Teaching Tool - Societal Views - Impact on Stigma (Grade 8)

The purpose of these resources are to help inform educators about the impact word choices and societal views have on mental health and mental illness. Teachers need to understand how negative perceptions about mental illness and mental health can affect people and perpetuate stigma.

Learning goals

  • I will explain how word choices and societal views about mental health and mental illness affects people and perpetuates stigma
  • I will identify actions that can counteract stigma regarding mental health
  • I will learn about the importance of reaching out when struggling with mental health

Core knowledge content

Core knowledge content provides the teacher with the background information needed to prepare and teach this health class.

Ontario curriculum expectations

Grades 1-8: Health and Physical Education (2019)

  • D3.4 explains how word choices and societal views about mental health and mental illness can affect people and perpetuate stigma, and identify actions that can counteract that stigma. This specific expectation is also connected with the social emotional learning expectations A1.4 Relationships and A1.6 Thinking.

Supplementary resources

  • Addressing stigma: This resource provides information about challenging the stigma associated with mental illness and takes a closer look at our own attitudes toward health.
  • Reducing stigma: This video was created to inform people about the stigma around mental illness and how everyone in the community can help to diminish stigma.
  • Stigma and discrimination: This resource breaks down the common and outdated terms that were once used and suggests the appropriate and preferred person-first language when talking about mental health.

Virtual learning

Curriculum connections: Reducing stigma, and bust stigma and stereotype

Oral communication - Ontario Language Curriculum (2006)

  • 1.4 demonstrate an understanding of the information and ideas in increasingly complex and difficult oral texts in a variety of ways
  • 1.5 develop and explain interpretations of oral texts using the language of the text and oral and visual cues to support their interpretations
  • 1.6 extend understanding of oral texts, including increasingly complex or difficult texts, by connecting, comparing and contrasting their ideas and information

Media literacy - Ontario Language Curriculum (2006)

  • 1.2 interpret increasingly complex or difficult media texts, using overt and implied messages as evidence for their interpretations
  • 1.6 identify who produces various media texts and determine the commercial, ideological, political, cultural, and / or artistic interests or perspectives that the texts may involve
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