Is religion important to you? If so, have you ever attended an English course where you felt comfortable to talk about your religion?
If you’ve never had the opportunity to talk about it in class, how do you feel about this?
Should religion be a topic for your English class – or is it best left to your private life?
In all my time in education, I’ve never heard of a teacher training workshop on the topic of ‘how to introduce important yet potentially controversial topics into the classroom’ and I’ve also rarely seen an article connected to religion in any English coursebook.
I’d say the most that English teachers do on the topic of religion is to have a ‘Christmas lesson’ or an ‘Easter lesson’ or in some countries, for example, talking about Ramadan.
So what’s happening?
There are a few reasons why religion might not be discussed in class:
1. It’s Easier Not To Talk About It
Your English teacher might not want to have an atheist student arguing with someone who is Catholic or Protestant, for example, with the potential for complaints at reception. It’s far easier to talk about something else and maintain a more positive or fun group atmosphere.
2. Coursebooks Are Published For A Global Market
If religion is important to you or the country you live in, it might not be relevant for the country next door. Indeed, the country next door might follow a different religion. So coursebooks often leave out this topic completely.
Essentially, it’s up to the teacher and the school to introduce religion as a topic when they feel it’s relevant.
3. For Many, Religion Is A Personal Thing
Aren’t you learning English so that you can express what you want – and who you want to be? Yet, because religion is a personal topic for some, your teacher and classmates might feel more comfortable not discussing it, at least until you know each other better.
The most I’ve heard from students is a casual remark such as “I went to church yesterday.” I usually pause a little to see if the others want to ask them a question about it, and often they continue without following it up. Should the teacher ask the student more about their going to church..?
4. A Strong Secular Bias Against Religion Among Liberals
Many teachers are liberal, in the American definition of the word. This means they either don’t want to be seen to be promoting religion, perhaps in countries where this would be controversial, or they believe in a promoting a secular agenda.
5. Distrust Of The Church And Other Religions
Some people may feel negatively towards different religions, and so your English teacher might decide it’s not a topic for the classroom. Your teacher may be trying to respect your personal space and private life, leaving it up to you to bring up topics when you feel comfortable to do so.
Finally, please note that this blog comes from the Czech Republic, which is quite an atheist nation. It’s possible that you live in a different part of the world and you do talk about religion – if so, what things do you talk about specifically on this topic in class?
What Do You Think?
In many countries across the world, religion has played a significant role in shaping society, so shouldn’t we discuss this more?
But if we do talk about religion, doesn’t that mean we should also talk about atheism and other belief systems?
Please feel free to leave your comments below.
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