GUIDE

for welcoming foreign students and refugees at our schools

Table of content

Click on the chapter to open it directly if you don't want to read the whole book.

I. Introduction

II. Welcoming the newcomer and preparing the class

III. Language and Culture 

IV. Legal advice 

V. Sources and background

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I. Introduction:

This the final product of an Erasmus + KA229 project called ‘Join the European Table’ the main goals of which are based on the priority of integrating migrants into our schools and also promoting the values of volunteerism amongst our students.
We are practising our social, intercultural, linguistic, technological and also artistic competences so as to accomplish the main objectives of our project.
Our project is involving 6 partner schools from France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Spain and Poland with students in the upper secondary education. Inclusive education and youth training are the main priorities of this project and declared to be the major aims in the strategic paper “Europe 2020” written down by the EU.

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II. Welcoming the newcomer and preparing the class

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Recent events over the last few years have contributed to increasing ideological polarization in the European society. All the countries involved in this project have been trying to face different challenges related to refugees. In some countries the question of immigration has only been theoretical as refugees chose them only to be transit to Western Europe; others were more involved and can share their experiences.
The goals of the project are to promote freedom, tolerance and non-discrimination through education.
Taking into consideration that the newcomers always need our constant help and support, we firmly believe that this Guide will and should be of substantial importance and essential assistance to all of them.
Bear in mind that our aim is for this Guide to be a significant tool not only for the migrants but for the whole receiving community as well.

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Welcoming

Let us start with informing all the teachers (staff) about the newcomers and their background stories so that they will be sensitized towards their plight.
Then each tutor should introduce the new students to their classes and promote activities which will aid their integration. Meanwhile, the tutor will seek a student to act like a chaperon, accompanying the newcomer in every activity, always trying to look after him/her in each situation, as a true partner always does.
We should include examples of good common practices and/or services in our schools such as:
1.   Games or other gamification activities without so much speech such as icebreaking activities or doing breakfast or lunch together.
2.   Sports depending on the school timetable and what it is offering, ie. Football, Handball or Volleyball, etc.

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II. Welcoming the newcomer and preparing the class

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Welcoming

Let us start with informing all the teachers (staff) about the newcomers and their background stories so that they will be sensitized towards their plight.
Then each tutor should introduce the new students to their classes and promote activities which will aid their integration. Meanwhile, the tutor will seek a student to act like a chaperon, accompanying the newcomer in every activity, always trying to look after him/her in each situation, as a true partner always does.
We should include examples of good common practices and/or services in our schools such as:
1.   Games or other gamification activities without so much speech such as icebreaking activities or doing breakfast or lunch together.
2.   Sports depending on the school timetable and what it is offering, ie. Football, Handball or Volleyball, etc.

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Preparation of the class and the teachers

Before the arrival of the foreign students, the class is prepared to raise awareness about the topic of migration. In order to create a more tolerant environment among the students and to improve their willingness to integrate newcomers into the class, knowledge about migration in the history of one's own country can be imparted.
For this purpose, we recommend reading the E-book on the topic of "Migration in Europe", which was developed collaboratively by the students during the Erasmus+ project "Join the European table".
(Please click to open the E-Book at the next page)

Another way to prepare the class is to watch Maya Ghazal’s TED talk and to discuss about it.

To raise more awareness, in the following document you will find a webquest for the class.

Webquest.docx

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Migration in Europe

Webquest.docx

Maya Ghazal’s TED talk

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‘ICEBREAKING ACTIVITIES’

1.   Fun facts about ME

STEP 1:
Each and every student is handed cards with 3(or more) general questions (what’s your favourite colour, etc.)

STEP 2:
The teacher gives us some time to think what we are going to answer

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STEP 3:
After everyone is ready, the students gather altogether in a circle

STEP 4:
One by one, they walk to the centre of the circle, introduce themselves by saying their name, age, nationality and then answer the questions that have to do with some personal interests of theirs and why they answered so.

STEP 5: After everyone has introduced themselves, the students will try to recall a name of a student and one fact about him/her.

2. Two truths and one lie

Each student should prepare a set of statements about themselves (around 3 sets). With each set of statements, one should be a lie and two should be true. The rest of the students will have to decide which statement is a lie. 

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Example:

1) I have got two siblings,
2) I was born in England,
3) I like pineapple on my pizza.

The students could split up into teams. Each team should all together decide which statement is a lie (the team whose member is speaking will not participate in the vote). If they are correct, they will gain ONE point.
The   team  with  the most points wins.

3. Great Wind Blows (or chairs)

This game is simple to play; one person in the middle starts by saying “Great wind blows for everyone who…” and then mentions any characteristic that is true for that person. For example, if the person has been to Canada before, he or she can say, “Great wind blows for everyone who has been to Canada.”

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