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Lesson ideas

What's real and what's not?
Assessing refugee facts and myths

Students examine the language used in the media to describe refugees.
Myths and misnomers are presented. Students identify how and why they are spread as facts.
Students identify where refugees go and the countries that support them.

Using the internet sites suggested, students gain awareness of the refugee issue on a world scale, focusing on language used in the media and the myths that are often spread regarding refugees and asylum seekers. Starting with students' understanding of the term 'refugee' we look at how we gain an understanding of this issue and from where we build our knowledge of issues and events.

1. In groups of 3 or 4 students write the word 'refugee' in the centre of a piece of paper. Together students brainstorm other words associated with the word 'refugee'. They should aim to contribute positive and negative terms. Also ask students to make a list of people, places and types of media where they may have seen or heard these words used. Combine all vocabulary from the class and discuss the similarities and differences on each group's sheet.
   • Why might different people have different words on their lists?
   • From where have students gained most of their knowledge of current affairs and the refugee issue? (Consider the attitudes of family and friends, the images and language used by the media in advertising and news broadcasts.)
   • Ask students to reflect on each other's responses and to consider how the composer of these texts influences our understanding of each term. Make a list of the most influential people in students' life: parents, media, friends and teachers. Whose opinion do we value most? Why might we accept one person's opinion over another?
2. Handout: Fact or Myth
   • As a class look at the Handout Fact or Myth and discuss the three statements on the sheet and other statements that students may have heard or read about refugees. Make sure that students are familiar with the term 'fact' and 'myth'.
   • Students add statements to the three on the sheet and discuss whether students think they are facts or myths.
3. Engage students in discussion:
   • How are these myths created and continued in our society? (through media hype including persuasive language; emphasis on personal aspect of a story; use of elaborate descriptions of the more dramatic components of the story; inaccuracies; lack of research - ignorance, single perspective, oversimplification)
   • What impact might these myths have on peoples' attitudes to refugees living in their community? Why do you think many Australians are prepared to accept myths as facts? (easier to justify prejudice or racist comments; someone to blame for personal difficulties i.e scapegoat; fear; threat of losing what is perceived to be his/hers).
   • Using the Face the facts booklet or http://www.humanrights.gov.au/racial_discrimination/face_facts/refugee.html published by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, ask students to write down whether the statements on the handout are facts or myths.
   • Visit the Doctors Without Borders Refugee Camp Exhibit. Ask students to read through the pages on the site until they come to the map showing the countries and regions that are hosting more than 50,000 refugees. Discuss the issue as a world wide problem, highlighting the numbers of people in need. Compare the number of refugees in developing countries to those seeking refuge in developed countries. Why do the Australian media highlight the arrival of refugees to Australia rather than those seeking refuge all around the world?

1. Using current newspapers and other media, ask students to look through the pages / program websites for articles about refugees, asylum seekers, illegal arrivals, migrants etc. Ask students to write down examples of the unique language used to describe them and their journey. Ask students to state whether this language is positive or negative and the overall tone of the text.
2. Ask students to find the answers to the following questions from 'Who is a refugee' taken from http: //www.humanrights.gov.au/racial_discrimination/face_facts/refugee.html
   • What is the difference between refugees and migrants?
   • How many refugees are there world - wide?
   • Which country hosts the majority of refugees?
   • Where do most refugees come from?
   • What is the name of the organization that assesses whether a person is classified as a refugee under international law?
3. Essay question:
   How does the language chosen by the composer of a media text shape our understanding of both the physical and inner journey experienced by those who flee their homeland in search of freedom, peace and refuge? Base your discussion on at least three different types of media texts.
   

http://www.humanrights.gov.au/info_for_teachers/face_facts/index.html Information for teachers
http://www.humanrights.gov.au/racial_discrimination/face_facts/refugee.html Face the facts

Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
http://www.humanrights.gov.au/racial_discrimination/face_facts/refugee.html Face the facts