Understanding Mental Illness links to Thinking

Understanding mental illnesses

Exploring understandings of mental health/illness - page 17

Introducing the Understanding Mental Illness unit - page 18

Language brainstorm - page 18

Understanding what we mean by mental illness - page 19

Mental illness – the facts (handout) - pages 20–22

Learning the language of mental illness (worksheet) - pages 23–24

Level 5 Reflection, evaluation and metacognition

At Level 5 students explain the purpose of a range of thinking tools and use them in appropriate contexts. They use specific language to describe their thinking and reflect on their thinking processes during their investigations. They modify and evaluate their thinking strategies. They explain the different methodologies used by different disciplines to create and verify knowledge. They describe and explain changes in their ideas and beliefs over time.

Level 6 Reflection, evaluation and metacognition

At Level 6 when reviewing information and refining ideas and beliefs, students explain conscious changes in their own and others’ thinking and analyse alternative perspectives and perceptions. They use explicit terms to discuss their thinking, select and use thinking processes and tools appropriate to particular tasks, and evaluate their effectiveness.

Changing people’s minds & attitudes

Survey collation - pages 57–59

Video – changing people’s attitudes – uses section 2 of MindMatters Mental Illness video - pages 59–61

Script your own advertisement - pages 61–62

Exploring attitudes - page 62

The kindness of strangers (handout) - page 63

Key communication messages (handout) - page 64

These are useful activities for classroom learning and connection.

Labels are for jars

Labels - pages 65–67

Option A - If the shoe fits - pages 65–66

Option B - Labelling jars not people - page 66

Fact, fear, furphy or fiction – a summary quiz - page 67

Creative writing - page 68 – uses ‘A thesaurus of madness’ handout

Newsletter - page 68

Labels (worksheet) p 69

Jam-jars (worksheet) - page 70

Fact, fear, furphy or fiction (worksheet) - pages 71–72

A thesaurus of madness (handout) - page 73

These are useful activities for classroom learning and connection.

Taking actions, creating options

Getting help – uses section 3 of MindMatters Mental Illness video - pages 87–88

Sample questions - page 88

Actions & reactions – role-plays; possible scenarios provided - page 89

Discussion – options for help seeking - page 89

These are useful activities for classroom learning and connection.

Face to face

Guest speaker - page 90

Reflecting upon the new information - page 91

Selected video – personal experiences of mental illness - page 91

Sample questions – considering prior and current beliefs and understandings - page 91

These are useful activities for classroom learning and connection.