Lesson plan:

Why do people develop certain views on immigrants?

Overarching question: What kind of a society is Europe and what kind of society would you like it to be?

Thematic question: Is Europe a society where people of different nationalities live together as neighbors?

Rationale/ Link to subject – curriculum:We think this subject is important for pupils because as we are all living in a multicultural society, where different nationalities and cultures live together. It’s about knowing how the pupils in one class think about statements considering migration, tolerance and the multicultural society in Europe, as well as knowing how citizens in different European countries think about these subjects.

EN:This lesson was taught in English to Dutch pupils, and the opinion line triggers pupils to explain their opinions in English. In this way they enhance their knowledge and skills, such as speaking and listening in English.

GEO:This subject concerns the social part of geography. Pupils learn about how people live together in a space/society called Europe. They will find out that there are many differences in Europe concerning perceiving migration and tolerance toward immigrants.

Key concept:Diversity

Subject:Tolerance towards people of different nationalities in different countries

Lesson focus question:Why do people develop certain views on immigrants?

Learning outcome:Differences in tolerance of immigrants/people of different nationalities between various countries in Europe exist because of cultural and economical diversity.

Lesson focus question:Why do people develop certain views on immigrants?

  • Cultural: history (colonial  more tolerant, more contact, more immigrants), post-communist countries/former east bloc: less tolerant to people of different races, because of less contact (with the world). Faith: strong regional differences (political, border regions), geographical position.
  • Economic: history (colonial  more economic relations, more contact, more immigrants), labour migrants: wealthy: welcome, not so wealthy: not very welcome, (because of job scarce and other financial reasons)

Time / Activity
0 – 5 min. / Welcome and introducing Diana and Pieter
5 – 10 min. / Explanation about the project, lesson focus question.
Questions:
- Would you like to live next door to a family from another country?
- Who of you ís living next door to a family from another country?
- Why/why not?
10 – 20 min. / Opinion line:
In class 
Statements:
-Foreign workers take jobs from native citizens.
-It’s no problem to live next to a Muslim family.
-If I had to choose, I prefer a neighbor from Suriname instead of someone from an African country.
-It’s okay to live in the neighborhood of an asylum seeker centre. (asielzoekerscentrum).
20 – 40 min. / Opinion line 2:
Europe 
Statements: (with videos)
-NAOMI: I don’t think that immigrants steal jobs from the indigenous population. Migrants come here and they take part in the economy and workforce. It’s not a good idea to sit at home and receive benefits because then it’s someone else who is paying for this. I think it is good that immigrants work here. I do not feel that they steal jobs. (positive, economic)
-NAOMI: I do not think that our culture is undermined by immigrants, I see it more as a supplement to the culture in any given country. I think it is good when many cultures are together in a particular country because if you learn to accept other cultures and tolerate and learn other things then I do not think that the culture is going to suffer. I think that it is a supplement. In the Netherlands, for example, there are many different cultures and I find it just fine. In the Netherlands we know a lot of different cultures and I think it is good for the people themselves to learn and be able to handle different cultures. (positive, culture)
-GULAY: In my opinion, immigrants take away the jobs of other workers in that country. Considering our own country, the unemployment rate is already high. When there are also immigrants coming from other countries, the current unemployment rate increases. Showing Germany as an example, they demand workers from Turkey and other countries since they do not have workers to do certain jobs in Germany, and in this way, they do not have any trouble.
-GULAY:The cultural life of a country cannot be undermined by other immigrants, that is to say, everyone has a different culture, they can just adapt to the culture in Turkey. They should not change their own culture.
-KATKA: In a way immigrants certainly take jobs and some other things away from natives in a country, but then again, even if a lot of people move into a country, a lot of people leave as well, so I think it balances out.
-KATKA: In my opinion, immigrants definitely don't undermine the cultural life of a country. They enhance it; people have an opportunity to learn facts about other countries. So I think they really don't undermine it.
Naomi NL society

Gulay TR society

Katka SK society

Afterwards: combine statements with maps AoEV. (bijlage)
40 – 50 min. / Debriefing:
- What does a positive or negative attitude towards immigrants mean to you?
- How did you decide, if the reasons people gave were related to economical or cultural reasons, or not at all related to these two aspects?
- Did the wording used in the labelling of the opinion line cause you any trouble?
- What additional information would you need to understand the attitudes of the students more? What would you like to ask them?
- What did you learn about why people have certain view on immigrants?
- How do you deal with this information?
Comments/questions?
Close lesson