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Ethics and Religious Culture

Engages in dialogue

To support the development of the competencies Reflects on ethical questions and Demonstrates an understanding of the phenomenon of religion, students must learn to engage in dialogue. To do so, they acquire knowledge related to the forms of dialogue, the conditions that foster it and the means to be used to develop and examine a point of view. The students learn to use this knowledge in a gradual way. That is why learning continues over more than one cycle at the elementary and secondary levels.

The following tables present the knowledge that will allow students to organize their thinking, interact effectively with others and develop a point of view in relation to an ethical reflection or to understanding an aspect of the phenomenon of religion.

By reflecting on an ethical question or seeking to understand a form of religious expression, students acquire and use simultaneously several elements of knowledge related to the competency involving dialogue.

Reflects on ethical questions
Demonstrates an understanding of the phenomenon of religion

Knowledge related to the practice of dialogue
Student constructs knowledge with teacher guidance.
Student applies knowledge by the end of the school year.
 
Student reinvests knowledge.
Elementary
Cycle
One		 Cycle
Two		 Cycle
Three
  1. Forms of dialogue1
 1 2 3 4 5 6
  1. Explains, in his/her own words, the meaning of:
    1. conversation, discussion, narration, deliberation
        
    1. interview
        
    1. debate
        
  1. Uses, in a situation involving dialogue:
    1. conversation, discussion, narration, deliberation
    1. interview
    
    1. debate
        
  1. Conditions that foster dialogue2
 1re 2e 3e 4e 5e 6e
  1. Respects conditions that foster dialogue
    1. observes rules for engaging in dialogue
    1. correctly expresses his/her ideas
    1. respects the right of others to speak
    1. attentively listens to what another person has to say in order to grasp the meaning
    1. all other paths for fostering dialogue, ERC program, p. 349
  1. Contributes to establishing conditions that foster dialogue
    1. suggests rules for engaging in dialogue
        
    1. proposes ways of alleviating tensions
        
    1. introduces nuances to his/her comments and recognizes the nuances introduced by others
        
    1. is open to different ways of thinking
        
    1. all other paths for fostering dialogue, ERC program, p. 349
       
  1. Means for developing a point of view3
 1re 2e 3e 4e 5e 6e
  1. Explains, in his/her own words, what description is (e.g. giving a description means giving several characteristics of something)
        
  1. Uses description to enumerate the characteristics of the subject discussed4 (e.g. in Cycle One, words, objects or gestures for a ritual associated with birth; in Cycle Two, various parts of a place of worship and objects, furnishings and symbols; in Cycle Three, origin, division of time, main markers of time for a calendar)5
  1. Explains, in his/her own words, what comparison is (e.g. drawing a comparison means finding differences and similarities between two things)
       
  1. Uses comparison to highlight similarities and differences among the elements of the subject discussed (e.g. in Cycle One, names two differences between the needs of animals and those of a human being; in Cycle Two, compares an advantage and a disadvantage of playing alone and in a group; in Cycle Three, compares how children's rights are observed in various areas of the world)
  1. Explains, in his/her own words, what synthesis is (e.g. making a synthesis means summarizing what has been discussed)
       
  1. Uses synthesis to provide a coherent summary of the elements of the subject discussed (e.g. in Cycle Two,  summarizes his/her discoveries about different ways of celebrating civil marriage or religious marriage; in Cycle Three, summarizes his/her under­stan­ding of the founding events of a religious tradition)
    
  1. Describes, in his/her own words, what an explanation is (e.g. explaining means providing accurate information to account for how I understand something)
       
  1. Uses explanation to help others to know or understand the meaning of the subject discussed (e.g. in Cycle Two, explains the negative effects of intimidation by referring to what a community police officer said; in Cycle Three, explains the connections between rights and responsibilities by referring to charters, city regulations and the school code)
   
  1. Explains, in his/her own words, what a justification is (e.g. making a justification means giving several reasons to demonstrate a point of view)
       
  1. Uses justification to present, in a logical way, a few reasons and ideas that support a point of view (e.g. presents some reasons that motivate a believer to observe a dietary rule)
       
  1. Means for examining a point of view6
 1re 2e 3e 4e 5e 6e
  1. Types of judgments
  •   1.1. Explains, in his/her own words the meaning of:
    1. a judgment of preference, a judgment of prescription
        
    1. a judgment of reality
        
    1. a judgment of value
        
  •   1.2. Recognizes, in a situation involving dialogue:
    1. a judgment of preference (e.g. winter is my favourite season; it's the most beautiful season)
    1. a judgment of prescription (e.g. the regulation prohibits running around the swimming pool)
    1. a judgment of reality (e.g. the Easter celebration takes place in spring, but not on a set date)
   
    1. a judgment of value (e.g. money creates happiness)
        
  •   1.3. Examines, in a situation involving dialogue:
    1. a judgment of preference (e.g. can you explain why you prefer winter?)
    1. a judgment of prescription (e.g. why does this regulation exist?)
    1. a judgment of reality (e.g. can you explain how the date for the Easter celebration is decided?)
   
    1. a judgment of value (e.g. why do some people say that money leads to happiness?)
       
  1. Processes that may hinder dialogue
  •   2.1. Explains, in his/her own words:
    1. a hasty generalization, a personal attack
       
    1. an appeal to the people
        
    1. an appeal to the crowd (bandwagon), an appeal to prejudice, an appeal to stereotype, an argument from authority
        
  •   2.2. Recognizes, in a situation involving dialogue:
    1. a hasty generalization (e.g. when my cat is home alone, he eats more; therefore cats who are bored eat more)
    1. a personal attack (e.g. you're too much of a baby to under­stand this)
    1. an appeal to the people (e.g. all my friends can stay out until 9:00 p.m., so I can too)
    
    1. an appeal to the crowd (e.g. my new shoes are certainly the best, because the salesperson told me they are the top sellers)
        
    1. an appeal to prejudice (e.g. my grandmother won't know how to use this electronic device because she is too old)
       
    1. an appeal to stereotype (e.g. boys shouldn't cry)
       
    1. an argument from authority (e.g. we should buy this brand of equipment because our Olympic champion promotes it)
       
  •   2.3. Examines, in a situation involving dialogue:
    1. a hasty generalization (e.g. do all cats eat more when they are alone or when they are bored?)
    1. a personal attack (e.g. do you think you are helping the discussion by calling someone a baby?)
    1. an appeal to the people (e.g. how does the fact that all your friends can stay out until 9:00 p.m. mean that you can too?)
   
    1. an appeal to the crowd (e.g. is something true simply because a large number of people say it is?)
        
    1. an appeal to prejudice (e.g. is age linked to a person's abilities?)
       
    1. an appeal to stereotype (e.g. can you explain to me why boys should not cry?)
        
    1. an argument from authority (e.g. what criteria should we use for making choices when buying sports equipment?)
        

Reflects on ethical questions
Demonstrates an understanding of the phenomenon of religion

1.  Ethics and Religious Culture Program, Elementary School, p. 349
2.  Ethics and Religious Culture Program, Elementary School, p. 349
3.  Ethics and Religious Culture Program, Elementary School, p. 351
4.  The subject being discussed refers to the object of dialogue, i.e. the ethical situation or the form of religious expression dealt with in class.
5.  The examples provided in this section alternate between the two components of the program (ethics and religious culture). All the means used to develop a point of view can, however, be used for both components.
6.  Ethics and Religious Culture Program, Elementary School, p. 352

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