Many of us have heard and used
phrases and utilized images of native people that are stereotypical: “Indians
live in tipis” (also tepee, a type of tent in the shape of a cone
made from animal skins which is the typical shelter of some Native Americans)
or “Indians wear feathers.” Stereotypes promote inaccurate and derisive
information that can influence non-native children’s attitudes toward native
people.
Children’s perceptions of Native
Americans are formed from a variety of sources. Parents, peers and teachers
help to mould attitudes. TV, movies, comics, advertisements, games and toys,
food packages, and greeting cards contain stereotypes and caricatures which
transmit the white-created “Indian” image.
For many children, television,
movies and books are their only resources for learning about native
people; they have no first-hand experience with American Indians. Therefore,
what they see and hear from the media, teachers, and other children will
form their foundation of information about native peoples. Unfortunately, much
of this information is misleading, offensive and incorrect, in addition to
promoting stereotypical behaviours and images of Native Americans.
It is the responsibility of
educators to challenge and dispel stereotypical messages, or native people will
continue to be objectified and demeaned. Educators need to actively work to change
prevailing attitudes, to dispel stereotypes, and to replace them with information
that will promote an accurate and positive idea of Native Americans. They
should students to Native American stereotypes!
Adapted
from: TEACHING ABOUT AMERICAN INDIANS: STEREOTYPES AND CONTRIBUTIONS: A
Resource Packet for
COMPREHENSION
1.
This text is primarily written to:
o Political leaders,
o Teachers and educators,
o Environment Activists,
o Children,
o Actors,
o Company directors,
o Journalists.
2.
Answer the following questions in your own words as far as possible.
a. What do stereotypes do to non-native children’s attitudes?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
b. What are the sources that mould (form and shape) children’s perceptions of Native
Americans?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
c. What should educators do to combat stereotypes?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3.
Decide if these statements are true or false.
a. “Indians live in tipis” and
“Indians wear feathers” are good and correct judgements about American Indians.
Truer Falser
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
b. A stereotype is a fixed idea that people have
about what someone or something is like, especially an idea that is true.
Truer Falser
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
c. Children have immediate contact
with American Indians.
Truer Falser
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
d. It is the responsibility of educators to
rectify and correct those wrong ideas held about American Indians.
Truer Falser
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
4.
Put the words between brackets before the appropriate definition/ meaning.
(Inaccurate, native, derisive, mould, misleading,
offensive, dispel, demean, promote)
1……………………………….: causing offence.
2……………………………….: causing someone to believe
something that is not true.
3……………………………….: not completely
correct or exact, or not able to do something correctly or exactly.
4……………………………….: to remove fears,
doubts and false ideas, usually by proving them wrong or unnecessary.
5……………………………….: to encourage the
popularity, sale, development or existence of something.
6……………………………….: to cause someone to become less
respected.
7……………………………….: showing derision
(when someone or something is laughed at and considered stupid or of no value)
8. …………..………………….: to shape or form.
9. …………..………………….: relating to the
first people to live in an area.
5.
Match the following words with their antonyms.
Word |
# |
Antonym |
a) Inaccurate |
|
|
b) Derisive |
|
|
c) Actively |
|
|
d) Offensive |
|
6. Put
the following paragraph about stereotypes in the right order.
v Asians, on the other
hand, were expected to be shrewd and alert, but reserved. Clearly, not all
Americans are friendly and generous; and not all Asians are shrewd. If you
assume you know what a person is like, and don't look at each person as an
individual, you are likely to make errors in your estimates of a person's
character.
v For example, one study
of stereotypes revealed that Americans are generally considered to be friendly,
generous, and tolerant, but also arrogant, impatient, and domineering.
v Stereotypes are
generalizations, or assumptions that people make about the characteristics of
all members of a group based on an image (often wrong) about what people in
that group are like.
@…………………………………………………………………………….………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...…………………
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7.
What do the underlined words in the text refer to?
a. their ( paragraph 3):…………………….……………
b. they ( paragraph 3):…………………….……………
c. them ( paragraph 4):…………………………………