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Migrants and Refugees – People have moved to start new lives elsewhere for a variety of reasons since the beginning of time. Starting a new life in an unfamiliar place can be both exciting and terrifying. In this lesson, you will be able to understand that regardless of how far you move, a new place will create a new experience, which will shape your identity.
Time
30-40 minutes
Main Skills
Reading and Listening
Theme and topic
Experiences: Migrants and Refugees
Download Available
Reading Comprehension
The words migrant and refugee do not have the same meaning and confusing them can lead to big misunderstandings. Watch the video and answer the questions.
You will hear part of a talk about the reasons, that affect population change in New York. Match the areas of New York with the reasons for this change.
Read the text about a family of refugee's and answer the questions that follow.
Full text available at UNHCR Asia Pacific
Here are the keywords and phrases to learn:
- accumulated
- adequate
- conflict
- devote
- eviction
- financial crisis
- food shortages
- fuel shortages
- fundamental
- immigration laws
- persecution
- poverty
- testament
The questions can be used to discuss and research findings in groups and write essays based on their opinions and research.
- Some people are forced to leave their home environments because their natural environment is no longer habitable. We can view these people as forcibly displaced. To what extent should international law and organizations provide shelter for them? Should these people be classified as refugees?
- If a country is struggling to provide for its own citizens, should it take in refugees? What reasons are there for taking in or not taking in refugees?
- Should refugees have to go back to their country once it is safe or should they have the option of staying and requesting residency or citizenship in their new country? What about children born to refugees in that country? What are the benefits to the host county and country the refugee originally came from of staying or returning?
- Refugees are looking for protection but migrants are looking for a better standard of living or better work opportunities therefore other countries should not allow them to come in.
- The history of the world is such that everyone is a migrant.
More teaching resources available here.

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