Teaching ideas

WHO IS A REFUGEE

Lesson 2: Myths and facts

Learning outcome

Participants will be able to identify the difference between myths and facts when discussing asylum seekers and refugees.

Lesson resources

Step 1. Brainstorm

Ask students to brainstorm a list of comments about refugees and asylum seekers that they have heard:

  • at school
  • in the media
  • in the community

Step 2. Definitions

Discuss as a group. Which ones do students think are true? Which ones might not be true? Why or why not?

Step 3. Watch the video

Show the Roads to Refuge DVD » Myths and Facts. Ask students to consider whether students in the DVD came up with any similar or different myths. Discuss why myths are circulated throughout society. How do such myths affect the lives of refugees living in Australia?

Step 4. Research

Ask students to identify the myths in their original list (Step 1) and to research and clarify the facts. For example, students could research statistics around humanitarian protection visas in Australia or the countries that asylum seekers arrive from.

There are many web resources suggested on this website that will help students identify myths from facts:

Step 5. Concluding discussion

As a class, discuss the main myths about refugees that students came across. What new information was learned?