Case study: St Cyres School

Refugees and Asylum Seekers

WBQ components
PSE Element 1, Key issue 3 (Advanced Level)

Key Skills opportunities
Communication (level 3)

Aim


To introduce students to the concepts of refugees and asylum seekers.

Objectives


Students should gain knowledge and understanding of:

  • International rights and responsibilities
  • The impact on individuals and communities
  • Gaps between some myths and fact.

Time


Two sessions of one hour each. However, this activity is very flexible.

Activities


Session 1
Introductory PowerPoint presentation followed by a discussion on refugee issues. (Approx. one hour)

Session 2
Role-play activity - Border Control. 6 Students are given pen portraits of individual asylum seekers. They study these and assume the roles. The rest of the group act either as immigration officials or members of a local community. While the 'asylum seekers' study their portraits, the other groups frame a set of common questions for each and a list of factors on which to give each asylum seeker a points score. Once the first part of the activity is completed the asylum seekers are given the decision and the reasons for it.

Resources


General information and material on which to base asylum seeker portraits can be found on the Internet:

Guardian Unlimited Special Report: Refugees in Britain
Thanet Refugee Access: http://margate.pampaproduction.com/

Activate on Line citizenship resources from Nelson Thornes publishers:
http://www.nelsonthornes.com/secondary/citizenship/activate/o1_activity3.html

Similar border control activity resource produced by Amnesty International can be found at:
www.amnesty.org.uk/education/refugeewk/roleplay.pdf


Students can develop their skills and evidence can be generated.

  • Discussion: On refugee issues following the introduction, or issues surrounding asylum seekers following the role play.
  • Presentation: Students could be set the task of producing a PowerPoint presentation on Refugees and asylum seekers to introduce the topic.
  • Reading and synthesising: written assignment and notes produced by students in preparation for or in conclusion to the activity.
  • Students could produce a written report on asylum seekers in Wales (1,000 words) and produce a substantial leaflet resource for use in PSE lessons by younger students.











































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