Sexuality Education

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Respecting Diversity

A range of resources are provided below to assist teachers with the inclusion of sexual diversity in the school’s sexuality education program.

Curriculum Planning Guidelines

This Department’s Curriculum Planning Guidelines include documents to assist teachers in identifying opportunities within the Victorian Essential Learning Standards where material can be inclusive of same-sex attraction and gender diversity.

The documents were prepared through the Education Subcommittee of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Gay and Lesbian Health, Department of Human Services, on behalf of this Department.

See: Curriculum Planning Guidelines

SSAFE – Same-Sex Attracted Friendly Environments in Schools

SSAFE logo

This collection of resources was produced by the Same-Sex Attracted Friendly Environments (SSAFE) in Schools Project, Friendly Planning Victoria and funded by the Premier’s Drug Prevention Council and VicHealth. The SSAFE resources are now available here and throughout this Department’s sexuality education website and Knowledge Bank.

What is SSAFE? (PDF - 33Kb) - This document provides a background to the SSAFE Project.

SSAFE – school-based case examples (Word – 307Kb) (http://knowledge.education.vic.gov.au) - The Department’s Knowledge Bank provides a number of SSAFE case examples illustrating schools’ efforts to tackle a range of issues related to same-sex attraction, including the promotion of inclusive curriculum (for example, Eltham High).

SSAFE – Learning and teaching resources list (PDF - 114Kb) - The Learning and teaching resource list provides a wide range of resources to choose from. Teacher professional learning and classroom resources are included. (The list was current at time of publication.)

SSAFE – Learning & teaching resources for SSAY with disabilities (PDF - 26Kb) - This list provides recommended videos for same-sex attracted youth with disabilities. The list was current at time of publication.

SSAFE – Sexuality and homophobia school audit - for students (PDF - 71Kb) - This audit tool provides an opportunity for powerful learning through student enquiry within the school’s own community.

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Kaleidoscope manual - Lesson plan

This lesson plan (revised 2007) and its related resources originally appeared in the Kaleidoscope Manual (2004). The author Vivien Ray has provided the lesson plan with permission from the Good Shepherd Youth and Family Service. The lesson plan can be used as presented or treated as an outline of suggested learning activities. (The resource lists were current at time of publication.)

Funding for the development of the Kaleidoscope Manual was made available through the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.

For additional support resources, see: Prevention and Support

Student reading material

A focus on same-sex attraction can be covered in numerous areas of the curriculum. English is an example of where much literature over many years has explored this area. In response to requests from schools for assistance in identifying teaching materials, the following references have been provided as an example starter. The references have been drafted with the input from teachers across Australia and New Zealand. They are externally-produced resources available for schools to use.

The ‘Guidelines for suitable teaching and learning resources’ section of the Victorian Government Schools Reference Guide provides an outline of the decision-making processes associated with the use and selection of teaching and learning resources. The section recognises that the coexistence of diverse values is an essential tenet of education. It also emphasises that controversial topics will often be appropriate and important subjects of study in schools and, at times, cannot be avoided in the context of teaching and learning.

See: Guidelines for suitable learning and teaching resources – Section 6.24

See also:

Teen novels – secondary schools

  • Fifteen teen novels that include a focus on homosexuality (PDF - 19Kb) - This list identifies fifteen teen novels that examine a range of topics and include a focus on homosexuality. Further reading is also suggested in the SSAFE – Learning and teaching resources list (above). It is suggested teachers personally assess the chosen book for suitability within their developed lesson plan.

Primary school readers

  • About Learn to Include (PDF - 19Kb) - Learn to Include primary school readers are designed to promote inclusiveness and the acceptance of sexual diversity in families. The project is supported by the NSW Attorney General's Department – Crime Prevention Division. A teacher’s manual is also available (located on the website’s Community Project page). See: Learn to Include readers

Website resource

The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (United States) is an example of an overseas network that provides a wide range of resources for educators and students.