1x.4 Destination America. Life stories of today's immigrants.

1. Discuss these questions in small groups:

• Define migration. What can be its causes?
• Do you have ancestors from other Spanish regions or foreign countries? Why did they migrate to Majorca?
• How do immigrants adapt to Spanish culture?
• Imagine you must settle in a foreign country. What aspects would you find key to successful integration?

Sophia, last year's assistant teacher, participated in a workshop in which high school students like you interviewed immigrants in their schools or neighbourhoods and wrote articles about their life experiences.

2. Read one of these extracts and discuss the questions in your group:

3. When you finish, join students who read a different story and compare the three life experiences.

• In what ways are the three stories similar? In what ways are they different?
• Which story did you find the most striking? Why?
• Can you think of similar situations migrants are facing in Spain? Discuss them.

Homework

4. Read the complete story you have been assigned comprehensively and watch the accompanying video when you finish. You can find the stories here. The following online dictionaries can help you with your reading at home.

www.learnersdictionary.com

www.wordreference.com

5. When you finish reading, complete the reading file below thoroughly. You will need this file next day in class to take part in a class discussion. 

6. On June 16th 2015, a well-known American businessman called Donald Trump announced that he would be running for US President in 2016. His Presidential Campaign Announcement speech was very controversial because of what he said about immigration. Watch the video and discuss the questions below:

• Does his view on immigration match the real-life experiences you've read about? Why (not)?
• What different reactions do you think his words may have caused? Think about different types of audiences such as Mexican immigrants, American citizens, the international community, etc.
• Is this a conservative or a liberal view on immigration? Why? 
• Do you think he will become the next US President? Why (not)?