Footwork and Faith

1. Set Focus
In what ways can someone’s religious beliefs affect their life?

2. List Vocabulary
Share with students some of the challenging vocabulary words in this article (below). Encourage them to use context to infer

• secular (p. 6)
• barred (p. 6)
• conspicuous (p. 7)
• observant (p. 7)
• codified (p. 8)
• pivotal (p. 8)

3. Engage
Ask students to think about the article’s title and the photo on page 6. Have them discuss what they think the article will be about, based on these elements.

4. Read 
Have students read the article, marking the text to note key ideas or questions.

5. Discuss
Distribute or project Up Close: Footwork and Faith, a close-reading activity for students to work on in small groups. (Note: The questions on the PDF also appear on the following page of this lesson, with possible responses.) Follow up with a class discussion. If you’re short on time, have each group tackle one or two of the questions. Collect students’ work or have each group report its findings to the class.

• What are the most important ideas of the first section of the article? Who is Lina Boussaha and how does her story represent those ideas? (Central ideas, key details)(The first section of the article discusses the challenges that observant Muslim female professional soccer players in France face when they decide that they want to wear a hijab during games, which is not allowed according to French rules, even though FIFA and international rules permit it. Lina Boussaha is a professional soccer player who, despite her wish to, was not permitted to wear her hijab during games.) 

• The article opens with Boussaha being happy to receive head scarves with Nike logos. Why is this detail important? What do the head scarves represent? (Key details, analyzing symbols)(This detail is important because it highlights the fact that Boussaha is not only able to play professional soccer while wearing a hijab but also that a major sportswear company makes hijabs for that purpose. The head scarves represent a merging of Boussaha’s career with her religious beliefs.)

• What is the purpose of the section “A Thirst to Succeed”? How do the ideas introduced in this section relate to the other sections of the article? (Author’s purpose, text structure)(The purpose of the section is to describe Boussaha’s talent as a young player, the determination that led to her to play professionally, the spiritual awakening that made her want to wear a hijab, and the fact that her decision ended her career in France. This section relates to the previous section because it describes in greater detail the central ideas introduced in that section. It relates to the next section because, by describing her talent, the section gives the reader a better sense of why her having to move was a loss for France.)

• In “A Thirst to Succeed,” Pierre-Yves Bodineau calls Boussaha’s hijab “a piece of fabric.” How would you describe his tone? What can you infer from his words about how he feels about France’s policy? (Analyze tone, make inferences)(Bodineau’s tone is disdainful. His characterization of the hijab as “a piece of fabric” reminds the reader that it is a simple piece of clothing that the authorities in France object to, which has led to the loss of a talented player. The reader can infer that Bodineau probably does not agree with France’s policy on prohibiting players from wearing hijabs and that he might feel that its policy is silly and self-destructive.) 

• Summarize the “In France, Keep Your Religion to Yourself” text box. How does this information contribute to your understanding of the overall article? (Summarize, synthesizing)(The text box describes the history of how France came to be a secular nation, defines its version of secularism (called laïcité) as “keeping public life free of religious expression,” contrasts it with America’s secularism, and briefly describes the disagreements over the policy. This information helps the reader understand the reasoning behind France’s rules about hijabs as well as the controversy around the issue.) 

• How was Boussaha able to keep playing soccer? Based on the final section, do you think this resolution was the best solution to the problem Boussaha faced? Explain. (Key details, evaluating) (Boussaha moved to Saudi Arabia so that she could wear the hijab and play professional soccer. Students’ reactions to this resolution will vary. Some may argue that the best resolution, based on quotes from the article, would be France changing its policy or Boussaha not wearing her hijab. Others may note how happy Boussaha seems to feel in her new country.)

6. Writing Prompt
France’s policy of laïcité preserves social harmony by restricting public religious expressions. Do you agree with this policy? Take a stand in a brief opinion essay. 

7. Slideshow
Watch the slideshow about Muslim veils. What does it add to your understanding?

8. Classroom Debate
Should professional athletes be required to keep religious expression separate from their sport?

9. Quiz & Skills
Use the quiz to assess comprehension and the Analyze the Photo skill sheet to practice visual analysis.