Understanding Refugees and Asylum Seekers

Active learning helps students grasp the complexities of refugee and asylum processes by making abstract legal terms and human stories concrete. When students move, sort, and role-play, they connect terminology to lived experiences, building both knowledge and empathy.

• 2nd Year
• Active Citizenship and the Democratic State
• 4 activities
• 25 min–45 min

Learning Objectives

1. Classify individuals as refugees, asylum seekers, or economic migrants based on provided scenarios and the 1951 Refugee Convention definitions.
2. Analyze the push and pull factors contributing to forced displacement by identifying at least three distinct reasons for leaving one's home country and three reasons for choosing a specific destination country.
3. Explain the primary challenges faced by asylum seekers in a new country, such as language barriers, cultural adjustment, and navigating legal processes.
4. Compare and contrast the legal status and rights of refugees, asylum seekers, and economic migrants within the Irish context.

Jigsaw

⏱ 35 min·Small Groups

Jigsaw: Key Terms

Divide class into expert groups on refugee, asylum seeker, and economic migrant definitions. Each group researches one term using provided handouts, then reforms into mixed jigsaws to teach peers and create a class glossary. End with a quick quiz to check understanding.

Prepare & details

Differentiate between a refugee, an asylum seeker, and an economic migrant.

Facilitation Tip: During the Jigsaw Puzzle, circulate to listen for misconceptions about the 1951 Refugee Convention’s definition of persecution.

Setup: Flexible seating for regrouping

Materials: Expert group reading packets, Note-taking template, Summary graphic organizer

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Fishbowl Discussion

⏱ 30 min·Pairs

Push-Pull Sort: Card Activity

Prepare cards with real scenarios like 'fleeing war' or 'seeking jobs.' In pairs, students sort into push/pull columns on posters, justify choices, and discuss Ireland-specific examples. Class shares top factors on a shared board.

Prepare & details

Analyze the push and pull factors that lead to forced displacement.

Facilitation Tip: For the Push-Pull Sort, group students by case studies to debate similarities and differences in reasons for migration.

Setup: Inner circle of 4-6 chairs, outer circle surrounding them

Materials: Discussion prompt or essential question, Observation notes template

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Fishbowl Discussion

⏱ 45 min·Small Groups

Asylum Challenge Simulations: Role Cards

Distribute role cards depicting asylum seekers facing hurdles like interviews or housing waits. Small groups brainstorm solutions, present to class, and vote on most feasible supports. Debrief on Irish policy realities.

Prepare & details

Hypothesize the challenges faced by individuals seeking asylum in a new country.

Facilitation Tip: In the Asylum Challenge Simulations, assign roles with varying resources to highlight systemic barriers asylum seekers encounter.

Setup: Inner circle of 4-6 chairs, outer circle surrounding them

Materials: Discussion prompt or essential question, Observation notes template

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Fishbowl Discussion

⏱ 25 min·Whole Class

Empathy Mapping: Whole Class Timeline

Project a migration timeline; students add sticky notes with emotions and challenges at each stage from home to arrival. Discuss as a class, linking to news clips for current context.

Prepare & details

Differentiate between a refugee, an asylum seeker, and an economic migrant.

Facilitation Tip: For Empathy Mapping, use sticky notes to layer student reflections on the timeline, ensuring each voice is visible.

Setup: Inner circle of 4-6 chairs, outer circle surrounding them

Materials: Discussion prompt or essential question, Observation notes template

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Teaching This Topic

Teach this topic through structured role-play and case-based inquiry to avoid oversimplifying human experiences. Research shows that when students embody different perspectives, they retain legal distinctions longer and develop deeper empathy. Avoid lectures that separate facts from feelings; instead, weave them together through activities where students process emotions while analyzing policy.

What to Expect

Students will define key terms accurately, distinguish between refugee, asylum seeker, and economic migrant, and cite push and pull factors specific to Ireland. They will also demonstrate empathy by identifying challenges asylum seekers face during simulations.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During the Jigsaw Puzzle: Key Terms, watch for students conflating refugees and asylum seekers by using the terms interchangeably in discussions.

What to Teach Instead

After the puzzle, have each group present their term’s definition using only the Convention quote and Irish legal language, forcing precision and correcting errors in real time.

Common Misconception

During the Push-Pull Sort: Card Activity, watch for students assuming all migration is voluntary or driven by benefits.

What to Teach Instead

Have groups sort cards twice: first by reason, then by whether the reason is forced or chosen. Debate any misplaced cards using evidence from Irish Refugee Council reports.

Common Misconception

During the Asylum Challenge Simulations: Role Cards, watch for students assuming integration is immediate and without barriers.

What to Teach Instead

After roles are acted out, lead a class discussion where students map the timeline of challenges on the board, using sticky notes to add real-world steps like language classes or work permits, correcting the myth of instant integration.

Assessment Ideas

Discussion Prompt

After the Asylum Challenge Simulations, ask students to work in pairs and share their advice to a newly arrived asylum seeker, referencing at least two challenges from the simulation. Use their shared advice to assess understanding of systemic barriers and integration needs.

Quick Check

During the Jigsaw Puzzle, collect each group’s completed puzzle pieces and use them to assess accuracy in labeling refugees, asylum seekers, and economic migrants. Provide immediate feedback on any mislabeled cases.

Exit Ticket

After the Empathy Mapping timeline, ask students to submit their exit ticket with one push factor, one pull factor, and one question about the asylum process. Use their responses to identify patterns in understanding and plan future lessons.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge early finishers to research and present one Irish organization that supports asylum seekers, explaining how it addresses push or pull factors.
• For students who struggle, provide sentence starters for the Empathy Mapping timeline, such as 'I felt... because...'.
• Deeper exploration: Invite a guest speaker from a local refugee support group to discuss integration challenges in Ireland, followed by a reflective writing task.

Key Vocabulary

Refugee	A person who has been forced to leave their country of origin due to a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion.
Asylum Seeker	A person who has applied for protection as a refugee and is awaiting a decision on their application. They are not yet recognized as refugees.
Economic Migrant	A person who travels from one country to another primarily to improve their standard of living or economic prospects, without facing persecution.
Forced Displacement	The involuntary movement of people from their homes or territories, often due to conflict, persecution, or natural disasters.
Direct Provision	The system used in Ireland to provide accommodation and basic necessities to asylum seekers while their applications are being processed.