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Free speech comes at a price

Theme: Stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination
Key Learning Area: English - Studies of Society and Environment (SOSE)
Age Group: Secondary Middle (15-16) Resource Type: Stories, poems and articles Stimulus Name: Free speech comes at a price

Outcomes

Students use a communicative activity strategy, Go, Ask and Tell to read, discuss and explore the issues in the article, Free Speech comes at a price, by Hugh Mackay.

Introduction

In his article for The Australian newspaper, social commentator, Hugh Mackay contributed to the freedom of speech debate which surrounded the Commonwealth Racial Hatred Act (1995). He advocated the balance which must be struck between freedom of speech and "restraint and regard for the common good".

Worksheets to download
Teacher's notes (rtf File)
Complete text & questions (rtf File)
Text A & questions (rtf File)
Text B & questions (rtf File)

Suggested Activities

Teachers may choose, according to time available and class ability, a communicative activity, Go, ask and tell or a more traditional whole text comprehension activity.

  1. Go ask and tell (a variation of a jigsaw activity which enables students to access more complex texts)
    Download
    Teacher's notes, Text A & Questions, Text B & Questions
  2. Comprehension
    Download
    Teacher's Notes, Free Speech comes at a price & Questions full text
    As a class, read and discuss the complete text.
    Display questions on an OHT.
    Students write answers to the questions or together class discusses and responds orally.
 
Additional Strategies
  1. Commonwealth Racial Hatred Act (1995)
    In order to protect freedom of speech, under the Commonwealth Racial Hatred Act (1995) the following things are not unlawful in Australia, if "done reasonably and in good faith":
    an artistic work or performance;
    an academic publication, discussion or debate;
    a fair and accurate report on a matter of public interest;
    or an act that is an expression of a person's genuine belief.
    Do you think this is reasonable?
    Describe a situation that might arise from the abuse of one of these exceptions.
  2. Parliamentary debate- two teams with the rest of the class adjudicating
    or written expositions either individually or jointly constructed.
    Topics could include:
    The price of free speech is too high;
    Community rights destroy free speech;
    The word is mightier than the sword;
    or Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.
Related Resources

Factsheet Commonwealth Racial Hatred Act (1995)

Copyright Acknowledgement
Free speech comes at a price
Hugh McKay
The Australian 22 June 1996

Date: 09 December 2003