©ABC 2013

Activity

Fashion Factories

Key Learning Students will explore the ethical concerns related to companies that have their clothes made by workers in developing countries. Students will also gain a deeper understanding of the structural framework and language features of persuasive texts.

Discussion Questions

1. A lot of people are asking questions about the ethics of how our clothes are made. Discuss this statement as a class.

2. A lot of the clothes that we buy in Australia are made in developing countries. List some of these countries.

3. Why are a lot of our clothes made in developing countries? 4. How much money does a clothing factory worker in Bangladesh generally earn per hour? 5. What are the conditions like for clothing factory workers in developing countries? 6. What organisation is trying to improve workers rights in developing countries?

a. Oxfam b. The Red Cross c. Greenpeace

7. In which country did a clothing factory recently collapse? 8. Many say the Australian fashion industry needs to do more to protect overseas workers. True or false? 9. Where are your school uniforms made? Talk to your school/governing council about taking steps to

make sure your school uniforms are not made by exploited factory workers. 10. What surprised you about this story?

The Australian Curriculum

General Capabilities > Ethical Understanding > Learning Continuum

General Capabilities > Ethical Understanding > Learning Continuum

Understanding ethical concepts and issues

Recognise ethical concepts examine and explain ethical concepts such as truth and justice that contribute to the achievement of a particular outcome

Explore ethical concepts in context explain what constitutes an ethically better or worse outcome and how it might be accomplished

Reasoning in decision making and actions

Reflect on ethical action articulate a range of ethical responses to situations in various social contexts

Consider consequences evaluate the consequences of actions in familiar and hypothetical scenarios

Reason and make ethical decisions explore the reasons behind there being a variety of ethical positions on a social issue

Exploring values, rights and responsibilities

Examine values examine values accepted and enacted within various communities

Explore rights and responsibilities monitor consistency between rights and responsibilities when interacting face-to-face or through social media

Consider points of view explain a range of possible interpretations and points of view when thinking about ethical dilemmas

English / Literacy / Creating texts

Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, choosing and experimenting with text structures, language features, images and digital resources appropriate to purpose and audience (ACELY1714)

Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, selecting aspects of subject matter and particular language, visual, and audio features to convey information and ideas (ACELY1725)

Episode 11

7th May 2013

©ABC 2013

Activities

Classroom discussion

Watch the BtN story Fashion Factories and summarise the story in your own words. Hold a group discussion,

and reflect on the issue of child labour and forced labour in sweatshops.

How did you feel after watching the BtN Fashion Factories story?

What words, emotions and images do you associate with this issue?

Why do you think BtN covered this story?

Further discussion:

Why is it important to find out where our clothes are made?

How do you know if you are buying sweatshop free clothing?

Would you be prepared to pay more for your clothes if you knew they were made under ethical

working conditions?

There are many sweatshops operating out of developing countries. If factories were to improve

working conditions how would this affect the people working there? Think about the positive and

negative impact this may have.

What is labour exploitation?

Ask students to find definitions for the following terms in the context of child labour in sweatshops. Use these

words to construct sentences about labour exploitation in developing countries.

Create your own FAQ

Students will create their own FAQ on labour rights and ethical garment manufacturing. Provide students

with the opportunity to conduct research into the issue of labour exploitation to gain a deeper understanding

of the rights of the worker.

Refer to the following websites for information on labour rights:

Shop Ethical

Oxfam: Frequently Asked Questions

Encourage students to share their research with the class and broader school community.

Interesting ways to present information include:

Prezi http://prezi.com/index/

Oral presentation

Glogster http://www.glogster.com/

Create an infographic using http://create.visual.ly/

Ethical Exploit Manufacturing

Sweatshop Fair trade Child labour

Forced labour Supply chain Labour Rights

©ABC 2013

Where are your school uniforms made?

Many school uniforms in Australia are made by exploited sweatshop workers who are not receiving their legal entitlements or a fair wage. Whether you are a student, teacher, parent, principal or part of a school council, there are simple steps you can take to make sure your school uniforms are not made by exploited sweatshop workers. Guide your students through an investigation into their school uniforms, where they were made and the conditions in which the people who made them were working.

Have your voice heard! – Write a persuasive text

Explain that students will be constructing a persuasive text urging companies to put in place an action plan to

stop the use of forced labour in their supply chains. This activity introduces the structural framework and

language features of persuasive texts to your students and allows them to gain an understanding of the

purposes of each sentence within a paragraph.

Refer students to the read, write, think persuasion map to plan their exposition text.

Where are your school uniforms made?

Where are your school uniforms (including garments and shoes) manufactured?

Are your school uniforms made by exploited sweatshop workers?

Visit the Products of Slavery website http://www.productsofslavery.org/ to explore where and what products are made using child labour or forced labour.

Take your concerns to your SRC to discuss your school uniform and where it is manufactured.

Set up a meeting with your school council to discuss your current uniform policy. Does the policy include a clause which ensures that your uniforms are accredited by Ethical Clothing Australia? Liaise with the school council to ensure your uniforms are ethical.

Visit the Fair Wear website to find out more http://www.uniforms.fairwear.org.au/learn-more/

Have your voice heard!

Activity #1: Write a letter to the Chief Executive of your favourite retail chain. Consider the following points when writing your letter:

What has this business done to ensure there is no forced/child labour in the products they sell?

What are the conditions like for the factory workers that manufacture your products?

Visit the Anti-slavery website for a sample letter: http://www.antislavery.org/english/campaigns/take_action_on_slavery_and_what_we_buy.aspx

Activity #2: With your teacher’s permission and guidance visit the Facebook page or website of a clothing company. Comment on their page that you like their clothes but ask them if they can confirm whether their clothes are made under decent conditions.

Use the read, write,

think persuasion map to

plan your exposition

text.

©ABC 2013

Related Research Links

Oxfam Australia – Explore resources for students

https://www.oxfam.org.au/explore/workers-rights/resources-for-students/

Shop Ethical – Go ethical in your school

http://www.ethical.org.au/get-involved/resources/go-ethical-in-your-school/

CBBC Newsround – What are ‘sweatshop’ goods?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_4600000/newsid_4603800/4603845.stm

Anti-Slavery International – Product Slavery

http://www.productsofslavery.org/

Fair Wear – Keep sweatshops out of your school

http://www.uniforms.fairwear.org.au/

Behind the News – Kids’ Rights

http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3343592.htm