Countering racism and discrimination: supporting our students in dealing with difficult situations

Presenters: Michaela Hendriks

• Title: Countering Racism and Discrimination: Supporting our Students in Dealing with Difficult Situations

• Date: Thursday 15 October 2026 

• Time: 19:00 - 20:15

• Presenter: Michaela Hendriks

Racism and anti-immigration sentiment are becoming increasingly visible across our societies, shaping public discourse and affecting our students, wherever they live and wherever they are from. Yet, as teachers, we may feel uncertain about how—and whether—to address these issues in the classroom.

Meanwhile, our students encounter such ideologies through on-line media, political debate and, crucially, both by witnessing and directly experiencing discrimination themselves.

In this context, an important question emerges: is language teaching ever truly neutral? If not, where and how do we position ourselves?

Drawing on the work of Paulo Freire and other critical educators, this session suggests that by avoiding difficult conversations, educators may unintentionally reinforce existing inequalities and limit opportunities for critical engagement. Language classrooms can instead provide supportive spaces where learners explore their own reactions to social realities, challenge misinformation, and develop the linguistic and analytical skills needed for democratic participation.

Participants will work through existing resources, including materials developed by organisations such as English for Action (EFA). Through discussion and collaborative activities, we will consider how teachers can create inclusive, trauma-informed classroom environments — ones that make space for complex reactions to discrimination as well as positive experiences of support and belonging.

About Michaela Hendriks

Michaela has been an FE teacher in London for over 20 years, also teaching in Europe, USA & Africa. Her experiences of students in the classroom have led her to think about emotions in learning and teaching - positive and negative. She has developed a strong interest in trauma-informed practice and writes about the effects of trauma and resilience in class. She has undertaken research in methods which support students and has developed training for a trauma-informed classroom. She is interested in the effect our education system has on the happiness not only of students, but also teachers.