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Adapting "Danger of a Single Story" in a New School and Setting

Christopher Barber

Greetings, all!

After a lot of paperwork over the summer and some exciting (read: stressful!) moving I am now writing this post from my new apartment in the Nansha District of Guangzhou, China! I've been fortunate enough to take a position teaching Social Studies I and II (9th and 10th grades, respectively) at Nansha College Preparatory Academy, where Chinese students continue their secondary studies in a standards-based and English-immersive environment. This, of course, presents many challenges related to language proficiency, particularly at the beginning of the year (students return next week!).

I've long been a fan of Chimamanda Adichie's Danger of a Single Story talk and have found it to be particularly effective for students to embrace some core concepts of historical thinking. The challenge I find myself facing this year is that it is far too much: at nearly 19 minutes long it isn't really feasible to have the freshman year students watch it and expect them to comprehend much; overall, most will be very new to English and still be in need of much strong scaffolding.

So, with that limitation in mind, I turn to the OER Community: what alternatives or supplements have you used that still accomplish the same ends as Danger of a Single Story with less language fluency demands? Has anyone else been in a similar position before?

   

  • Hope the adjustment is going well.  I know this doesn't really answer your question but one activity that I have asked my students to do relating to the danger of a single story is to find a terrible Amazon review for an amazing product.  They usually find it fun and students are actually excited to share them the next day in class.  The good ones produce a lot of laughs (I sometimes make it a guessing game) and the general message is clearly understand - what if that was the only review of this product.  This allows me to make the connection:  what if you only heard one version of a historical event or how do we know if what we're hearing about an event is accurate.  Some of the best we've heard were when the students reads a review bashing a book and then the student reveals that it was The Constitution. We've even heard bad reviews on bottled water, coffee, and a number of famous classic movies.  I thought maybe something like this could help.  

  • in reply to Todd Nussen

    stealing your activity!  This is awesome.  When we talk about "stories" in the lesson, some students think only big narratives or life stories, but bringing it down to the simplicity of product review will personalize and make it much more relatable. 

  • Wow, this is a powerful lesson for kids studying world history.  I'm taking it all in, and quickly, because my class has started and I'm "winging it" in some ways.  I don't want a lecture to be the way the class rolls.  I am apologizing in advance, but I took all your ideas in this thread.  I stole your questions and everything.  I'll pay you all back with something I hope...

    Danger of a Single Story

    I added a pronunciation video to Adichie's name on slide one, and I'm using the questions as table talking points for the class at the end.  I believe the conversation will be strong enough to keep it rolling through a full class period.  BTW, I have college in the classroom 10th graders.

  • Dr. Strange could be a good entry point if the kids have seen it. It deals with alternate universes, dimensions, and outcomes. These movies are all older, but they had alternate endings, be on the look-out for something fresh that the kids might have seen to help with this - collider.com/.../

  • in reply to Petra Borchert

    Happy to hear it's going to get some more use.  Yup, it's relatable and students enjoy sharing the funny ones.  It also becomes a helpful reference throughout the year when the issue comes up. 

  • I know this thread is over a year old, but it's worth commenting on.  For the second year I used the TED talk by Chimamanda Adichie to get my students thinking about the Danger of a Single Story. This year it was received even more powerfully by the students.  Not sure really if my enthusiasm for the concept was the reason, or my particular group is to be given the credit.  But wow, what a way to get the class started.

    Here are a few quotes from my students in the reflection they wrote about "Danger"

    "It takes numerous people to create a single story. While it might only take ONE person to create the story itself it takes many more to believe it. And while the story is being spread the story could also be changing."

    " Adichie hinted that a full story is like a puzzle; you can't see the whole thing unless you have all the pieces. Not all stories are black and white either; some have side plots and hidden messages that are yet to be deciphered. We don't always see other people eye to eye, but we have to put aside our own opinions to see the full picture; we have to act as outsiders or judges."

  • in reply to Bryan Dibble

      , these are fantastic. Her TEDTalk is powerful and the message resonates throughout the course. It came up in conversations this past week when discussing imperialism.

    One continuing puzzle I'm working on his how to make these videos accessible to my students, Even a 10-minute video seems to overwhelm them.

    How do you prepare students for Adiche's video? How do you have them watch it?

  • in reply to John Vidoli

       I use Adichie's video in AP Human Geography when I introduce the unit on culture. It is the perfect segway to do it. The way I prepare my students is with a previous activity where I ask them when did they feel like fish out of water due to cultural shock or cultural bias. It fits very well into the video.  level. Here it is in case others want to use it: Cultural Experience. The essays I got are incredible powerful and help me know my students at more personal level.

  • in reply to Laura Massa

     , thanks for the activity. I think it is something my 9th-graders could get into. It also fits well with my districts focus on SEL.

  • in reply to John Vidoli

    Some classes I have them draw their own story. Single page,  and of course they start with their birth,  never thousands of years prior.  Rarely even with their history,  culture,  religion.  So then we open a discussion,  I prime the pump,  then we watch the video.