Socially-based Curriculum Unit

This is an integrated, stand-alone unit developed for ESLCO (English as a Second Language, Level 3). It incorporates reading, researching, information gathering, summarizing, writing and speaking activities for ESL students at the intermediate level.  Students will explore, in groups and as a whole class their own experiences and case studies of discrimination and racism in school, the workplace and the community.  Students will practice researching and information gathering skills in a guided internet project about the rights and protections for new immigrants under Canadian law.  Students will also research actual cases of racism and discrimination in the news and suggest possible ways of preventing or resolving the conflicts.  The unit will culminate with a short opinion essay on the degree of racism they believe exists in their schools, communities or Canada as a whole.  Students will be asked to support their opinions with examples and illustrations from their experiences and readings in the unit.

Students will realize from talking with one another and from their research and the case studies that discrimination and racism does still exist in Canada.  However, they will also learn from their research that there are many protections for the rights of new immigrants under Canadian law.  They will also explore ways to prevent or resolve instances of discrimination.  They will have an opportunity to practice their reading, researching, writing, speaking, listening and group work skills.