ED 324 984

TITLE

INSTITUTION

SPONS AGENCYPUB DATENOTEPUB TYPE

FL 800 275

Cultural Orientation. Young Adult Curriculum:Introduction.Center for Applied Linguistics, Washington, DC.Refugee Service Center.Department of State, Washington, D.C.Nov 8926p.

Guides Classroom Use - Guides (For Teachers) (052)

EDRS PRICE MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage.

DESCRIPTORS *Acculturation; Adjustment (to Environment);Classroom Techniques; Cross Cultural Training;*Curriculum Design; *EMotional Development;*Individual Development; Profiles; ProgramDescriptions; Records (Forms); *Refugees; TeachingMethods; Young Adults

ABSTRACTThe cultural orientation curriculum for young adults

in the International Catholic Migration Commission's PhilippineRefugee Processing Center is discussed and outlined. The program'sgoals for emotional and character development (self-awareness andself-esteem, cultural awareness, pro-activity, personalresponsibility), knowledge of cultural information and resettlementrealities, and cross-cultural adaptation skills (problem-solving,goal-setting and planning, information seeking, stress management,and socialization) are specified. The curriculum's organization isdescribed, including the four major unit topics (self, family andhome, work/school/peers, and community and :-.ociety); use of themesand projects; and the emphasis on learning skills related to Americansocialization, such as throwing a frisbee. Commonly-used classroominstructional techniques are also described briefly. Additionalmaterials include an outline of themes for each unit, a series offorms for develoPing individual student profiles, a reprinted articleon the program's young adult emphasis, and descriptions of the youngadult services and classroom crisis components of the program. (MSE)(Adjunct ERIC ClearinghL se on Literacy Education)

le**********************************************************************Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made

from the original document.************************************************************.**********

Cultural Orientation

YOUNG ADULT CURRICULUM:Introduction

International Catholic Migration CommissionPhilippine Refugee Processing Center

Contents

Curriculum GoalsOrganizationMethodology

Syllabus Outline

U S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONOffice 01 Educational Research and improvementEDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION

CENTER (ERIC)X,This document has been reproduced as

*Calved from the person or organizationoriginating a

r Minor changes have been made to improverei.:oduction quality

Points of mew Or opinions stated in thistlocu-ment 6o not necessarily represent otrictel(JERI position or policy

"Amerasians What Happens Before They Get Here"

(iRefugee Seivice CenterCenter for Applied Linguistics1118 22nd Street, NWWashington, DC 20037(202)429-9292

CL

2

"PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THISMATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY

A. fie&

TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCESINFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)."

November 1989

YOUNG ADULT CURRICULUM GOALS

The goals of the CO Young Adult Curriculum, categorized into three areas, are:

A. EMOTIONAL AND CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

Self-Awareness/Self-Esteem by showing an awareness of what is important to them, whatthey are good at, what positive characteristics or qualities they have, how others perceivethem, and by showing confidence when interacting with others.

Cultural Awareness by explaining how culture impacts them and demonstrating open-rnindedness and respect for differences and similarities between their own and othercultures.

Pro-Activity by showing initiative, demonstrating motivation and assertiveness in venturingout, seeking opportunities, showing curiosity, and taking risks (e.g. volunteering,participating in activities, initiating social interaction, etc.)

Responsibility by meeting obligations in class activities and projects, understandingconsequences of their behavior in and out of the classroom.

B. INCREASED KNOWLEDGE

Knowledge of cultural information by showing a familiarity with the differences andsimilarities in behaviors, customs, values, attitudes, etc., between their own and othercultures.

Knowledge of resettlement realities by showing an understanding of a core body ofinformation which results in realistic expectations relevant to their resettlement.

3

C. CROSS-CULTURAL ADAPTAT'ON SKILLS

Problem-Solving Skills by observing, analyzing, identifying problems, consideringalternatives, predicting consequences, weighing options, and making decisions;demonstrating an understanding of the problem-soMng process; and learning from theirexperiences.

Goal-Setting and Planning Skills by determining needs and setting goals; making plans tomeet them, as well as acknowledging their own hopes and aspirations.

Information Skills by being able to deal with ambiguous situations through active listening,accessing people and resources for support and information, asking appropriatequestions, clarifying, making inferences or generalizations based on what they knowabout other cultures.

Stress Management Skills by showing an awareness of causes of stress and applying stressmanagement strategies, such as accessing emotional support systems, and finding socialand physical outlets.

Socialization Skills by effectively interacting with individuals and groups, developingfunctional relationships, using strategies necessary for successful social interaction (e.g.greeting, leave taking, nonverbal behavior, finding commonalities, developing andmaintaining relationships, etc.)

Practical Skills by reading a map, balancing a checkbook, making a b, Idget, using a phonedirectory, using appliances, exhibiting and using study skills, and oiners.

4

CURRICULUM ORGANIZATION

Four units of focus pro-Ade the framework around which the curriculum is structured and inwhich the curriculum goals are embodied.

Unit (I) Sa focuses on the individual, what kind of person they are, what qualities theyhave, what made them that way and what kind of person they want to be in thefuture. Introductions and orientation to the CO program and PRPC are alsoincluded in this unit.

..i.

Unit (II) Family and Home focuses on the roles and relationships that exist in theirfamilies and homes, the challenges that their families have faced and arefacing; the Strangths that they have developed and an awareness of how thesestrengths may help them in dealing with family challenges presented byresettlement; contrasts between a Southeast Asian home and an American onein terms of room use, types of furniture, appliances and household safety.

4

Unit (III) Workaahool/Peers focuses on the students' development and maintenance ofsupportive relationship, primarily in the context of work and efildoi; the issuespresented in accessing educational opportunities and meeting employment-related needs.

Unit (IV) Community/Society focuses on the students exploring their place andresponsibilities within the community arid soilety; the faciities and servicesavailable in the community; their development of the behaviors and'strategiesapplicable to accessing resources such as heafth and emergency services andestablishing functional relationships within their community and society.

Relationships provide a common thread that runs through and interweaves allfour level.

THEMES;

Each unit is divided into themes. These provide more specific areas of content relevant toresettlement, thus facilitating the coverage of regional content standards andcontextualization of the Young Adult Curriculum goals.

The curriculum also includes two aspects that do not necessarily frt the overall coursestructure. These are "Project° and °Learn A slur.

Project:

Projects are ongoing throughout the 12-week cycle and are designed to address the YoungAdult Curriculum Goals. It is at the discretion of the team of teachers, the supervisor and POto determine the duration and the number of classes involved in any one project.

In of our projects the students themselves conceptualize, design, plan and coordinate theactivity, with the teachers and supervisor acting as resources and guides. Much of thestudents' work takes place out of class time and in coordination with the Young AdultServices Program.

It is the responsibility of the teacher and supervisor to process, in the classroom, the students'involvement in the projects, making their experiences meaningful in regard to the curriculumgoals.

Examples of projects include dance party, cultural show, sportsfest, field trip, communityoutreach, fashion show and art exhibition.

6

Learn A Skill:

The Learn A Skill aspect of the YA curriculum is an opportunity for the student to develop atangible skill that will provide them with a contact point for socialization with American youngadults, regardless of language barriers.

Skills student might develop include playing a musical instrument, playing chess, throwing afrizbee, playing an American sport, modem dance, etc.

Though the development of skills in these areas will involve the enhancement of the. curriculum goals, the primary purpose of Learn A Skill remains the provision of a contact

point with American youth.

These skills are to be practiced out of class time primarily through courses provided by theYoung Adult Services Program. Periodically, students are asked to demonstrate and/or givepresentations on their newly-acquired skills.

METHODOLOGYz

The methods used for instruction are nonthreatening and experiential in nature, stronglyoriented to meaningful active involvement on the part of the students. Students will applycross-cultural adaptation skills and explore their emotional and character development withinthe context of relevant cultural information. Students will learn by doing and reflecting onthe:r experiences.

-

COMMON TRAINING METHODS USED IN A CO CLASS

'0 .,1:7$,:j, c

1. Simulation Is probably one of the powerful experiential learning tools. ft can raise awide variety of issues; ft can translate those issues from abstractions to a situation ofsurprisingly accurate simulated reality; ft can involve learners intensely; and it canproduce feelings and thoughts that constitute a rich resource for discUssion andlearning. Simulations tend to be long, especially since ample time must be left fordiscussing and "processing" the experience.

It is best for the teacher to experience the simulation before attempting to run it. Inmost simulations there is so much happening that it is easy for the inexperiencedteacher not to know what important points to discuss. Just reading the directions isusually insufficient preparation.

2. Role play is an unrehearsed "acting our of real life situations. Role plays areparticularly useful in identifying problems and ways to solve them in a practical andskill-building approach. Because there is no script or set dialogue, participants makeup their parts as they go along. Participants may choose or be assigneathe role; therole may be written or verbally outlined by the teacher. Role descriptions are bestwhen they are briefly specified and players have the freedom to add or delete as therole play progresses. The "stage" is set by the teacher by giving a few guidelines orsuggestions about the place or situation in which the roles will be played. Role playsshould not be too long or students will get tired and lose interest. They should befollowed by a "processing" portion in order to analyze the problems, skills, andpossible solutions portrayed.

3. Skits are shod, rehearsed dramatic presentations invoMng two or more people. Theyusually follow a prepared script that dramatizes an incident which illustrates a problemsituation. Skits should be followed by a group discussion or "processing" portiori.

4. Case studies Is an account of an actual or imaginary situation including sufficientdetail to make it possible to analyze the problem involved. The case is a "slice of life"that requires analyzing and giving solutions to real problem or issue it presents.

5. Critical incidents is a form of case study which briefly describes a particular incident. Itis usually taken from the students' owls experiences. They represent significantevents, which, when analyzed or role played, permit a generalization about similarsituations and suggest new behaviors, approaches or cognitions to the learner.

6. Cultural assimilator is a series of problem situations or episodes which describe aparticular cross-cuttural interaction. After reading about the interaction, the studentexamines different interpretations or choices of what to do next. If the student makesthe correct choice, they are reinforced. If they make a mistake, they are told why theyare wrong and are asked to study the episode again and to make another choice.

7. Debate is a discussion of a certain problem or controversial topic between two groups.Students do not necessarily need to agree with the side they are debating on. In fact,this enables them to understand "both sides of the coin."

8

8. Group sliscussiort is an open exchange of ideas between students on a topic of mutualconcern to express, clarify and pool their knowledge, opinions, and feelings. It shouldbe well planned and facilitated in order to be effective. One way of facilitating a groupdiscussion is to list tho major points on the blackboard.

9. Brainstorming is a way for a group to quickly generate ideas. Generally, all possibleideas are suggested with no thought as to how practical the ideas may be. Critidsmand discussion are ruled out while suggestions are being listed. After listing is over, agroup discussion follows in which the ideas are evaluated and the most appropriateselected for implementation or further discussion. "Brainstorm" listing should be nolonger than 15 minutes and is commonly used as part of a problem-solving activity.

10. Guest Speaker/Panet A planned conversation or presentation in which one or morespeakers present their views before the class on a selected topic. A panel discussionusually brings diverse points of view on a subject area. Participants should beallowed to ask questions.

11. Lecture: A carefully planned oral presentation which provides information. A lectureusually does not actively involve the students.

12. Scales are often used to measure attitudes. They present a range of options for theparticipants to check off such as "strongly agree, agree, undecided, disagree, stronglydisagree." Scales are sometimes used as a diagnostic or needs assessment tool.Values clarification or attitudinal scales are oft^n used in CO classes.

13. instruments: A paper and pencil device used to inventory or assess oneself.

14. Questions: The seven hierarchical categories of questions include Memory(examples: Who?, What?, When?, Ust), Translation (In your own words... ),Interpretation (Compare... ), Application (Word problems), Analysis (Analyze..., Whatdo you do...?), Synthesis (Develop...), Evaluation (Evaluate..., Defend...). Each iscummulative in that each type of question has its own unique characteristics, but alsocontains some elements of all the categories below it. For example, an evaluationquestion would include some type of aspect of memory, translation, application,analysis, and synthesis questions.

15. Visual aids are tools which the teacher uses to reirtorce or clarify a message orconcept and thus, make learning easier. Visual aids include real objects (realia,samples, models, photographs, blackboards, graphs and charts, posters, videos,slides, diagrams, illustrations, etc.) Though visual aids are very helpful in facilitatinglearning and maintaining participants' interest, their use and preparation need to becarefully plaaned and executed.

16. Demonstrations is a prepared presentation that shows how to perform an act or use aprocedure. It is accompanied by appropriate oral and visual explanation, illustrations,and questions. The basic process is show, teri, and practice, step by step, in order toteach people how to do something.

9

CO YOUNG ADULT CURRICULUM SYLLABUS

UNii I: SELF

Themes

1. Introductions2. Orientation' tea) and PRPC3. Physicallelf.4. Self arid Ctilture5. Self and Young Adutthood

UNIT 0: FAMILY AND HOME

Themes

ProjectLearn a Skill

1. Family and Home - Past Project4. Family and Home - Present Learn a Skill3. Family and Home - Future

UNIT III: WORK, SCHOOL, PEERS

Themes:

1. Making Friends/Developing Relationships Project2. Young Adult Activities Learn a Skill3. Dating4. Sex5. Marriage6. Education7. Work

UNIT IV: COMMUNITY/SOCIETY

Themes

1. Living in a Multi-ethnic Society2. Using Community/Social Services3. Medical Services4. Accessing Services (Maps/Telephone/Transportation)5. Public Behavior6. The Law and You7. Adjusting to a New Life8. Youth Culture and the Media

ProjectLearn a Skill

Young Adult Refugee Profile

The information in this profile is intended for the case manager, educator, job developer, or others assisting this individual. Thesedocuments may be duplicated to make the information available to all service providers.

This Young Adult Refugee Profile includes the following:

Program description

Language level and performance information

Resum6

Certificate with explanation of ESL levels

Biographic information

Writing sample

Young Adult Refugee Program Description

Young adult Indochinese refugees accepted for resettlementin the U.S. participate in the Overseas Refugee Training Program,funded by the U.S. Department of State. The program isconducted in two refugee processing centers in Southeast Asia,one in Phanat Nikhom, Thailand, and the other in Bataan,Philippines. In this 20-week program, 17- to 22-year-olds attendclasses 4 hours every day, gaining the English language,cross-cultural, and employment readiness skills they will need tobecome self-sufficient as soon as possible in the U.S.

For a detailed description of the core program and the Englishlanguage proficiency levels in the program, please see the reverseside of the enclosed certificate of course completion.Supplementing the instruction described there, classes for youngadult refugees focus on their particular needs, includingcross-cultural training to develop an understanding of thefollowing areas:

Work/Study Options

Career planning and accessing career counselingDeveloping realistic expectations of educational optionsCombining part-time or full-time employment with education

1111111IMIII

Social Behavior and InteractionFollowing commonly accepted rules and customs in public

placesSimilarities and differences between activities of young adults

in America and young adults in Southeast AsiaNormal challenges of maturation: male/female relationships,

dating, peer pressure, generation gap, role modelsSocio-economic classesRacial/ethnic prejudiceSocial interaction skills, including non-verbal communication;

appropriate topics of conversation in social situations and in theworkplace, with emphasis on interaceng with other ethnicminorities; common extracurricular/recreational activities;implications of dress and associated stereotypes

Legal IssuesTreatment of juveniles vs. adults in U.S. legal systemSpecific laws and consequences (e.g., fines, incarceration) of

breaking them: driving, drugs, statutory rape, shoplifting,disturbing the peace

Legal records: criminal, driving, paternity, licensing, publicassistance

How to identify, deal with and prevent common crimescommitted against refugees

1 1 1 2

Name

LANGUAGE LEVEL AND PERFORMANCE INFORMATIONDate Training Completed:

Lan First

Training SiteBataan, Philippines

Phanat Nikhorn, Thailand

Placement Information

ESL placement at entry of program: A BCDE E+Ion Beginning Intermediate Advanced

Month Day Year

Native Language InformationBased on a brief test, given at the beginning of the program,thc student was classifial as:

non-literate in the native language

at least minimally liter= in the native language

Student attended native literacy classes in camp:

No Yes /Numba of hours:

TEACHER EVALUATION OF STUDENT PERFORMANCEThese ratings are an assessment by classroom teachers of tie refugee's Englishlanguage performance and social skills at the end 9f the 20-week program.

Cannot PerformsThe student:, perform easily

can reply to questions on personal information topic, such as age, address, or nationality

can converse on everyday topics, such as personal interests, weekend activities, or family

can ask for clarification or make requests to solve problems that arise during a task

can discuss current events and explain opinions and beliefs

can read and fill out simple, employment-related forms

can writc a bricf narrative, such as a personiil leuer, note to a teacher, orautobiographical statement

can follow written directions to perform a task, suci: as assembling equipment, preparing a

cleaning solution, or following a recipe

can use basic math skills for such tasks as shopping, measuring, and budgeting

can work with others in a small group to accomplish a task.

demonstrates appropriate social skills in dealing with:

peers from own language group

teachers

members of other language groups

COMMENTS

Special skills, talents. referrals needed, ctc.

0 1 2 3

0 1 2 3

0 1 2 3

0 1 2 3

0 1 2 3

0 1 2 3

0 1 2 3

0 1 2 3

0 1 2 3

0 1 2 3

0 1 2 3

0 1 2 3

I 3(Additional comment space on reverse side)

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

RESUME

NAME : i

ADDRESS :

WORK EXPERIENCE (Include paid and unpaid):

1. Title:

Name of Company:

Address:

Dates Worted: .

Duties:

2. Title:

Name of Company:

Address:

Dates Worked:

Duties:

I

3. (repeat for each position held)

SUMMARY OF SKILLS'

PERSONAL OUALMES:

EDUCATION:

i 7

WRITING SAMPLE

Im

,...{MI

.1=1.

.11111110.1,

(General Format)

PROGRAM.- STUDENT PROFILE

PERSONAL INFORHATION

Name:OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ......a.....

uirthdate: 6* 6 66Place of Birth:Country of,first asylum: 66666666066060 Arrived in first asylum: 66 666 00

LANGUAGE AND LITERACY ABILITY

phi* lava): OOOOO 0000000to 00 000 00

Attended In 0000000000606 froo 66 66666666(Tested as literate/non-literate - received MLL training or not3666,

EDuCATIONAL BACKGROUND (AS repotted by Student or relative)

Highest level attained: 66066666000606 Total years of education: 66 years Last year of attendance: 1066

VACCINATIONS Age 7 to 13: Td (Tetanus/Olphtherie), TOFU (Trivalent Oral Polio vaccine), end MR (Measles, Maps, Rubella)Age .14 to IV: Td, tory (except In pregnancy), and OMR (melee only); Age ao and above: Td

Father's Name:Mother's Name:

Printed: 66 *Case No: *6 OOOOO 66 Cycle: **

Native language: 6666660600666660060Other language (If any): 0000000000000000

FAMILY INFORMATION (List of acceapanylng0=1Name (Last name first)

OOOOOOO 0000 OOOOOOOOOOOOO 00000000000

relatives)

Relationship to PA a. AgiTownSize 'Ethnicity

OccuptionsPre 137, Post le35

00000600000000 OOOOO 00 Rural ....wwwwwwww.w. ............. OOOOOOOO

000000000000 OOOOO 000000000000000000 0000000100000000000 00 urban 000000000000000 0000000000000000000060 000000f00000000000,00041

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000 000000000000000 000000000000000000000 000000C )00000000000041

0000000 OOOOO 00 OOOOOOOO0000000000000 0,00000000000000 00 00000 00000000000000 000000000000000000000 00000000000OOOOOO 00 OOOOOOOOOOOOO 00000OOOOO 0000 00000000000 00 00000 000000000000000 0000000000000000000 0000000000000000000041OOOOO 0000 OOOOO 0 OOOOO 000000000000000 0000000000-'0000000 0 00000 00000000000000 00000000000000000000 0000000000000060004100000 OOOOO 000 OOOOOOOOOO0000000000 000000000000000000 t 00 00000 000000060000000 00000000000 OOOOO 000000 000000000000 OOOOOOOO 0 OOOOOOOOOOOO000000000000 000000000 0 eeeeeeeeeeeeedieeeeee eeeeeeeeeeeeeoloo0 OOOOO 0000 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 0000000000.0000000000000000000

00 eeeeo eeeeeeeeedieeee eerneeeeedieeedieee eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelp000

00 OOOOOO 0 OOOOO 000000000 OOOOO 0000000 000000 00 eeeeeeeeeeeeeee e OOOOO erneeeee OOOOO ee eeemmeeseeeeeeeeornooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 00000000000 0000000000000000000 00 eeeoo eeeeeeeeee 0,000000000000000000 0 OOOOO 0000000000000000

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 0041 OOOOO 0000000000 00000000000 00 00000 0000000000 000000000000000 OOOOO 00 00000000000000000020 OOOOO 000C OOOOOOO 00000000000 0000041 00 00000 000000000000 0000000000000000 eeeesbeeeeeeeeeeeommo

OOOOOOOOO 00000 OOOOO 00000000 OOOOO000 0000000000000000000 00 woe eeeeeeemsee edieeeeeeeeeeeeeee eibeeeeemeoleeeeeeeeoo00000 OOOOO 0 OOOOO 000000000OOOOO 00000 00000000000000001000 0 60 eeee eeoeseeeeeeeee oeseeedieeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeemmeeeeefoo

ADDITIONAL FAMILY INFORMATION (A check mark Indicates Yes)

Status of parents

Accompanying StudentLives in native countryDeceased.0ther location:

Mother Father Local Relative

OOOOOO mails a a OOOOOOOO

6660(Street address1"660 ""(Git/1*6666.. tot: 000..000.01000 (w..o (w)

sponsoring agency: OOOOOOOOO ...e............ OOOOOOOO

Note: The above InTormation le frogs the student's official computerized came file.

local Sponsor

OOOOOO .......(N a s e3SSSSSSSSSSSSS6666(Street address] ...e(city)..v.a Tal: (N)

.01.. (0)

4.1.)

PASSAGE Vol . 4Number 1 & 2, 1988

New Focus on Young Adult Refugeesin the Overseas ProgramDouglas GilzowCenter for Applied Linguistics

j Tpon reaching the US., young adult refugees facet.) a bewildering Amy of options end responsibili-

ties. They are no longer children, but they have notbeen prepared for t:he adult world of paid employ-ment and conmunity obligations. War, communisttakeover, flight, and separation from friends andfamily in a refugee camp in an alien land make up theexperience of a young adult refugee from Laos, Viet-nam, or Cambodia. Defining their new roles in thefamily and in U.S. society is confusing, and for some,overwhelming.

Recopizing that younger refugees have needs dif-ferent from those of their older companions, theOverseas Refugee Training Program initiated thePreparation for American Secondary Schools (PASS)program in 1985. PASS helps refugee students 111/2 to16 years of age to make the next transition in theirlives, and preliminary reports indicate that theprogram is succeeding. Needs of younger refugees, 7 to111/2 years old, are met at the Philippine Refugee Pro-cessing Center (PRPC) by the Preparing Refugees forElementary Programs (PREP). Now young adult refu-gees, those between the ages of 17 and 22, are benefit-ing ;:nm a newly focused curriculum at both MenetNikhom Rehire Camp and the PRPC

Service providers in tbe State Department-fundedoverseas program recogldzed the plight of youngadult refugees as early as 1984, when the PASS pro-gram was being drieloped. In 1985, at a high-levelmeeting :or prograun design review, U.S. and overseasparticipants recommende that more attention be fo-cused on refugees with special needs, and amOng thegroups mentioned as needing more assistance were theyoung adult refugees.

As a result of this attention, Phanat Nikhom it'i-tiated a pilot program placing 17- to 19-year-olds inPASS as "seniors," separate from.the younger studentsthere, and at Bataan, 17- to 22-year-olds weegrouped separately by age (and by other placementcriteria, as well) in the adult program of ESL, Cultu-ral Orientation (CO), and Work Orientation (WO)classes. Teachers and curriculum writers at both.train-ing sites began adapting lessons for these youngadults. Clear regional direction began to emerge in1987, when the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL)

was requested to oversee a US. survey of recently-arrived young adult refugees and of individuals withsignificatt contact with them, such as employers, edu-cators, and refugee service providers.

YoungAdult Refugee Survey

The survey questionnaire was developed by CALwith bput from overseas staff to examine needs ofyoung adult refugees in soch areas as schooling, em-ployment, and adjustment to U.S. society. The ques-tionnaires were filled out by 'field assistants" aaossthe U.S. during three weeks in late July and early Au-gust of 1987. Altogether, interviews were conductedwith 19 staff members of voluntary agencies and 13refugee mutual assistance associations; 24 employers;13 state refugee coordinators; 28 educators in adult ed-ucation, vocational training, or community/junior col-lege programs; and 26 high school educaton. Perhapsmost significant, there were Werviews with 255young adult refugees, between the ages of 17 and 22, in11 key sites across the US. These Hmong, Lao, Viet-namese, and Khmer refugees, most of whom had ar-rived in the US. during the previous two years, re-sponded to translated questionnaires in their ownlanguages.

The main finding of the Young Adult Refugee Sur-vey was the overwhelniing importance of English lan-guage proficiency fru this group. When asked whatskills should be further emphasized. in the overseasprogram, there was agreement among all respondents,from state coordinators to employers to the refugeesthemselvez ESL. English was also named as the first %priority by throe on the job and by those in school.

Most young adult refugees go to school, the surveyfound. Fifty-seven percent of those surveyed enteredhigh school during their first six months of resettle-ment. Those not enrolling tended to be over-age,according to the laws in their states of resettlement.In addition to those in WO Fhool, 30% of the youngadult refugees surveyed had entered adult education,ESL, or vocational training classes. Thus, 87% were insome kind of educational program.

Other survey results indicated that 83% of theyoung adults were still living where they had been

t.

21

PASSAGE Vol. 4Number 1 & 2, 1988

Gilts= Young Adult Refugees 45

Additional Topics for Young Adults

Sos.al Behavior and InteractionState commonly accepted rules and customs in public places.Compare and contrast activities of young adults in America with young adults in Southeast Asia.Desaibe ways of resolving conflict.Understand normal challenges of maturation: malelfemale relationships, dating, peer pressure,

generation gap, role models.Develop social interaction skillc customs and rules of public behavior, including non-verbal

communkation; topics of conversation in sodal situations and in the workplace, with emphasison interacting with other ethnic minorities; common extracurricularlracreation activity options;implications of dress and associated stereotypes; end the implications of selecting positive ornegative role models

Develop an awareness of socio-economic classes.Develop an awareness of racial/ethnic prejudice.

Youth and Legal IssuesUnderstand treatment of juveniles vs. adults in US. legal system.Understand specific laws and consequences (e.g., fines, incarceration) driving, drugs, statutory rape,

shopliftir.g, disturbing the peace.Understand system of legal records: criminal, driving, paternity, licensing, public assistance.Identify, deal with, and prevent common crimes committed against refugees.

Work/Study OptionsUnderstand options of work and study.Understand career planning/accessing career counseling.Develop realistic expectations of educational options as related to individual situations.

-\

resettled initially, and 52% live with their parents.Their most commonly cited misperception about theUS. before arriving was that life here would be easi-er than it turned out to be. One flfugee noted that hehad mistakenly thought "one person could support afamily." Young adult refugees were asked what sug-gestions they would give to new arrivals. 'Work andstudy," was the advice offered by 38% of the respon-dents. Thirty-six percent said, "Go to high school."

Regional Meeting

In October 1987, ESL specialist Lydia Stack visit-ed the two Southeast Asian refugee training sites...Stack is a staffmember at Newciomer High School, a"model program for secondary school-bound languageminority students in San Francisco. Along with MollyKirby from the Center for Applied Linguistics, Stackpresented the preliminary results of the Young AdultRefugee Survey and discussed the implications for thetraining program. Lydia Stack also facilitated an Oc-tober 27-30 regional meeting attended by representa-tives from all instructional components at both Pha-nat Nikhom and Bataan and from the RefugeeService Center. The meeting participants formulatedrecommendations about teaching points and topics,

establishing regional guidelines for instruction toyoung adult refugees.

Rather than attempt to devise a totally new set ofcompetendes or content standards, participants basedtheir work on current regional curricula for PASS, ESL,CO, and WO. They proposed retaining all ESL, WO,and PASS math competencies, and concentrated on re-vising those for CO and PASS American Studies andon adding new topics suggested by the results of theYoung Adult Refugee Survey and other sources of in-formation about this age group. (See 'Additional Top-ics for Young Adults," on this page.)

Because training time is limited and new topics.were ad4cd to the curriculum for this age group, thelists of topics and content standards from PASS Amer-ican Studies and adult CO had to be combined and re-vised. The broadest statments covering the most crit-ical areas were retained, while those seen as lessimportant for 17- to 19-yearolds were trimmed. Forexample, in the area of "Housing," statements regard-ing safety and basic landlord and tmant rights and re-sponsibilities were kept, but those dealing with de-saibing furniture and typical US. dwellings were cut.Other topic areas cut or reduced were telephone-related cempetencies, social service information, andcompetencies in consumerism. In many cases, deleted

22

PASSAGE Vol . 4Number 1 & 2, 1990

46 PASSAGE Spring/Summer 1988

competencies were replaced by ones in the same area,but more relevant to the needs of young adults.

No new ESL cuniculum for young adults was drawnup. However, it was decided that, in addition to sup-porting WO and CO curricula, ESL classes would em-phasize social language "in school, community, andworkplace settings"and they would promote "lan-guage development to succeed in educational situa-tions [and] ... to access information regarding skillsdevelopment and certification."

Participants also drafted a number of broader rec-ommendations. They urged that both sites "investi-gate ways of increasing refugees' use of and exposureto English language across the program." The surveyindicated that a major factor in young adults' success-ful initial adjustment in the U.S. is support from theirfamilies, so the recommendation was made that inthe overseas training program, parents be "urged toprovide support and encouragement of their youngadult daughters and sons in pursuing educationalgoa Is."

Implementation

At both Phanat Nikhom and the Philippine Refu-gee Processing Center, efforts are underway to im-prove instruction for young adult refugees. At PhanatNikhom, the PASS seniors program for 17- to 19-year-olds has begun a Work Orientation on-the-job training(OJT) feature to augment the more academic classes inmath, American Studies, and ESL In the OJT, youngadult refugees spend an hour or two per week at theLearning Center learning basic concepts about the US.workplace. Eventually, they participate in a worksimulation in which they apply their mastery of WOskills and concepts. The emphasis throughout is onthe work/study ol)tion, which has proven successfulfor a number of refugees in that age range.

At Bataan, WO, ESL, and CO components haveparticipated in an integrated approach to reinforcingtheir individual efforts with young adult refugees.Each component has indicated what part it wilt playin addressing the new teaching points. Although mostareas are particularly relevant to CO, new math-related topics are covered in WO classes, and ESLexpanding and revising lessons on social language.Whenever appropriate, one component reinforces,without duplicating, topics covered,in another one.Some of the health concerns dealt with in CO, for in-stance, will also be featured In ESL readingmaterials.

Staff r.re urging young adult refugees to takeadvantage of additional opportunities for Englishlanguage practice, and helping them to develop

strategies for learning more English outside classhours. There are opportunities at both training sitesfor refugees to use the language laboratories and li-braries or reading rooms "after hours' or on weekends.In addition, there are extm voluntary courses to meetindividual needs of 17- to 72-year-olds. The PASSRecreation Center at Phanat Nfithom, for example,offers lessons in driver education, with particular em-phasis on US. rules regarding licenses, insurance, andsafety. At Bataan, evening classes in adult educationsubjects ate popular. Also at the Philippines site, ref-ugees' mandatory participation in the camp's WorkCredit Enhancement Program simulates a work/studyexperience.

Supporting the training sites, CAL's Refugee Ser-vice Center has produced Resettlement Case Study,Young Adults: 17-22 Years Old. This 30-page docu-ment, based on results of the Young Adult Refugee Sur-vey and an earlier CAL telephone interview survey,puts essential information for teachers into a stotylineformat, with key discussion points noted in the mar-gins. The Case Study desctibes three fictitious charac-ters, an 18-year-old Cambodian, a 22-year-old Lao,and a 19-year-old Vietnamese, recounting their ex-periences in adult education, high school, and on thejob. Other resources have been compiled by the Refu-gee Service Center into a large collection of recentarticles, reports, and other materialsall arrangedunder such topics as "Crime/Youth Gangs,' "Accultu-ration and Adjustment," "Education," and slInaccom-panied Minors.°

Of course, no amount of resources and no extra atten-tion to appropriate pre-arrival training can complete-ly resolve the problems that young adult refugees faceupon resettlement. Nor can their tragic past be undone.What the new focus on refugee youth =do, though,is to help 17- to 22-yearolds develop more realisticexpectations of their lives in the US. and assist themin planning how they can best meet the challengesthat lie ahead.

Doug Miaow, Manila edi-tor of Passage, has been aprogram associate at theRefugee Service Center inManila since 1984. Gil-kola's eaperience in thefield includes teachingEmglish in Laos, Iran, andthe U.S. For three yearsha directed an ESL pro-ram in Lansing, Mich-sgan. Whew holds a Mas-

ter's degree in linguistics from the University ofMichigan.

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ASSISTING YOUNG ADULT REFUGEES INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM:

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The Young Adult Services Program was established in mid-1989 inresponse to the increasing number of 17- to 22-year-old refugees at thePhilippine Refugee Processing Center. Many in this group, after years in firstasylum camps or on the streets of Vietnam, suffer from emotional problemsand lack social interaction skills. Some are without families, and many havehad little education. The YAS Program addresses these young adults' specialneeds during their six-month stay at the camp. Through group and individualskill-building activities, the program helps young adults to developself-confidence and self-esteem. The program also reinforces classroomlearning, especially by providing opportunities for English practbe.

The Young :dult Services Program, with a 12-person core staff, isfunded principally by World Vision through World Relief Corporation, and theInternational Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC). It offers camp-widesupport to young adult refugees, teachers, and neighborhood leaders through aprogram of activities and training. This program:

provides young adults the opportunity to develop self-esteem,confidence, and positive self-identityfosters behavior that will aid young adults in the solution ofinterpersonal problemsminimizes classroom and neighborhood disruptionshelps young adults acquire socialization skills necessary to functionin thair present and future environment.

The yAsp accomplishes its work in the classroom, in the neighborhoods,and in two large community center gymnasiums built especially for theprogram. It operates evenings as well as days in the refugee neighborhoodsthrough the Food Services and Community Administration Group of the PRPC,which coordinates the youth program with the camp's other social, culturaland recreational activities. Activities planned in the Cultural Orientationclassroom are implemented in the YAS.Centers, then discussed and sometimesdemonstrated in the classroom as an lettegral part of the curriculu.n. Inaddition, close linkage.between ICMC's Young Adult Services Unit and the YASProgram ensures that yiouth with behavioral difficulties in class receiveattention and are encouraged to participate in the after-hours sports andrecreation program.

Rev. 3/121901

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YOUNG ADULT SERVICES PROGRAM

Program Objectives1. To provide the opportunity for young adult refugees to examine their

identity, learn about American culture and develop new skills and interests.Amerasians are a particular focus for the program.

2. To provide a venue for young adult refugees to develop their socialconsciousness and understand social responsibilities in their future homes inthe U.S.

3. To link classroom learning with actual everyday situations, with theaim of developing problem-solving skills.

4. To provide the opportunity for young adult refugees to participate in acamp-wide sports program that will aid in the building of character anddeveloping personal and team survival skills.

Guided, Structured Enrichment ActivitiesA camp-wide competitive sports and recreation program, includingsoccer, softball, volleyball, basketball, American football, boxing,martial arts, aerobics, and assorted table games.

Cultural and creative activities, such as knitting, painting,singing, and theater arts

Opportunities to develop new skills with income potential, such ascosmetology

Native language literacy lessons with refugee instructors

Discussion groups on issues of concern, including social andsurvival skills related to American culture

Self-help groups, such as Big Brothers, Big Sisters, and AmerasianClub

Activity-based counseling through innovative ropes course

Leadership opportunities in teaching others new skills and incommunity activities

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PREVENTING AND SOLVING CLASSROOM PROBLEMS:

THE 1fOUNG Ailuur 51E1:WIC:ES utaT

A key component of the Young Adult Services Program, the Young AdultServices Unit (YASU) attempts to prevent classroom crises and deals with theindividual problems that do arise in the classes. Cooperating closely with theinstructional program, mental health services, and the other YASP activities,the YASU staff consists of a coordinator and three Vietnamese-Americanadvisors. These advisors are assigned to the Cultural Orientation componentand to A-B levels of Work Orientation and ESL; they are available to studentsin other programs upon request. The Young Adult Services Unit :

helps make appropriate class/teacher placements for troubled or"problem" studentsintervenes during episodes of anti-social behavior in classfollows up on prolonged unexcused absencesassesses individuals for possible referral to the mental health servicehelps draw up case plans for "recycleable" students

In a more preventive mode, YASU staff are responsible for conductingcycle start-up orientation sessions for students. Advisors also serve ascultural informants to the departments speaking on selected topics forspecific curriculum and departmental objectives. The YASU coordinator, inaddition to supervising the unit, also provides training sessions forsupervisors, teachers and administrators on classroom management.

To help students who are having difficulty functioning within thestructure of a classroom environment, YASU advisors are doing individual andgroup counseling (primarily by co-leading--with mental health servicepersonnelan Amerasian support group ), and serving as informational andcultural resources to students who have problems outside the classroom.Much of the advisors' work involves visits to the students in theneighborhoods, thus contributing to,a supportive atmosphere both inside andoutside the classroom. Advisors also refer or accompany "clients" to theappropriate agency and make twice weekly visits to the Social RehabilitationCenter.

Refugee Service Center, Center for Applied Linguistics1118 22nd St., NW

Washington, DC 20037

Telephone: (202) 429-9292

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