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UNIT TOPIC/ TITLE: REFUGEES AND ASYLUM SEEKERS

YEAR LEVEL: 6/7

TIME FRAME: 10 WEEKS

RATIONALE

The topic of refugees and asylum seekers is topical and important as the attitudes of

individuals and the policies of governments in relation to refugees and asylum seekers have

a profound effect on the lives of many people. Prejudiced and uninformed attitudes towards

refugees and asylum seekers can cause emotional harm to people seeking asylum in

Australia, promote racism and undermine social cohesion. It is therefore important that

students understand the varied and complex reasons why people seek asylum in Australia

and the effect of government policies and community attitudes on people seeking asylum.

Refugees and asylum seekers feature prominently in current media coverage and it is

important that students become aware of the role that the media plays in shaping public

opinion. This unit of work will help students to become informed and globally-aware citizens

who are able to critically analyse information portrayed in the media for evidence of prejudice

and/or misrepresentation or stereotyping of individuals or groups of people. Additionally, it is

hoped that students will come to understand their role in promoting empathy, tolerance and

respect in their communities and the power that they have as members of a democratic

society to influence government policies about refugees and asylum seekers, thus leading to

the betterment of society.

AIM

To encourage students to think rationally and ethically for themselves about the topic of

refugees and asylum seekers and the effects of prejudice and misinformation in media

coverage and individual and community attitudes.

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GUIDING QUESTIONS

Empirical: Why do people seek asylum in Australia?

Ethical: Does Australia have a responsibility to accept refugees?

EMPIRICAL UNDERSTANDINGS

The terms ‘asylum seeker’ and ‘refugee’ have clearly defined definitions under international

law and are not interchangeable. Students must understand the clear distinction between

these two terms. An asylum seeker is someone who is seeking international protection but

whose claim for refugee status has not yet been determined (Phillips 2011). A refugee, on

the other hand, ‘is someone who is outside his or her own country and cannot return due to

a well-founded fear of persecution because of his or her race, religion, nationality,

membership of a particular social group or political opinion’ (Australian Human Rights

Commission 2012).

Globally, there are an estimated 15.2 million refugees and 983,000 asylum seekers (Phillips

2011). People become displaced from their homelands for a number of reasons including

war, ethnic, tribal and religious violence, or political persecution. Less than 1 per cent of

these refugees are resettled each year (UNHCR, cited in Phillips 2011, p. 5). Currently,

Australia accepts around 13,000 refugees each year.

Different mechanisms have been established to deal with ‘authorised arrivals’ – people who

arrive in Australia with a valid visa – and ‘non-authorised arrivals’ – people who arrive in

Australia without a valid visa (Australian Human Rights Commission 2012). People who

arrive with a valid visa can apply to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship for a

Protection Visa and, after undergoing successful health, character and security checks, can

remain in Australia as permanent residents (Australian Human Rights Commission 2012).

On the other hand, people who arrive in Australia without a valid visa are held in off-shore

detention centres in Nauru or Papua New Guinea while their asylum claims are processed.

Policies regarding unauthorised arrivals (in particular, those who arrive by boat) have been

subject to intense public debate and recently, a ‘no-advantage’ policy was introduced to

discourage people travelling to Australia by boat.

The 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol are the

principal global legal instruments responsible for defining and protecting the rights of

refugees. They clearly describe the criteria required for a person to be granted refugee

status, explicate the legal protection, assistance and rights a refugee is entitled to receive,


and clarify the obligations of both refugees and host nations. Australia is one of 145

countries to have ratified the 1951 Convention. Some of the rights afforded to refugees in

the Convention include:

- The right not to be expelled, except under certain, strictly defined conditions (Article 32)

- The right to education (Article 22)

- The right to freedom of religion (Article 4)

- The right not to be returned to a country where he or she faces serious threats to his or

her life or freedom (Article 33)

In addition to these and other rights stipulated in the 1951 Convention and its 1967 Protocol,

all people have the right to seek asylum, in accordance with Article 14 of the 1948 Universal

declaration of human rights.

Newly-settled refugees may experience a variety of difficulties integrating into Australian life.

For example, refugees may:

- Have difficulty communicating in English for school, work, or social purposes

- Have missed large periods of schooling because of conflict in their homeland and/or

because they have spent long periods of time living in refugee camps

- Have emotional and/or psychological scars because of experiences in refugee camps or

their home countries

- Experience racism and/or prejudice (in particular, because of negative stereotypes

perpetuated in media coverage about ‘boat people’)


ASSESSMENT

Curriculum links:This unit of work links to both the SACSA curriculum (Society and Environment learning

area) and the Australian curriculum (English learning area) for students in Years 6 and 7.

Below I have listed the SACSA Standards (at Standard 3) and ACARA Content Descriptions

(at Year 7) that are covered in this unit.

SACSA: Society and Environment (Standard 3)Strand: place, space and environment

3.7 Considers factors which contribute to personal and group identity and social cohesion,

and valuing cultural diversity within and outside Australia. [Id] [In] [T] [KC1] Examples of evidence include that the student:

shows awareness of and appraises strategies used to incite prejudice against others, and ways to

detect, avoid and counter such influences [Id] [T] [KC1] [KC6]

acknowledges injustices to be overcome in Australia and elsewhere, and describes possible strategies

for themselves and others, including governments, to achieve these with respect and dignity for all

Australians. [F] [KC6]

3.8 Learns from rural and urban Aboriginal peoples and other minorities about their histories

and present day experiences, and acts to counter prejudice. [F] [T] [C] Examples of evidence include that the student:

appraises the effects of derogatory language on any people, and suggests and reports on strategies to

counter derogatory language and prejudice. [F] [T] [C] [KC1] [KC2] [KC6]

3.9 Demonstrates responsible and respectful participation in group discussion and, in a

team, plans and negotiates social action to enhance human rights in community contexts.

[In] [T] [C] [KC2] [KC3] [KC4]

Strand: social systems3.12 Recognises that individuals, groups or systems hold different views, values and beliefs,

and identifies those which contribute to the common good. [In] [T] [C] [KC1] Examples of evidence include that the student:

identifies and articulates a school or community issue or problem on which people hold different views

(eg ways to resolve disputes) [T] [C] [KC2] [KC6]

analyses how views held reveal the values of the people who hold them, and argues which views

contribute to the social good (eg peaceful conflict resolution as compared with violence). [F] [In] [T] [C]

[KC1] [KC2]


Australian Curriculum: English (Year 7)Strand: Literature

Compare the ways that language and images are used to create character, and to influence

emotions and opinions in different types of texts (ACELT1621)

Strand: Literacy

Use interaction skills when discussing and presenting ideas and information, selecting body

language, voice qualities and other elements, (for example music and sound) to add interest

and meaning (ACELY1804)

Methods of Assessment

Teacher observation of ethical discussionsThe teacher will observe and evaluate students’ participation in ethical discussions

throughout the unit of work. Informal notes will be taken by the teacher during these

discussions regarding students’ ability to participate appropriately and respectfully. In

addition, an ‘Observation/evaluation instrument for ethical discussions’ (see Appendix 1) will

be used for more formal assessment of student participation.

Analysis of student researchStudents’ written responses to research questions presented in Lesson 4 provide an

opportunity to assess some of the empirical understandings developed in the unit.

Assessment will be based on two factors:

1. Accuracy of student answers and;

2. Observation of student research skills (ability to work independently; and

demonstration of effective and appropriate research skills)


SEQUENCE OF IDEAS / LESSONS

Lesson Lesson focus/guiding question Aim1 Introduction to unit To introduce the topic of refugees/asylum

seekers and determine students’ prior knowledge

2 Duties and rights To explore the concept of ‘human rights’ and to consider whether refugees/asylum seekers have the right to come to Australia

3 Why do people become refugees? To understand the complex and varied reasons why people become refugees

4 What is the extent and seriousness of the problem globally?

To understand some of the key statistics and other facts relating to refugee/asylum seeker movement worldwide

5 Should we help? To understand Australia’s current approach to dealing with ‘boat arrivals’ and to consider what responsibility Australia has to help those in need

6 What would it be like to live in a refugee camp?

To explore what it would be like to live in a refugee camp

7 Can ends justify means? To consider whether or not refugees are justified in attempting to enter Australia without valid documentation

8 What role do the media play in shaping public opinion about refugees and asylum seekers?

To understand the power of language and to help students to become informed, critical citizens who are able to analyze media reports for bias, prejudice, or stereotyping

9 What difficulties might refugees face when they arrive in Australia?

To understand the difficulties that refugees encounter adjusting to a new country and culture

10 What is our role? To consider what we can do to help refugees and asylum seekers and to summarise what students have learnt through this unit

The unit plan will apply elements of the ETHIC model (Knight & Collins, cited in Knight 2011) to help

students to ‘discover, be explicit about and practice applying the procedures of ethical decision making’

(Collins 2011). At the bottom of each lesson plan I have provided a brief description of how this lesson plan

develops elements of the ETHIC model.


1: Introduction to Unit

Resources: Post-it notes

Phillips, J 2011, Asylum seekers and refugees: what are the facts?, Parliament of Australia, Department of Parliamentary Services, viewed 25 October 2012, <http://www.aph.gov.au/binaries/library/pubs/bn/sp/asylumfacts.pdf>.

UNHCR 2011, The 1951 Convention relating to the status of refugees and its 1967 Protocol, viewed 30 October 2012, <http://www.unhcr.org/4ec262df9.html>.

Introduce topic of unit: refugees and asylum seekers.

Divide class into small groups of 5-6. Give one pad of post-it notes to each group. Ask

students to write down everything that they know about refugees and/or asylum seekers on

the post-it notes (one fact per post-it note). Once students have finished brainstorming, stick

post-it notes on the whiteboard and, as a class, classify these into different categories.

Read to the class the following definitions for the words ‘refugee’ and ‘asylum seeker’.

A refugee is a person who: ‘owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for

reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or

political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable to, or owing to

such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country…’ (UNHCR

2011).

An asylum seeker is someone who is seeking international protection but whose

claim for refugee status has not yet been determined (Phillips 2011, p. 2).

Help students to construct simplified ‘class definitions’ for these words. Record the definitions

on paper and display in a visible place within the classroom.


2: Duties and rights

Resources:Lipman, M & Sharp, A 1985, ‘Duties and rights’, in Ethical inquiry: instructional manual to accompany Lisa, 2nd edn, University Press of America, Lanham, MD.

Discussion Plan: ‘Duties and rights' (adapted from Lipman & Sharp 1985).

Did you ask to be born? Do you know anyone who did?

Did you ask to be born in Australia? Do you know anyone who did?

Do your parents owe you food and clothing and shelter?

Do you have a right to share in your family’s meals?

Would your parents have the right to eat all the food and leave none for you?

Do children have a right to be protected against kidnapping?

Do children have a right to be protected against starvation? Malnourishment?

Do children have a right to an education?

Do you think children have a right to privacy?

Do you think children have a right to form their own opinions about their favourite sporting

teams? About their favourite books? About their favourite countries?

Do you think children have a right to their own friends?

Do you think that all children have the rights that you have?

Do you think that all children should have the rights that you have?

Are there any situations where people shouldn’t have these rights?

Do you think asylum seekers and refugees have a right to come to Australia?

Do you think they should have this right?

Do you think that the Australian government should have the right to determine who can and

who can’t come to Australia?

ETHIC model:This lesson develops the ‘Thinking’ element of the ETHIC model (Knight & Collins, cited in

Knight 2011). Students will be encouraged to use logical reasoning to determine whether

rights do (or should) exist in a variety of circumstances.


3: Why do people become refugees?

Resources: Printed case studies of refugees (see Appendix 2)

UNHCR 2011, The 1951 Convention relating to the status of refugees and its 1967 Protocol, viewed 30 October 2012, <http://www.unhcr.org/4ec262df9.html>.

As an introduction to this lesson, ask students to brainstorm reasons why people move

houses in Australia. Record responses on the board in two columns: voluntary and

involuntary reasons. Use this table to explain the difference between a refugee and a migrant

(migrants voluntarily move to a new country, while refugees are forced to move for various

reasons). The UNHCR provides the following explanation.

Refugees are forced to flee because of a threat of persecution and because they lack

the protection of their own country. A migrant, in comparison, may leave his or her

country for many reasons that are not related to persecution, such as for the

purposes of employment, family reunification or study. A migrant continues to enjoy

the protection of his or her own government, even when abroad (UNHCR 2011).

Ask students to brainstorm reasons why a refugee/asylum seeker might leave his/her home

country.

Divide class into small groups and hand each group one ‘case study’ of a refugee (see

Appendix 2). Direct students to read their case study with a focus on the following questions:

1. Where did this person come from?

2. Why did they move?

3. What steps were involved in moving to Australia?

Get groups to summarise their case study to the class (using the three questions listed

above as a guide). Based on students’ sharing, collate a list of reasons why people become

refugees. Ensure that the following reasons are included:

- War (including civil war),

- Ethnic, tribal and religious violence

- Political persecution

- Famine and poverty (usually in combination with one or more of the above reasons)


ETHIC model:This lesson incorporates a number of elements of the ETHIC model (Knight & Collins, cited

in Knight 2011). Students should begin to recognise suffering as a basis for ethical

judgement and take into account the circumstances leading to people seeking asylum in

Australia.


4: What is the extent and seriousness of the problem globally?

Resources: Computers

Provide students with the following scenario:

Imagine that you are the new government Minister for Immigration and Citizenship. One of

your main roles is to create government policies for refugees and asylum seekers. This is a

very important and often controversial area of policy because the decisions that you make

impact a wide range of people both here and overseas. New government Ministers have to

take part in lots and lots of radio and television interviews so it’s important that you know

your stuff! It’s time to do some research! Using the internet, find answers to the following

questions about refugees and asylum seekers.

1. How many refugees are there currently around the world?

2. How many people are currently seeking refugee status (i.e. how many asylum

seekers are there around the world)?

3. How many refugees does Australia accept each year?

4. From which countries do most refugees come?

5. What are the top 5 refugee hosting countries?

6. What are the main modes of transport that refugees/asylum seekers use to get to

Australia?

7. What percentage of refugees/asylum seekers arrive by boat?

8. According to the 1948 Universal declaration of human rights, who has the right to

seek asylum?

9. List 5 rights of refugees that are given in the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status

of Refugees. Record these rights in your own words.

10. What is the current Australian policy for dealing with refugees and asylum seekers

who arrive by boat?

Varying levels of scaffolding will need to be given to students depending on their previous

experience of conducting independent research. The following websites may be useful:

- http://www.humanrights.gov.au/racial_discrimination/face_facts/

chap3.html#Heading1217

- http://www.racismnoway.com.au/teaching-resources/factsheets/24.html


ETHIC model:This lesson develops the ‘Information’ element of the ETHIC model (Knight & Collins, cited in

Knight 2011). Students will develop an understanding some of the important facts regarding

refugees and asylum seekers. Whilst this lesson does not engage students in ethical

discussion or decision-making, it lays a foundation upon which informed discussions can

take place later in the unit.


5: Should we help?

Resources:Bazley, N 2012, Asylum plan, video, Behind the News, 21 August, viewed 30 October 2012, <http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3571587.htm>.

Lipman, M & Sharp, A 1985, Ethical inquiry: instructional manual to accompany Lisa, 2nd edn, University Press of America, Lanham, MD.

Watch Behind the News, ‘Asylum plan’ video as a stimulus for ethical discussion.

Discussion Plan: ‘Should we help?’ (adapted from Lipman & Sharp 1985).

When you get hurt, do you feel pain?

When your friend gets hurt, do you feel your friend’s pain?

If your answer to the last question is that you can’t feel your friend’s pain, does this mean

you think your friend isn’t in pain?

If a person who is a stranger to you is injured, is it likely that that person is in pain?

Is the stranger’s pain more like your friend’s pain is to your friend or more like your pain is to

you?

If you accidentally knocked a stranger over and injured them, should you help them?

If the stranger got angry and yelled at you, should you still help them?

If a person wants to come to Australia to get away from a dangerous situation in their home

country, do we have a responsibility to help them?

If someone has come to Australia without valid documentation (e.g. passport, visa etc.), do

they still deserve to be helped?

Are there times when people have no choice but to leave their home country? If so, when?

Do you think Australia’s system of dealing with asylum seekers is fair? Why/why not?

ETHIC model:This lesson incorporates several elements of the ETHIC model. In particular, students will be

encouraged to take circumstances into account when making ethical decisions and should

begin to consider the ‘common capacities for harm’ by ‘imagining what it would be like to be

in another’s place’ (Knight 2011).


6: What would it be like to live in a refugee camp?

Resources: Computers

Photos (printed or displayed on IWB) from refugee camps (see Appendix 3)

CBC n.d., Anatomy of a refugee camp, viewed 1 November 2012, <http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/refugeecamp/refugees/refugee.html>.

UNHCR 1991, Refugee children around the world, Longman Cheshire, Melbourne, Victoria.

Explain to students that a refugee camp is a shelter for people who have been displaced

from their home and are, a) seeking resettlement or, b) are waiting to return to their home

once it is safe to do so.

Activity: ‘Living in a refugee camp’ (adapted from UNHCR 1991).

Ask students to close their eyes and imagine their home.

1. Take out all of the furniture, except a few old blankets, a single chair and a cooking

pot.

2. Throw away all your favourite possessions: your toys, the TV, your computer.

3. Take away all the clothing, except for your oldest pair of shorts and one tee-shirt.

4. Empty all the food from the cupboards and refrigerator. Wait in a queue for a daily

ration of rice, flour, skimmed milk and tea. Go to bed feeling hungry.

5. Dismantle the bathroom, turn off the water and disconnect the electrical wiring. The

nearest tap is used by two hundred people and is half a kilometre away. You have an

old metal bucket to carry water.

6. Pull down the house and use what you can find – sticks, plastic sheeting, mud and

stones – to build a makeshift shelter.

7. Take away the nearest clinic or hospital. Replace it with one tent and a doctor.

Encourage students to discuss their feelings. Explain to students that some refugees stay

living in camps like this for many years as they wait to be resettled to a safe place like

Australia, or return to their homes once it is safe to do so.

Divide class into pairs. Give students time to explore the ‘Anatomy of a refugee camp’

website. Ask students to take notes in response to the following questions:


- What (in your opinion) would be the three most difficult things about living in a

refugee camp?

- What surprised you about the refugee camp?

Show students a series of photos from refugee camps to stimulate discussion (see Appendix

3). Use the following questions to guide a discussion about the experience of living in a

refugee camp:

- What does your house look like? How does it compare to the ‘houses’ or tents that

people live in in refugee camps?

- What is your favourite food? What types of food are served in refugee camps? Does

this food sound appetizing?

- If you had to flee your home, and you could only take what you could carry, what

would you bring? (Remember that many refugees have to walk incredible distances

to reach safety).

ETHIC model:This lesson develops the ‘Equal consideration’ element of the ETHIC model (Knight &

Collins, cited in Knight 2011). Students will be encouraged to imagine what it would be like to

live in a refugee camp and thus recognise ‘common capacities for harm’ (Knight 2011).


7: Can ends justify means?

Resources:Lipman, M & Sharp, A 1985, Ethical inquiry: instructional manual to accompany Lisa, 2nd

edn, University Press of America, Lanham, MD.

Discussion Plan: ‘Can ends justify means?’ (adapted from Lipman & Sharp 1985).

Is it ever true that “the end justifies the means”? When people remark that “the end justifies

the means”, they may be saying that, in certain cases, their goal or objective (end) may seem

so overwhelmingly important to them as to warrant using any means in order to obtain it. On

this interpretation, any behaviour, no matter how odious or unscrupulous, can be justified if it

is a means to the desired end. But another interpretation of the expression, “the end justifies

the means” is much less sinister; according to this interpretation, when we are asked for our

reason for using a given means, we simply cite the end or purpose we have in mind. Finally,

in discussing this matter, it should be kept in mind that, whenever someone remarks, “the

end justifies the means”, we should be prepared to ask: “Do you mean, regardless of other

consequences, or do you mean having taken other consequences into account?” The two

situations are very different.

Discuss the following remarks:

1. Getting rid of the roaches in the pantry is a top priority matter with me, so I’m putting roach

powder in all the food. That’ll get ‘em! The end justifies the means.

2. I want that One Direction CD so bad that I’ll save all my allowance money until I get it. The

end justifies the means.

3. The auto industry is the backbone of this country’s economy. We should be willing to put

up with the inconvenience of the carbon monoxide. The end justifies the means.

4. There’s nothing so evil as war. But the only way to put an end to war is by getting rid of our

enemies. That’s what we’ve got to do, fight a war to end war! The end justifies the means.

5. There are their spies in our country and our spies in their country. But we’re going to

uncover their spies, even if we have to set up a police state and spy on everyone’s private

activities in order to do it. The end justifies the means.

6. Freedom is a value so desirable that, if people don’t want to be free, we’ve simply got to

force them to be free. The end justifies the means.

7. Protection of Australia’s borders is so important that we should do anything to protect it,

even if this means turning away genuine refugees. The end justifies the means.


8. Freedom from war, violence, persecution or poverty is vitally important. Asylum seekers

have every right to leave their families and pay money to travel on rickety boats in the

chance of finding freedom in Australia. The end justifies the means.

ETHIC model:This lesson develops the ‘Thinking’ element of the ETHIC model (Knight & Collins, cited in

Knight 2011). Students will be encouraged to use logical reasoning to determine whether the

end justifies the means in a variety of scenarios.


8: What role do the media play in shaping public opinion about refugees and asylum seekers?

Resources:Printed media reports about refugees/asylum seekers

UNHCR n.d., What’s the difference?, viewed 20 October 2012, <http://www.unhcr.org.au/pdfs/140603LegoA2Posters.pdf>.

Show students the UNHCR Lego poster: ‘What’s the difference?’ (see Appendix 4). Ask

students if they have ever heard these words used to describe refugees and/or asylum

seekers. Emphasize to students the power of word choices.

Explain that information in the media can be biased: some voices may be amplified while

others may be silenced. Divide class into pairs or groups of three. Hand each pair/group a

printed media report about refugees/asylum seekers (select a range of recent positive and

negative media reports prior to conducting this lesson). Ask students to analyse the media

report that they have been given using the following questions as guidance:

- Does this report encourage positive or negative attitudes to refugees/asylum

seekers?

- Do you think this report is accurate and/or fair? (Does it present both sides of the

debate?)

- What words have been used to describe refugees/asylum seekers in this report?

As a class, construct a list of different words used in media reports to describe

refugees/asylum seekers. Words might include:

- Boat people, illegal aliens, unauthorised arrivals, queue jumpers, illegal immigrants,

genuine refugees, unauthorised immigrants, detainees, prisoners and/or terrorists.

Record the words on the board in two categories: positive words and negative words.

Facilitate a class discussion using the following questions as guidance:

- How do these words make you feel?

- Given what you’ve learnt about refugees and asylum seekers, do you think it is fair to

use these words to describe refugees and asylum seekers? Why/why not?


ETHIC model:This lesson develops the ‘Information’ element of the ETHIC model (Knight & Collins, cited in

Knight 2011). Students will consider information they have previously learnt about asylum

seekers and refugees to determine whether or not media portrayals of asylum seekers and

refugees are fair.


9: What difficulties might refugees face when they arrive in Australia?

Resources:Holbrook, M 2011, Refugee kids, video, Behind the News, 21 May, viewed 30 October 2012, <http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3230871.htm>.

The State of South Australia, Department of Education and Children’s Services 2007, Count me in!: a resource to support ESL students with refugee experience in schools, viewed 3 October 2012, <http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/literacy/files/links/Count_me_in.pdf>.

Prior to conducting this lesson, learn how to ask the question ‘What difficulties might

refugees face when they arrive in Australia?’ in another, foreign language. Introduce the

lesson in this foreign language in order to stimulate student thought about the ‘language

challenge’ that non-English speaking refugees face.

Ask students, in pairs, to brainstorm with their partner the types of challenges that they would

face if they had to move to a new country.

Divide class in half. Give half of the class copies of the story of ‘Radhia’ and the other half

copies of the story of ‘Moses’ to read (these stories are available in the ‘Count me in!’

resource). After students have read these stories, ask them to identify the difficulties that

Radhia and Moses faced (respectively) upon arriving in Australia. Facilitate a whole-class

discussion about the difficulties that refugees and asylum seekers may face. Record

difficulties on paper and display this list in the classroom. Encourage students to make

connections with their own experiences. Use the following questions as prompts:

- How easy or difficult would it be to start at a new school in Australia?

- What difficulties might you face?

- Who has experienced moving to a new school? How did you feel on your first day?

- Who has experienced moving to a new house? How easy or difficult was it to get to

know your new neighbors? How much harder would it be if everyone around your

new house spoke in another language?

Encourage students to consider the role that they could play in making it easier for refugees

to settle into Australian life. Examples might include:

- Taking an interest in and being accepting of new students

- Encouraging others to accept new and ‘different’ classmates


To conclude lesson, watch Behind the News clip, ‘Refugee Kids’.

ETHIC model:This lesson develops the ‘Equal consideration’ element of the ETHIC model (Knight &

Collins, cited in Knight 2011). Students will be encouraged to reflect on their own

experiences of moving (to a new house or school) and imagine what it would be like for

refugees to move to a new country.


10: What is our role?

Conduct a whole-class discussion to conclude the unit of work and to encourage students to

think about their role in the refugee/asylum seeker debate. Return to the guiding questions to

stimulate discussion:

- Why do people seek asylum in Australia?

- Does Australia have a responsibility to accept refugees?

- How can we apply what we have learned? What can we do to help refugees and asylum

seekers? Encourage students to see that they can:

- Use the knowledge that they have gained to inform friends and family about the

difficulties that refugees and asylum seekers experience: to encourage understanding

and empathy

- Be friendly and welcoming to newly-settled refugees in their local community

(encourage students to see how they might apply this attitude to welcoming any new

student in their school)

- Contact their local MP to engage them in discussions about the role of Australia in

accepting refugees and helping newly-settled refugees


References

Australian Human Rights Commission 2012, Face the facts (2012), viewed 30 October 2012,

<http://www.humanrights.gov.au/racial_discrimination/face_facts/chap3.html>.

Bazley, N 2012, Asylum plan, video, Behind the News, 21 August, viewed 30 October 2012,

<http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3571587.htm>.

CBC n.d., Anatomy of a refugee camp, viewed 1 November 2012,

<http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/refugeecamp/refugees/refugee.html>.

Collins, C 2011, EDUC 2007: The classroom community of enquiry lecture notes, University

of South Australia, Adelaide, 29 August.

Holbrook, M 2011, Refugee kids, video, Behind the News, 21 May, viewed 30 October 2012,

<http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3230871.htm>.

Knight, S 2011, EDUC 2007: Dealing with ethical questions in S&E/History/Geography

lecture notes, University of South Australia, Adelaide, 22 August.

Lipman, M & Sharp, A 1985, Ethical inquiry: instructional manual to accompany Lisa, 2nd

edn, University Press of America, Lanham, MD.

Phillips, J 2011, Asylum seekers and refugees: what are the facts?, Parliament of Australia,

Department of Parliamentary Services, viewed 25 October 2012,

<http://www.aph.gov.au/binaries/library/pubs/bn/sp/asylumfacts.pdf>.

The State of South Australia, Department of Education and Children’s Services 2007, Count

me in!: a resource to support ESL students with refugee experience in schools, viewed 3

October 2012, <http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/literacy/files/links/Count_me_in.pdf>.

UNHCR 2011, The 1951 Convention relating to the status of refugees and its 1967 Protocol,

viewed 30 October 2012, <http://www.unhcr.org/4ec262df9.html>.

UNHCR 1991, Refugee children around the world, Longman Cheshire, Melbourne, Victoria.


UNHCR n.d., What’s the difference?, viewed 20 October 2012,

<http://www.unhcr.org.au/pdfs/140603LegoA2Posters.pdf>.


Appendix 1

Observation/evaluation instrument for ethical discussionsName of student:

Skills and attitude Comments: Yes/No

Skills of Inquiry:Shows sensitivity to context in discussion

Shows openness to new ideas

Skills of logical reasoning:Displays consistency when developing a point of

view

Able to express ideas coherently

Skills of dialogue:Able to paraphrase another’s ideas

Able to build upon another’s ideas

Discusses issues with objectivity

Able to listen attentively

Accepts correction by peers willingly

Attitude:Shows respect for members of the community of

inquiry

Adapted from The Hutchins School Philosophical and Ethical Inquiry Program


Appendix 2

Sourced from: http://www.amnesty.org.au/refugees/comments/24448

Sourced from: http://www.amnesty.org.au/refugees/comments/24530/


Sourced from: http://www.amnesty.org.au/refugees/comments/24447

Sourced from: http://www.worldvision.com.au/Libraries/School_Resources/The_refugee_journey.pdf


Appendix 3

^ Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya.Sourced from: http://alws.s3.amazonaws.com/New%20ALWS%20Web%20Site/Discover%20More/Schools/Awareness%20Week%202011%20-%20Burundi%20and%20Sudan/Photos%20%26%20Questions/Refugees/Refugee%20Camp.pdf

^ A woman has her ration card checked at the Ifo refugee camp in Dadaab, Kenya.Sourced from: http://www.globaleducation.edu.au/3306.html


^ Children push and shove in a scramble to get food at a refugee camp in Mardan, in northwest Pakistan. Sourced from: http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/photos/2009/05/022183.html

^ Local residents carry their belongings as they flee Mingora, the main town of Pakistan's troubled Swat Valley.Sourced from: http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/photos/2009/05/022183.html

^ Ifo Refugee Camp in Dadaab, Kenya.Sourced from: http://www.worldvision.com.au/Libraries/School_Resources/The_refugee_journey.pdfAppendix 4


Sourced from: http://www.unhcr.org/4a5466e92.html


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