I have prepared a topic that many people could relate to – cyberviolence. Whether your students are passive observers, occasional posters, or active social media users, they have all experienced or observed online hate. In this lesson, we will examine various forms of cyberviolence and their examples based on an article from El País.
Social media is a popular topic in my classroom as it has become an integral part of our lives. Almost everyone has some kind of experience with the internet; some might even remember some strange situations they have experienced or heard about. This short class is based on an article titled A Lexicon of Cyberviolence by El País. The class aims to encourage students to speak about their experiences with cyberviolence and explore different ways to deal with this phenomenon.
At the end of the post, you can download the presentation and worksheet with the teacher’s notes for free!
Start this lesson by sharing a quote from Amy Jo Martin, an American author, speaker, entrepreneur, and investor.
It’s a dialogue, not a monologue, and some people don’t understand that. Social media is more like a telephone than a television.
As a group, you discuss the meaning of the quote and express whether you agree or disagree with it. After this activity, students have a short conversation with their partners. In pairs, let them talk about the various ways they interact with online content and whether they post something online themselves. If they do, discuss the reasons why they do so and the type of interactions they have with others online.
To educate students about cyberviolence, you can start by presenting a list of five common types, such as Trolling, Cyberbullying, Cyber stalking, Flaming, and Hate Speech. Ask students if they are familiar with any of the words and their meanings. Next, you read an adapted material from El País titled A Lexicon of Cyberviolence and match the words to their definitions. To ensure better understanding, you can also match the six most difficult words to their definitions and provide additional explanations as needed.
To help students develop a deeper understanding of the different types of cyberviolence, provide them with real-life examples for each type. It is also important to explain the impact of cyberviolence on individuals and communities, as well as the reasons behind such behaviour. By doing so, students will be better equipped to recognize and prevent cyberviolence in their online interactions.
Now that everyone is familiar with cyberviolence and its types, let’s move on to the section about how to deal with it. I suggest watching a video by Madilyn Bailey, who is a singer who frequently receives online hate. In the video, she shares her unique way of coping with it through a song called I Wrote a Song Using Only Hate Comments 4. After watching the video, discuss whether you think it was a good or bad way of managing online hate.
Conclude the class by discussing various methods to combat cyberviolence and ways to establish a more inclusive and secure virtual environment.
If you enjoyed this lesson description, you can access the presentation and worksheet by clicking the links below.
Have you ever witnessed or experienced cyberviolence?
