for the prejudice/bias?
3. Is it right to have prejudices or biases?
4. Can you think of words that you could associate with prejudice/
bias? Write them in the word web below.
PREJUDICE BIAS

8. TASK 4: BIAS
DETECTIVES1. Invisibility: What You Don’t See Makes a Lasting Impression
The most fundamental and oldest form of bias in
instructional materials is the complete or relative exclusion of a
group. With an attempt for inclusion after 1960, many of today’s
textbooks are improved, but far from perfect. Women, those
with disabilities, gays, and homosexual continue to be missing
from many of today’s texts.

9. 2. Stereotyping: Shortcuts to Bigotry
Perhaps the most familiar form of bias is the
stereotype, which assigns as a rigid set of characteristics
to all members of a group, at the cost of individual
attributes and differences. While stereotypes can be
positive, they are more often negative. Some typical
stereotypes include: Men portrayed as assertive and
successful in their jobs, but rarely discussed as husbands
or fathers; and women as caregivers.

10. 3. Imbalance and Selectivity: A Tale Half Told
Curriculum may perpetuate bias by presenting only one
interpretation of an issue, situation, or group of people. Such
accounts simplify and distort complex issues by omitting different
perspectives.
A text reports that women were “given” the vote, but does not
discuss the work, sacrifices and even physical abuse suffered by the
leaders of the suffrage movement that “won” the vote. Literature is
drawn primarily from western, male authors. Math and Science
courses typically reference European discoveries and formulas.

11. 4.Unreality: Rose-colored Glasses
Many researchers have noted the
tendency of instructional materials to gloss
over unpleasant facts and events in our
history. Another example is the notion that
technology will solve persistent social
problems.

12. 5. Fragmentation and Isolation: The Parts Are Less than th
Hole
Fragmentation emerges when a group is physically or
visually isolated in the text. Often, racial and ethnic group
members are depicted as interacting only with persons like
themselves, isolated from other cultural communities. While
this form of bias may be less damaging than omission or
stereotypes, fragmentation and isolation present
nondominant groups as peripheral members of society.

13. 6. Linguistic Bias: Words Count
Language can be a powerful conveyer of bias,
in both blatant and subtle forms.
Linguistic bis can impact race/ethnicity, gender,
accents, age, (dis)ability, and sexual orientation.
Such words are forefathers, mankind, and
businessman serve to dent the contributions (even
the existence) of females.

14. 7. Cosmetic Bias: “Shiny” covers
the relatively new cosmetic bias suggests that
a text is bias free, but beyond the attractive
covers, photos, or posters, bias persists. An
example is a science textbook that features a
glossy pullout of female scientists but includes
precious little narrative on the scientific
contributions of women.