CCE · Primary 6

Active learning ideas

Building Social Cohesion in a Diverse Society

Active learning works for this topic because students need to experience diversity firsthand to move beyond abstract ideas. When they engage in role-plays, design campaigns, and map their own community, they shift from passive listeners to active participants in building harmony.

• MOE Syllabus Outcomes
• MOE: Harmony and Diversity - P6
• MOE: Social Responsibility - P6

• 35–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• World Café
• 45 min · Pairs

Role-Play: Inter-Cultural Dialogue

Assign pairs roles from different ethnic or religious groups facing a neighbourhood issue. They prepare questions, conduct 5-minute dialogues, then switch roles and debrief on key insights. Record common solutions on class chart.

Explain the challenges and opportunities of living in a diverse society.

Facilitation Tip

During the Role-Play, assign roles that require students to articulate perspectives they may not personally hold to deepen empathy.

What to look for

Students write on a card: 'One challenge of living in a diverse society is...' and 'One opportunity of living in a diverse society is...'. They then list one specific initiative (e.g., Racial Harmony Day) that helps address the challenge or enhance the opportunity.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 02

• World Café
• 50 min · Small Groups

Campaign Design: Poster and Slogan Workshop

In small groups, brainstorm a campaign for school harmony. Sketch posters, create slogans, and pitch to class for votes. Select top ideas for display during assembly.

Analyze the role of inter-faith and inter-cultural dialogue in building social cohesion.

Facilitation Tip

For the Campaign Design, provide examples of effective slogans from past student projects to guide their creative process.

What to look for

Teacher poses: 'Imagine you are organizing a dialogue session between two groups who have misunderstandings. What are three key questions you would ask to encourage open sharing and build bridges?' Students share their questions and explain their reasoning.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 03

• World Café
• 40 min · Small Groups

Community Mapping: Diversity Walk

Students walk school neighbourhood, note cultural landmarks and interactions. Back in class, map findings and discuss cohesion strategies. Share via digital slideshow.

Design a campaign to promote understanding among different community groups.

Facilitation Tip

On the Diversity Walk, pair students with peers from different backgrounds to encourage natural, curious conversations about their surroundings.

What to look for

Present students with short scenarios depicting inter-group interactions. Ask them to identify whether the scenario promotes social cohesion or hinders it, and briefly explain why, using at least one key vocabulary term.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 04

• World Café
• 35 min · Whole Class

Debate Forum: Diversity Challenges

Divide class into teams to debate 'Diversity brings more challenges than opportunities.' Each side presents 3 points with evidence from Singapore examples, followed by whole-class vote and reflection.

Explain the challenges and opportunities of living in a diverse society.

Facilitation Tip

In the Debate Forum, assign one side to argue for unity and the other to identify real challenges, ensuring balanced perspectives.

What to look for

Students write on a card: 'One challenge of living in a diverse society is...' and 'One opportunity of living in a diverse society is...'. They then list one specific initiative (e.g., Racial Harmony Day) that helps address the challenge or enhance the opportunity.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Experienced teachers approach this topic by grounding discussions in students’ lived experiences, using local examples like Racial Harmony Day to make abstract concepts tangible. Avoid overgeneralizing diversity as a problem; instead, frame it as a strength to be nurtured. Research suggests that structured peer interactions, like dialogue circles, reduce prejudiced views more effectively than lectures alone.

Successful learning looks like students confidently navigating differences, designing inclusive messages, and identifying their own role in fostering harmony. They should articulate challenges and opportunities in Singapore’s diversity with specific examples from their activities.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Role-Play: Inter-Cultural Dialogue, watch for students assuming differences spark fights without exploring dialogue as a solution.

  Use the role-play scripts to pause and ask students to reflect: 'How did your character’s perspective shift through the conversation?' Guide them to notice how active listening resolved tensions.

• During Campaign Design: Poster and Slogan Workshop, watch for students creating messages that ignore differences to 'keep the peace.'

  Challenge groups to include visuals or words that celebrate specific cultural elements, then ask: 'How does acknowledging differences strengthen your message of respect?'

• During Community Mapping: Diversity Walk, watch for students assuming only adults or leaders build cohesion.

  After the walk, debrief with: 'What small actions did you observe during the walk that contribute to harmony? How could you do the same?' Have them list peer-led actions they can initiate.

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Methods used in this brief

• World Café