Ratting: Betraying or informing on friends.

Telling: Informing or making something known.

Do your students know the difference between ratting and telling?

Reporting bullying does not implicate the reporter; rather, it addresses the bully’s actions. Bullies often intimidate witnesses and deflect blame by labeling reports as “ratting.” Therefore, students require instruction on when and how to report bullying, differentiating between reporting (telling) and inappropriate betrayal (ratting). Exercise: The attached PDF presents fictional scenarios. Please distribute a worksheet to each student for individual completion, followed by a class discussion emphasizing the distinction between tattling and reporting.