Activity Introduction
Quick Summary: Students are introduced to forms and concepts of power and how it can influence perspectives on the issue of seeking asylum. They enhance their understanding of power and how it manifests in stories of, and responses to, seeking asylum. With a specific focus on political power, students use a selection of thinking and analytical tools to deconstruct and evaluate perspectives represented in texts and analyse how language and visual features influence audiences. Using this knowledge, students will create their own message about political power.
Chasing Asylum exposes the real impact of Australia’s offshore detention policies through the personal accounts of people seeking asylum and whistleblowers who tried to work within the system. To watch the documentary, stream it on Kanopy and Clickview or purchase the DVD at the ATOM Education Shop.
Learning Intention:
- Students will understand how political stakeholders apply different forms of power to influence responses to the plight of people seeking asylum.
- Students will understand how satirical texts, especially political cartoons, can be used to communicate perspectives on significant issues.
- Students will be able to analyse and evaluate visual and language choices used to communicate meaning.
21st Century Skills:
Australian Curriculum Mapping
Content descriptions:
Year 10 English:
- Identify and analyse implicit or explicit values, beliefs and assumptions in texts and how these are influenced by purposes and likely audiences (ACELY1752)
- Use comprehension strategies to compare and contrast information within and between texts, identifying and analysing embedded perspectives, and evaluating supporting evidence (ACELY1754)
- Evaluate the social, moral and ethical positions represented in texts (ACELT1812)
- Analyse and explain how text structures, language features and visual features of texts and the context in which texts are experienced may influence audience response (ACELT1641)
Syllabus outcomes: EN5-8D, EN5-2A, EN5-7D, EN5-3B.
General Capabilities: Literacy, Personal and Social Capability, Ethical Understanding, Intercultural Understanding.
Cross-curriculum priority:
Relevant parts of Year 10 English achievement standards: Students evaluate how text structures can be used in innovative ways by different authors. They develop and justify their own interpretations of texts, and evaluate other interpretations, analysing the evidence used to support them.
Topic: Social Issues
Unit of work: Stories of Chasing Asylum – access the unit overview here.
Time required: 120 minutes.
Level of teacher scaffolding: High – facilitate class discussion and assess student work.
Resources required: Student Worksheet – one copy per student OR computers/tablets to access the online worksheet. Device capable of audio/visual presentation to present a website to the class. Double bubble concept map, Australian Political Cartoons (print enough copies for one per group of 2-3 students). ‘Very Powerful’ and ‘Not Powerful’ signs. What is Satire? Presentation.
Digital technology opportunities: Digital sharing capabilities.
Keywords: asylum seeker, refugee, migrant, power, influence, political cartoons.
Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.
Teacher preparation