UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA (UNISA)
College of Education
⋄
ASSIGNMENT 2
Semester 1 — 2026
⋄
Module Code: TMS3731
Module Name: Teaching Social Sciences in the Senior Phase
Assignment No.: Assignment 2
Due Date: 24 June 2026
Semester: Semester 1, 2026
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for
Teaching Social Sciences in the Senior Phase (TMS3731)
at the University of South Africa.
,UNISA | TMS3731 Teaching Social Sciences — Assignment 2
Question 1: Human Rights Education — Grade 9 History: Apartheid in South
Africa
Classrooms in South Africa are sites of ongoing social transformation, and incidents of dis-
criminatory speech during a lesson on Apartheid represent a critical teaching moment. The
South African Constitution (1996) enshrines dignity, freedom, and equality as the foundation
of democratic life, and teachers are legally and professionally obligated to uphold these values
in every lesson (Roux and Du Preez, 2015). Human rights education is therefore not merely
a curriculum requirement; it is a classroom practice that must be modelled and actively rein-
forced when moments of discrimination arise (Mubangizi, 2015).
1.1 Two Democratic Values to Promote
The first democratic value is human dignity. Dignity refers to the inherent worth that every
person possesses regardless of race, culture, religion, or background. The Constitution of the
Republic of South Africa (1996) places dignity at the centre of the Bill of Rights, and teachers
must operationalise this value by making it clear to learners that discriminatory language un-
dermines the personhood of others. When a learner makes a derogatory racial comment, the
teacher must address this directly and calmly, explaining that such language violates the dig-
nity of fellow learners and contradicts the very history being studied. A lesson on Apartheid
provides a powerful context: learners can see how the denial of human dignity caused immense
suffering and that the post-apartheid democratic order was built precisely to protect what was
previously violated (Russell et al., 2019).
The second democratic value is equality and non-discrimination. Section 9 of the Con-
stitution (1996) guarantees equality before the law and prohibits unfair discrimination on
grounds including race and culture. In the classroom, this value means that all learners are
entitled to participate, speak, and learn in an environment free from prejudice. The teacher
should draw a direct link between the discriminatory attitudes expressed and the historical in-
justices of Apartheid, helping learners understand that racial hierarchy was never a natural or
neutral arrangement; it was a system deliberately constructed and enforced. As Roux and Du
Preez (2015) argue, fostering equality in a classroom requires moving beyond legal definitions
to helping learners internalise non-discrimination as a value and a way of living democratically
with others.
Page 1 of 15
, UNISA | TMS3731 Teaching Social Sciences — Assignment 2
Key Distinction
Dignity vs Equality: Dignity is about inherent human worth; equality is about equal
treatment and protection from discrimination. Both are reinforced when the teacher
responds constructively to discriminatory comments rather than ignoring them.
1.2 Strategy to Encourage Inclusivity and Respect
The strategy of restorative dialogue circles is effective in this situation. Rather than sim-
ply punishing the learner who made the discriminatory comment, the teacher restructures the
classroom into a circle formation and facilitates a guided whole-class conversation. This strat-
egy draws on the principle of restorative practice, which emphasises repairing harm through
honest, structured dialogue rather than punitive exclusion. Research by the Department of
Education (2000) shows that creating a culture of open communication in schools, where
learners feel safe to express and interrogate views, is one of the most effective strategies for
promoting democratic citizenship and anti-racism. The dialogue circle allows learners from
different racial and cultural backgrounds to share their experiences, listen to one another, and
collaboratively establish norms of respect for the remainder of the lesson.
1.3 Practical Classroom Activity
This activity promotes inclusivity because it requires learners to work across lines of difference
and arrive at a shared understanding of rights. It also directly connects the historical content
of the lesson to present-day democratic values, making the lesson meaningful and personally
relevant (Roux and Du Preez, 2015).
Page 2 of 15
College of Education
⋄
ASSIGNMENT 2
Semester 1 — 2026
⋄
Module Code: TMS3731
Module Name: Teaching Social Sciences in the Senior Phase
Assignment No.: Assignment 2
Due Date: 24 June 2026
Semester: Semester 1, 2026
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for
Teaching Social Sciences in the Senior Phase (TMS3731)
at the University of South Africa.
,UNISA | TMS3731 Teaching Social Sciences — Assignment 2
Question 1: Human Rights Education — Grade 9 History: Apartheid in South
Africa
Classrooms in South Africa are sites of ongoing social transformation, and incidents of dis-
criminatory speech during a lesson on Apartheid represent a critical teaching moment. The
South African Constitution (1996) enshrines dignity, freedom, and equality as the foundation
of democratic life, and teachers are legally and professionally obligated to uphold these values
in every lesson (Roux and Du Preez, 2015). Human rights education is therefore not merely
a curriculum requirement; it is a classroom practice that must be modelled and actively rein-
forced when moments of discrimination arise (Mubangizi, 2015).
1.1 Two Democratic Values to Promote
The first democratic value is human dignity. Dignity refers to the inherent worth that every
person possesses regardless of race, culture, religion, or background. The Constitution of the
Republic of South Africa (1996) places dignity at the centre of the Bill of Rights, and teachers
must operationalise this value by making it clear to learners that discriminatory language un-
dermines the personhood of others. When a learner makes a derogatory racial comment, the
teacher must address this directly and calmly, explaining that such language violates the dig-
nity of fellow learners and contradicts the very history being studied. A lesson on Apartheid
provides a powerful context: learners can see how the denial of human dignity caused immense
suffering and that the post-apartheid democratic order was built precisely to protect what was
previously violated (Russell et al., 2019).
The second democratic value is equality and non-discrimination. Section 9 of the Con-
stitution (1996) guarantees equality before the law and prohibits unfair discrimination on
grounds including race and culture. In the classroom, this value means that all learners are
entitled to participate, speak, and learn in an environment free from prejudice. The teacher
should draw a direct link between the discriminatory attitudes expressed and the historical in-
justices of Apartheid, helping learners understand that racial hierarchy was never a natural or
neutral arrangement; it was a system deliberately constructed and enforced. As Roux and Du
Preez (2015) argue, fostering equality in a classroom requires moving beyond legal definitions
to helping learners internalise non-discrimination as a value and a way of living democratically
with others.
Page 1 of 15
, UNISA | TMS3731 Teaching Social Sciences — Assignment 2
Key Distinction
Dignity vs Equality: Dignity is about inherent human worth; equality is about equal
treatment and protection from discrimination. Both are reinforced when the teacher
responds constructively to discriminatory comments rather than ignoring them.
1.2 Strategy to Encourage Inclusivity and Respect
The strategy of restorative dialogue circles is effective in this situation. Rather than sim-
ply punishing the learner who made the discriminatory comment, the teacher restructures the
classroom into a circle formation and facilitates a guided whole-class conversation. This strat-
egy draws on the principle of restorative practice, which emphasises repairing harm through
honest, structured dialogue rather than punitive exclusion. Research by the Department of
Education (2000) shows that creating a culture of open communication in schools, where
learners feel safe to express and interrogate views, is one of the most effective strategies for
promoting democratic citizenship and anti-racism. The dialogue circle allows learners from
different racial and cultural backgrounds to share their experiences, listen to one another, and
collaboratively establish norms of respect for the remainder of the lesson.
1.3 Practical Classroom Activity
This activity promotes inclusivity because it requires learners to work across lines of difference
and arrive at a shared understanding of rights. It also directly connects the historical content
of the lesson to present-day democratic values, making the lesson meaningful and personally
relevant (Roux and Du Preez, 2015).
Page 2 of 15
