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From Far Away

Site: Education Group GmbH
Course: From Far Away
Book: From Far Away
Printed by: Guest user
Date: Saturday, 17 May 2025, 5:41 PM

Description

The story of a refugee

Table of contents

1. Introduction

What is this eBook-Lesson about?

In this eBook-Lesson you will meet a girl whose name is Saoussan.

You will learn what it feels like to be an immigrant child in a foreign country.

You will learn some new words to talk about immigration.

You will get to know names of countries where many immigrants and refugees come from.

You will watch a cartoon film from Canada.

You will do text re-construction exercises.

You will practise the past tense forms of the verbs.

Enjoy the film and imagine living in a country where you do not understand a single word!


2. Words on migration


2.1. Wordmap

Mindmap

3. Migrants and refugees

Where do migrants and refugees come from?

Pair work: team up with your partner and brainstorm where migrants and refugees to Austria come from. 

Find six countries and write down their names (Mind the correct spelling!) and their adjectives! 

Example: Austria - Austrian

After that do the following exercise on country names.

4. Countries of immigrants


5. Words - Study the words before the film


6.1. Film Script

Film Link: https://www.nfb.ca/film/from_far_away

Filmscript: From far away

My name is Saoussan. I am seven years old and I come from far away. I loved my city of Beirut. But then a war started … and everything changed. My parents decided we had to find a safer place to live. The place they chose was Canada.

There was my first time on a plane. I was so sick that nobody wanted to sit near me.

A week after we got to Canada my dad took me to my new school. It didn’t look very new to me.

When we got to my classroom my dad said, „Be good Saoussan and try to make some new friends!“.

The kids in the class were all talking to me, but I couldn‘t understand them. I didn’t speak English.

That first day was horrible. I had no idea how I was supposed to learn English – fast enough to make friends before they were all in sixth grade.  

Suddenly I had to pee. I had to go now. But how could I ask to go if I couldn’t speak English!

So, …

A whole month passed and I still didn’t understand a word that anyone said.

One day we had a very strange guest visit us. She argued with herself a lot … and just when I thought I had made out a word or two - it happened again. I had to go! I had no choice but to sneak out again. I got better at it too.

(Shrieeeek!) I thought I was back in the war. I couldn’t move. My teacher tried to explain that the skeleton was just paper and that it was for Halloween.

But I forgot … I had to pee!

My dad told me about Halloween and said it was a holiday where people dressed up and had fun.

He said there was nothing to be scared of in this country.

This year is my second Halloween and I dressed up as a cat for a big party at school.

My English is much better too and I haven‘t peed on anyone all year.


7. Comprehension Questions

After having watched the film carefully, answer the following true/false questions to find out if you have understood everything correctly.

8. Put in order


8.1. Re-construct the text - 1


9. An immigrant in your class

Imagine Saoussan is in your class. Which problems does she face and how can you help her? Find out doing the following exercise.

10. Describe and discuss

Reasons for immigration

This picture was given to a German policeman by a Syrian immigrant child.

Describe the picture and then compare the left and the right side of the picture.

What does this child want to tell the police and the German people?

What reasons for immigration can you think of?

Discuss with your partner, then with your class.

Collect your ideas in a mindmap.


11. Speaking - interview

Which problems do immigrants face in a new country?

How can you help an immigrant child in your class?

You are in the role of a reporter of a radio station and you interview another pupil in your class.

Record the interview with your smartphone or tablet.

You have one minute and thirty seconds for your report.


12. Writing

Saoussan's Dream


12.1. Newspaper Clipping Generator

Go to the newspaper clipping generator and write a story about a refugee in your classroom or in Austria in general. 

Give the newspaper a title, a date and a headline.

Type the story into the box provided on the following webpage. 

Link: https://www.fodey.com/generators/newspaper/snippet.asp

13. Past Tense Exercises


13.1. Find the past tense forms


13.2. Regular or irregular past tense


14. Resumee

What did you learn in this eBook-Lesson?

  • Can you imagine now what it feels like being an immigrant child in a foreign country?
  • Can you imagine what it means not to understand the language and the customs of the new country, like Halloween?

  • Can you talk now about "migration" and reasons for emigration?

  • Have you got an idea now where refugees and immigrants come from? 


Say "welcome" to a new child in your class, no matter where he or she comes from?