Teacher training & CPD materials for training providers
These A World of Difference training resources are designed to help providers train teachers in how to better approach and teach about difference.
On this page
Information, discussion and activities can help your pupils explore the ways in which people are different and how to accept these differences.
We encourage you to explore these classroom and assembly resources with your class whether or not you have pupils with a visible difference. It’s important that all pupils learn about difference and acceptance.
The benefit of classroom and assembly resources
Our resources are for all schools, whether your institution has pupils with a visible difference or not. By exploring visible difference, we can help to change the negative stereotypes often associated with looking different. By creating inclusive schools, we can create an inclusive society which welcomes and includes everyone and values difference.
I decided not to cover up my birthmark at secondary school because I wanted to be me. I got a few comments and stares at first but it was when I was 13 that the problems really started because one boy bullied me quite badly. He would shout things at me and call me “iron burn” when he walked past. It went on for weeks and weeks.
Talking to your pupils about visible difference as part of your day-to-day teaching practice is a key part of creating an inclusive learning environment for all pupils. Our resources for primary and secondary schools will help you to support pupils to discuss and explore issues such as:
- Respecting and valuing difference.
- Tackling appearance-related bullying.
- The importance of treating everyone fairly and equally.
If you’d value more information about appearance-related bullying, we have an in-depth resource which you may find useful.
A World of Difference classroom and assembly resources
These new classroom and assembly resources are part of our A World of Difference series, created with the support of our funder VTCT.
They are designed to help your students recognise and challenge stereotypes of visible difference through examples, activities and discussion.
There are two sets of resources, one for primary students and one for secondary. Each set of resources contains a teacher guide and slides for use in the classroom and assemblies. Both PDF and PowerPoint versions of the slides are available in case you want to make any changes.
The classroom resources are quality assured by the PSHE Association and we are members of the Anti-Bullying Alliance.
Download primary resources:
- Teacher guide – primary resources – PDF – (421KB)
- Primary classroom resource – PDF – (1.9MB)
- Primary classroom resource – PowerPoint – (23MB)
- Primary assembly resource – PDF – (3.4MB)
- Primary assembly resource – PowerPoint – (43MB)
Download secondary resources:
- Teacher guide – secondary resources – PDF – (205KB)
- Secondary classroom resource – PDF – (1.9MB)
- Secondary classroom resource – PowerPoint (23MB)
- Secondary assembly resource – PDF (905KB)
- Secondary assembly resource – PowerPoint (14MB)
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Recommended texts
Many schools use the books Wonder by RJ Palacio and Something Else by Kathryn Cave and Chris Riddell to help explore difference. We know that as educational professionals you’re often short on time so we’ve developed a range of resources and activities, linked to the PSHE/PSE curriculum, which you can use however little time you have.
Something Else by Kathryn Cave and Chris Riddell
Age range: 5 to 7
Something Else is a delightful picture book about looking different and acceptance. Our resources help your pupils think about what it means to be different and how that can sometimes feel.
Wonder by RJ Palacio
Age range: 9 to 11
The novel Wonder features a little boy, called Auggie, born with a craniofacial condition who starts school. Our comprehensive resources help you explore the book and facilitates discussions about visible difference.
- Teacher pack – Wonder teacher pack – Word (43KB) / Wonder teacher pack – PDF (154KB)
- Bullying behaviours activity – Word (35KB) / Bullying behaviours activity – PDF (97KB)
- Discussion questions Word (33KB) / Discussion questions – PDF (106KB)
When I was younger, about 9 or 10, I found it really hard because there wasn’t anyone else around me who had anything like a genetic disorder or anything, so I felt I was the odd one out