"The essence of all religions is one. Only their approaches are different." -Mahatma Ghandi

We all want to believe in something grander and bigger than us. Hoping for an afterlife that is better than the present day, gives a better outlook on life. Having a helpful book that serves as a guide makes making decisions easier. Simply put, being religious and having belief in a higher being is reassuring and refreshing.

In the United Kingdom, teachers in both primary and secondary schools are instructing their pupils about world religions. But, how and why? Let's answer those questions in today's article!

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What is Religious Education?

teachings of a holy book
Religious education instructs children about the various denominations and beliefs of people around the world. (Source: Unsplash)

Education and religion have existed together since the beginning of time. Albeit they are utilised and practised separately most of the time, it's worth stating that the education curriculums of many schools have combined the two to create an academic discipline known as Religious Education. But, what exactly is Religious Education?

In the simplest of terms and definitions, Religious Education can be described as the teaching of a particular religion and its varied aspects. For example, Islam could be studied one month and its beliefs, doctrines, rituals, customs, rites, and personal roles are analysed by students.

Depending on the level, whether primary or secondary, pupils will explore in-depth characteristics of the following world religions:

  • Christianity,
  • Buddhism,
  • Judaism,
  • Islam,
  • Hinduism,
  • Sikhism.

Also, in the UK, based on Education and Frameworks Acts, all schools are required by law to provide a daily act of collective worship, of which at least 51% must be Christian. It's important to state that this has to do with faith and denominations but it's unrelated to RE lessons. As of 2023, some exam boards oversee collective worship and others that do not. 

Before concluding this section, since the United Kingdom is a nation where Christianity is the primary religion, schools are encouraged by the National Education System to include more teachings about Christian life than anything else.

What are the Advantages of Teaching World Religions?

happiness and comfort
After learning about the various world religions, students develop more compassion and tolerance for those with backgrounds different from theirs. (Source: Unsplash)

Whether you agree with the practises and beliefs of religion or not, it's important to mention that even atheists can benefit from the study of world religions. How's that? Without any further delay, let's review the most significant benefits of studying world religions:

  • Religion Studies Help us Understand Culture: it's been said by many historians and experts in their domain that religion and culture are intertwined. Therefore, if you want to better comprehend a certain nation's culture and history, students need to learn about religion and how it affected the architecture and belief system of a certain place.
  • Religious Education Improves Compassion: how do we learn to apply compassion and build tolerance of others? By seeing things from their point of view. Religious studies during primary school assist students to put themselves in other people's shoes from a young age. And, the beautiful qualities of compassion and tolerance are the foundation of any healthy and united society.

There are many more amazing reasons to give the study of Religious Education a concerted effort for primary school but if educators focus on the two previously mentioned ones, things will start on the right foot.

What are the Best Resources to Teach Children About Religion?

In the United Kingdom, and other countries alike, Religious Education (RE) is compulsory for all pupils in publicly funded schools up to the age of 18. Schools must follow their locally agreed syllabus. Therefore, since Religious Education is here to stay. teachers should make it as fun as possible for their students. Therefore, teachers are wise to adapt to the times and find engaging and informative resources to help their students.

So, without further ado, what are the best online resources for teaching primary school-aged kids about Religious Education? Let's take a look at the following list:

  • Religious Festivals: it's important to state that children enjoy learning about different traditions and celebrations of world religions such as Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism. When visiting the Religious Festivals link, useful information is provided, questions are answered and activities and worksheets are provided for use in class or at home. Also, there are beautifully presented videos on mysterious topics such as ‘The riddle of Palm Sunday.' The worksheets may be quite challenging but they are equally beneficial.
  • Class Clips: another brilliant resource from the BBC is 'Class Clips.' Hosting a slew of interesting videos in class or at home, 'Class Clips' topics covered include Beliefs in Action, Creation, Family and Community, and Leaders and Teachers. When visiting class clips you'll notice that some videos are under one minute in length while others last approximately 10 minutes, making them ideal ‘fillers’ for students who have finished their work early. Videos often explain things more effectively and clearly than most educators and the small clips create lively class discussions and debates.
  • Cymru: Codi Cwestiwn: for educators in Wales teaching RE in the Welsh language, the Cymcru site features education games that teach children about the major world religions in a fun, dynamic way. There are five different games to choose from and each one of them aims to deepen one’s understanding of the role and impact of religion. Deeper thinking is encouraged and independent meditation requires students to compare the value given by different religions on various important aspects of life. The site covers important issues such as the environment, inequality, and the role of religion in promoting human beings to take the necessary action to resolve the world’s biggest problems. Deep stuff!
  • Primary Resources RE & PSHE: a wonderful site that contains a particularly wonderful set of resources, uploaded by individual teachers. The topics covered on the website include Judaism, Christianity, Sikhism, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism. There are activities and notes, banners, supporting documents, Powerpoint presentations and more. If you're a religious education teacher, we recommend setting aside a whole afternoon to discover the gems on this site, you will certainly need it!
  • First School Years: mainly aimed at teachers and parents, the First School Years site contains a host of worksheets, flashcards and resources for use with primary school children.
  • RE Quest: a truly remarkable site that children will love, RE Quest has the aim of ‘asking the big questions’ surrounding the Christian faith. Questions posed include: Why do we need mentors? Who is Jesus? What is the Trinity? The main categories on the website include the Bible, Festivals, Issues Christians Face, Jesus, Life as a Christian, and People and Places. The site boasts a modern, appealing design, inviting KS2 students to search from a host of colourful question boxes. The site will be as useful for children as it will be for teachers and parents since it answers both general and highly specific questions about Christianity.

Although the previously mentioned websites are valuable tools and should be utilised, you might consider seeking advice from teachers and additional contacts at other schools in the nearby district.

All in all, we hope that you have found these resources useful. For instance, it's worth pointing out that the resources we've considered are quite varied and encompass distinct teaching methods and learning techniques. There are videos, websites, and games to pique the interest of all types of children. If you have come across additional resources that you think are great, please let us know via the comments. But, what are some of the best suggestions to teach children about world religions? Let's explore some in the following subheading.

What are Some Tips and Tricks to Teach Kids About World Religions?

how can kids learn about religion
Are there any ways that teachers can improve their approach when teaching children at a primary school stage about religion? (Source: Unsplash)

Are you a little bit perplexed about how to start teaching Religious Education? Is it your first year doing so? If that is the case, don't fret since Superprof is here to save the day! The list below considers a few of the best suggestions on how to instruct students about world religions:

  • Expose students to as many religions as possible, 
  • Try to make RE entertaining by including fun facts and activities about the religion in question rather than hard statistics and boring history, 
  • Teach about world religions in an academic not devotional manner. 

It's worth staying that teachers might follow the same guidelines and techniques as parents who are teaching their children about religion and culture.

In conclusion, we hope that this article has answered all of the questions you might have had related to Religious Education for children at an elementary school stage.

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Brentyn

Avid movie-goer, reader, skier and language learner. Passionate about life, food and travelling.