2) Key Content: Religion and Prejudice

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1 Year 9 Religious Studies Revision Contents 1) About the exam 2) Key content to revise 3) Types of exam questions 4) Example exam questions 1) About the exam The Year 9 Religious Studies exam is on the topics you have studied since beginning the GCSE course (Religion and Prejudice) There are a series of questions which will aim to test your knowledge and understanding about the key issues as well as your skills of evaluation, analysis and argument. The questions broadly use the same format as GCSE style questions. The exam lasts one hour and you should aim to answer all questions. 2) Key Content: Religion and Prejudice Key words Prejudice - when someone pre-judges a person by looking at them. Discrimination - when a person is treated differently because they are a certain way. Racism - treating a person differently because of their colour. Sexism - treating a person differently because they are a man or woman. Ageism - treating a person differently because they are either old or young. Homophobia - treating a person differently because they are gay. Equality - all people have the same worth or value. All are equal. Justice - fairness. Everyone having the same rights, and treated in the same way.

2 How have people been discriminated against in the past? In the past people have been treated badly by: Not being allowed to do certain jobs Seeing coloured people as inferior or less than whites. Believing some people are odd if they come from a certain country Harming someone who is gay, or black, or an asylum seeker. Why are people prejudiced? People are prejudiced for a number of reasons. 1. They have been brought up by racist parents. (Upbringing) 2. They live in high unemployment areas and have no jobs- taken by others. (Bad experience) 3. They blame all the problems in a country on certain people. (Scapegoating) 4. They believe what the media and politicians say- the BNP for example. (Media) 5. Ignorance Religious teachings on prejudice. All religions believe that all people are equal because God created all people. Christians: God created everyone equally. Love your neighbour as yourself - the Bible (Parable of the Good Samaritan). Buddhism: Everyone is equal. Prejudice creates bad karma and has a negative effect on rebirth. Hinduism: Non-violence, love and respect for all things. The true self is the atman, as everyone has one everyone must therefore be equal Islam: Allah created everyone as equal but different. Muhammad welcomed anyone regardless of wealth, status or creed. Judaism: God created everyone equal, prejudice is therefore an insult to God. The Torah tells Jews to welcome and not persecute strangers. Sikhism: Using the same mud, the Creator has created many shapes in many ways (Guru Granth Sahib). God is without caste (Guru Gobind Singh). Religious attitudes to homosexuality These are slightly different from attitudes towards other forms of prejudice. Religions usually don t agree with homosexuality. They don t always persecute homosexuals, but they don t always welcome them either. From most religious viewpoints one of the main reasons for sex is the conception of children and homosexual intercourse does not lead to this. Famous people fighting against prejudice and discrimination Martin Luther King Black American. Brought up a Christian. Influenced by Gandhi and nonviolent protest. Examples of King s non-violent protests include the

3 Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955) to end segregation on buses and various peaceful marches, speeches and rallies. Assassinated in As a result of his actions, some change was achieved segregation in America is now illegal and Black Americans have equal civil rights with White Americans. Archbishop Desmond Tutu A South African religious leader. Used his position to campaign against the way the Black community was treated. Vision for a totally non-racial South Africa. Organised non-violent protests using marches, boycotts and petitions. Apartheid system was dismantled and Desmond Tutu continues to speak out for the rights of the poorest groups in the African countries. See for more information. Mohandas K Gandhi Led the Indian Nationalist Movement against British rule in India. Strong belief in non-violent protest which has influenced other leaders around the world. Used peaceful non-cooperation with the British, including boycotts and marches. Aimed at creating an integrated society where everyone lived in harmony. Famously said An eye for an eye and soon we shall all be blind meaning that violence was not the answer. Assassinated in 1948, shortly after British rule in India ended. Revision Checklist Words to learn Prejudice Discrimination Positive discrimination Equality Justice Community Tolerance Harmony Sexism Racism Religious prejudice Homophobia Ageism Religion and Prejudice Subjects within topic do you know? What different types of prejudice there are Why people are prejudiced How people show their prejudice How tolerance, justice, harmony and the value of each person are relevant in this issue Religious attitudes to prejudice generally Religious attitudes to all specific types of prejudice racism, sexism, homophobia, ageism, religious prejudice How religions response to prejudice and discrimination How religions help the victims of prejudice and discrimination What specific individuals have done to fight racism, and other prejudice What the government has done to fight prejudice, eg: the Race Relations Act What positive discrimination is, and why it happens

4 3) Types of exam question There are two main types of exam question knowledge-based questions and evaluative questions. Knowledge-based questions Some knowledge-based questions will want you to give a brief (but accurate) definition for the key terms so make sure that you know the definitions for the key words in the revision checklist (at the end of Section 2) Other questions will want you to give examples of prejudice/discrimination or reasons why they occur. A good tip is if the question starts with Give then it wants a list of things, but if it says Explain it wants you to use PEE paragraphs. There will be some questions that want you to explain how religious believers or how people generally might respond to various issues that are related to the overall topic you should aim to explain two reasons/teachings/beliefs. You will also be expected to be able to explain how religious people might respond to or challenge issues of prejudice and/or discrimination. In particular, you will be expected to give an account of what specific religious believers have done about these issues. Evaluative questions These are very easy to spot as they normally begin with a statement and will ask you to explain opinions about the statement. Three mark evaluative questions will only want you to give your opinion, but six mark evaluative questions will want you to explain both agree and disagree before giving your overall opinion. The statements will be deliberately one-sided. It is very important in the six mark questions that you do give BOTH viewpoints (agree and disagree). Some students get distracted by the one-sidedness of the statements and only give one viewpoint which means they can only get a maximum of half marks. Six mark evaluative questions will also expect you to make some reference to religious arguments/teachings if you want to score more than half marks.

5 A good formula to use in your answers for six mark evaluative questions is S.O.R.I Some people [agree/disagree] Because This means that Others [agree/disagree] Because This means that Religions would [agree/disagree] Because This means that I [agree/disagree] Because 4) Example exam questions Knowledge-based Questions 1) Explain some reasons why some people might be prejudiced. [3 marks] 2) Explain why some people may not support positive discrimination. [4 marks] 3) Explain what a religious believer would think about sexism. [3 marks] 4) Briefly explain what is meant by religious prejudice. [2 marks] 5) Explain what a religious believer could do to help the victims of discrimination. [4 marks] 6) Explain how religious believers have fought against prejudice and discrimination. [3 marks] 7) Explain what religions teach about prejudice and discrimination. [6 marks] Evaluative Questions 8) You need to change the way people think to prevent discrimination. What do you think? Explain your opinion. [3 marks] 9) Being discriminated against because of a disability is worse than sexism. Do you agree? Give reasons and explain your answer, showing you have thought about more than one point of view. Refer to religious arguments in your answer. [6 marks] 10) Without Gandhi, violence would always have been the main method of protest. What do you think? Explain your opinion. [3 marks] 11) Some religious people have argued that it is not always wrong to discriminate against other people; it depends on the circumstances. Do you agree? Give reasons and explain your answer, showing you have thought about more than one point of view. Refer to religious arguments in your answer. [6 marks] 12) Discrimination is worse than prejudice. What do you think? Explain your opinion. [3 marks]

6 13) Religious prejudice is the worst kind of prejudice. What do you think? Explain your opinion. [3 marks] 14) Religions cause prejudice, rather than solve it. Do you agree? Give reasons and explain your answer, showing you have thought about more than one point of view. Refer to religious arguments in your answer. [6 marks] Six mark question mark-scheme Level Description Mark 0 Unsupported opinion or no relevant evaluation of the quote. 0 1 Opinion (eg: I agree) supported by one simple reason 1 2 Opinion supported by two simple reasons, or one elaborated reason (inc example). 3 Opinion supported by one well-developed reason, or a series of simple reasons, on one or both sides. 4 Opinion supported by two developed reasons, with reference to religion. (eg: you gave two reasons and explained them a bit) 5 Evidence of reasoned consideration of two different points of view, with reference to religion. (eg: you gave some reasons for each viewpoint and explained them, showing how they related to the quote and used paragraphs) 6 A well-argued response, with evidence of reasoned consideration of two different viewpoints and clear reference to religion