“Awareness-raising” is when a person or group brings attention to a concern or issue with the intent of gaining supporters. It is one of the most basic forms of advocacy because the first step in creating change is to let people know that a problem exists and how they can help. Awareness-raising also connects well to academic skills related to communication, both written and spoken. In this blog, I’ll share some ideas for teaching about awareness-raising in the classroom and how to connect this topic to written and verbal communication skills. Teach Students What it Means to “Raise Awareness” A shared vocabulary is necessary to understand and discuss any concept. If we want students to know how to change oppressive systems, they need a relevant vocabulary to describe and understand ways they can take action. That is why I think it is necessary that we teach students words and phrases that are used by advocates and activists like “raising awareness”, “boycotting”, and “lobbying”. When I explain awareness-raising to students, I’ll first explain it in simple terms by saying, “raising awareness is when we teach people about a problem they might not know about, and this helps because when people know about a problem, they can do something to help.” I’ll then give examples of how people raise awareness, such as giving speeches, writing books or articles, and (students’ favorite) posting on social media. I’ll also provide students with examples of contemporary and historical figures who have used awareness-raising to address an issue through videos or readings. One of my favorite examples is Frederick Douglass. Douglass was known for traveling throughout the United States and Europe, giving speeches about slavery and inspiring many people to join the abolitionist movement. He also raised awareness by publishing a newspaper and books. There are many educational resources for teaching about the life of Douglass, such as this book.

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