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GAMES


France Continues to Deport Roma (21st August, 2010)


 

France’s policy of deporting Roma people to Romania is continuing. The French immigration minister Eric Besson has told reporters all Roma going back to “their country of origin” are doing so on a “purely voluntary basis”. This involves accepting a cash payment of $380 from the French government. Around 125 Roma flew back to the Romanian capital Bucharest on Friday, a day after 79 left. Mr Besson said any Roma who did not “volunteer” to leave France would be forced to leave, without the $380. Besson rejected any criticism, saying: "France is the country in Europe which most respects the rights of foreigners… We have become the second country in the world after the United States in granting asylum."

The Roma are traditionally a travelling people. There are about 15,000 living in France. Many Roma communities have faced discrimination in other European countries. The Roma are EU citizens and therefore under EU law, have the right to live in any European Union country. However, France has the right to expel the Roma if they have no work permit or proof they can support themselves financially. Many of the returned Roma have vowed to go back to France. Ionut Balasz, 26, said: "Of course I'm thinking about returning to France. Life is better there than in Romania." The Romanian foreign minister Teodor Basconschi said: "What has happened in Paris shows that we must have an integration plan across Europe for Roma citizens."


 
 

WARM-UPS

1. IMMIGRATION: Walk around the class and talk to other students about immigration. Change partners often. Sit with your first partner(s) and share your findings.

2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words from the article are most interesting and which are most boring.

 

policy / deporting / immigration / voluntary / cash payment / criticism / asylum / discrimination / expel / work permit / supporting yourself financially / integration

Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.

3. DISCRIMINATION: How can we reduce it? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners and share what you wrote. Change and share again.

Discrimination

How bad in your country?

How to reduce it?

Racial

 

 

Sexual

 

 

Religious

 

 

Class

 

 

Age

 

 

Immigrant

 

 

4. MIGRATION: Students A strongly believe all migration should be stopped; Students B strongly believe the opposite.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

5. OPEN BORDERS: What are the benefits? Rank these and share your rankings with your partner. Put the best at the top. Change partners and share your rankings again.

  • more skilled workforce
  • flexible workforce
  • cosmopolitan towns & cities
  • better understanding of others
  • boost to global economy
  • less chance or war
  • easier to help poorer countries
  • better cooperation among countries

6. ASYLUM: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word ‘asylum’. Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.


 
 

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if  a-h  below are true (T) or false (F).

a.

France is ordering many Italians to leave the country.

T / F

b.

A French minister said all people leaving are choosing to leave.

T / F

c.

The minister said only people who volunteered to leave would leave.

T / F

d.

France is number two in the list of countries receiving asylum seekers.

T / F

e.

There are between 10,000-20,000 Roma living in France.

T / F

f.

The Roma have the right to live in France if they have enough income.

T / F

g.

One Roma in the article said he’d never go back to France.

T / F

h.

A Romanian minister said it was better for Roma to stay in Romania.

T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

1.

deporting

a.

eject

2

origin

b.

sign up

3.

purely

c.

promised

4.

volunteer

d.

birth

5.

granting

e.

prejudice

6.

discrimination

f.

throwing out

7.

expel

g.

assimilation

8.

proof

h.

giving

9.

vowed

i.

totally

10.

integration

j.

evidence

3. PHRASE MATCH:  (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

1.

France’s policy of

a.

voluntary basis

2

going back to their country

b.

themselves financially

3.

doing so on a purely

c.

discrimination

4.

would be forced

d.

of origin

5.

granting

e.

better there

6.

communities have faced

f.

plan

7.

under

g.

asylum

8.

proof they can support

h.

deporting Roma people

9.

Life is

i.

EU law

10.

we must have an integration

j.

to leave

 

WHILE READING / LISTENING

GAP FILL: Put the words into the gaps in the text.

France’s ____________ of deporting Roma people to Romania is continuing. The French immigration minister Eric Besson has told reporters all Roma going back to “their country of ____________” are doing so on a “____________ voluntary basis”. This ____________ accepting a cash payment of $380 from the French government. Around 125 Roma flew back to the Romanian capital Bucharest on Friday, a day after 79 left. Mr Besson said any Roma who did not “____________” to leave France would be forced to leave, without the $380. Besson ____________ any criticism, saying: "France is the country in Europe which most ____________ the rights of foreigners… We have become the second country in the world after the United States in granting ____________."

 

 

 

volunteer
purely
asylum
policy
rejected
respects
origin
involves

The Roma are traditionally a ____________ people. There are about 15,000 living in France. Many Roma communities have ____________ discrimination in other European countries. The Roma are EU citizens and therefore ____________ EU law, have the right to live in any European Union country. However, France has the right to ____________ the Roma if they have no work permit or ____________ they can support themselves financially. Many of the returned Roma have ____________ to go back to France. Ionut Balasz, 26, said: "Of course I'm thinking about ____________ to France. Life is better there than in Romania." The Romanian foreign minister Teodor Basconschi said: "What has happened in Paris shows that we must have an ____________ plan across Europe for Roma citizens."

 

 

expel
returning
faced
integration
proof
travelling
vowed
under

LISTENING – Listen and fill in the gaps

France’s _____________________ Roma people to Romania is continuing. The French immigration minister Eric Besson has told reporters all Roma going back to “_____________________” are doing so on a “purely voluntary basis”. _____________________ cash payment of $380 from the French government. Around 125 Roma flew back to the Romanian capital Bucharest on Friday, a day after 79 left. Mr Besson said any Roma who did not “volunteer” to leave France _____________________ leave, without the $380. Besson rejected any criticism, saying: "France is the country in Europe which _____________________ of foreigners… We have become the second country in the world after the United States _____________________."

The Roma are traditionally a travelling people. There are about 15,000 living in France. Many Roma communities _____________________ in other European countries. The Roma are EU citizens and therefore under EU law, _____________________ in any European Union country. However, France has the right to expel the Roma if they have _____________________ they can support themselves financially. Many of the returned Roma have _____________________ France. Ionut Balasz, 26, said: "Of course I'm _____________________ France. Life is better there than in Romania." The Romanian foreign minister Teodor Basconschi said: "What has happened in Paris shows that we must have _____________________ across Europe for Roma citizens."


 
 

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words ‘grant’ and ‘asylum’.

grant

asylum

 

 

 

  • Share your findings with your partners.
  • Make questions using the words you found.
  • Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

  • Share your questions with other classmates / groups.
  • Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

  • policy
  • origin
  • cash
  • forced
  • most
  • asylum
  • travelling
  • faced
  • proof
  • vowed
  • returning
  • plan

STUDENT IMMIGRATION SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about immigration in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

 

STUDENT 1

_____________

STUDENT 2

_____________

STUDENT 3

_____________

Q.1.

 

 

 

 

Q.2.

 

 

 

 

Q.3.

 

 

 

 

Q.4.

 

 

 

 

Q.5.

 

 

 

 

  • Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.
  • Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

IMMIGRATION DISCUSSION

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

a)

What did you think when you read the headline?

b)

What springs to mind when you hear the word ‘immigration’?

c)

What problems are there in your country regarding immigration?

d)

What do you think of the French government for deporting the Roma?

e)

What do you think of the $380 cash payment for volunteers?

f)

To what degree do you think France respects the rights of foreigners?

g)

Is the world becoming too open?

h)

What are the benefits of allowing foreign nationals to live in your country?

i)

Why did France’s foreign minister talk about granting asylum when the Roma are EU citizens and not refugees?

j)

Of you were a Roma, would you take the $380 and leave France?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

a)

Did you like reading this article?

b)

What do you think of the Roma’s travelling lifestyle?

c)

Should European countries adapt their laws to make life easier for traveller communities?

d)

Are France’s actions adding to the erosion of traditional cultures like the Roma?

e)

What should the EU do to stop discrimination against the Roma?

f)

Should the Roma adapt to fit in more in the societies in which they live?

g)

Is France creating more problems if many Roma will return?

h)

Should the EU give more help to the Romanian economy?

i)

Does the EU need an integration plan for the Roma?

j)

What questions would you like to ask French minister Eric Besson?

LANGUAGE – MULTIPLE CHOICE

France’s policy (1) ____ deporting Roma people to Romania is continuing. The French immigration minister Eric Besson has told reporters all Roma going back to “their country of (2) ____” are doing so on a “(3) ____ voluntary basis”. This involves accepting a cash payment of $380 from the French government. Around 125 Roma flew back to the Romanian capital Bucharest on Friday, a day after 79 left. Mr Besson said any Roma who did not “volunteer” to leave France would be   (4) ____ to leave, without the $380. Besson rejected any (5) ____, saying: "France is the country in Europe which most respects the rights of foreigners… We have become the second country in the world after the United States in (6) ____ asylum."

The Roma are traditionally a travelling (7) ____. There are about 15,000 living in France. Many Roma communities have faced discrimination in other European countries. The Roma are EU citizens and therefore (8) ____ EU law, have the right to live in any European Union country. However, France has the right to expel the Roma if they have no work permit or (9) ____ they can support themselves financially. Many of the returned Roma have (10) ____ to go back to France. Ionut Balasz, 26, said: "Of course I'm thinking about (11) ____ to France. Life is better there than in Romania." The Romanian foreign minister Teodor Basconschi said: "What has happened in Paris shows that we must have an (12) ____ plan across Europe for Roma citizens."

Put the correct words from the table below in the above article.

1.

(a)

by

(b)

at

(c)

to

(d)

of

2.

(a)

original

(b)

origin

(c)

originality

(d)

originate

3.

(a)

purely

(b)

puerile

(c)

purest

(d)

purr

4.

(a)

faced

(b)

farce

(c)

forced

(d)

fierce

5.

(a)

critical

(b)

criticize

(c)

criticism

(d)

critically

6.

(a)

planting

(b)

granting

(c)

slanting

(d)

chanting

7.

(a)

people

(b)

persons

(c)

person

(d)

peoples

8.

(a)

over

(b)

around

(c)

between

(d)

under

9.

(a)

prove

(b)

proof

(c)

proven

(d)

proofs

10.

(a)

vow

(b)

vowing

(c)

vowel

(d)

vowed

11.

(a)

returned

(b)

returnable

(c)

returning

(d)

return

12.

(a)

integration

(b)

integrate

(c)

integrates

(d)

integrating

WRITING

Write about immigration for 10 minutes. Correct your partner’s paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about the Roma. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. IMMIGRATION: Make a poster about immigration in your country. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

4. THE ROMA: Write a magazine article about the Roma in France. Include imaginary interviews with the French immigration minister and a Roma who wants to live in France.

Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).

5. LETTER: Write a letter to the French immigration minister. Ask him three questions about immigration in France. Give him three ideas on what he can do to help the Roma. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE:

a.

F

b.

T

c.

F

d.

T

e.

T

f.

T

g.

F

h.

F

SYNONYM MATCH:

1.

deporting

a.

throwing out

2

origin

b.

birth

3.

purely

c.

totally

4.

volunteer

d.

sign up

5.

granting

e.

giving

6.

discrimination

f.

prejudice

7.

expel

g.

eject

8.

proof

h.

evidence

9.

vowed

i.

promised

10.

integration

j.

assimilation

PHRASE MATCH:

1.

France’s policy of

a.

deporting Roma people

2

going back to their country

b.

of origin

3.

doing so on a purely

c.

voluntary basis

4.

would be forced

d.

to leave

5.

granting

e.

asylum

6.

communities have faced

f.

discrimination

7.

under

g.

EU law

8.

proof they can support

h.

themselves financially

9.

Life is

i.

better there

10.

we must have an integration

j.

plan

GAP FILL:

France continues to deport Roma

France’s policy of deporting Roma people to Romania is continuing. The French immigration minister Eric Besson has told reporters all Roma going back to “their country of origin” are doing so on a “purely voluntary basis”. This involves accepting a cash payment of $380 from the French government. Around 125 Roma flew back to the Romanian capital Bucharest on Friday, a day after 79 left. Mr Besson said any Roma who did not “volunteer” to leave France would be forced to leave, without the $380. Besson rejected any criticism, saying: "France is the country in Europe which most respects the rights of foreigners… We have become the second country in the world after the United States in granting asylum."

The Roma are traditionally a travelling people. There are about 15,000 living in France. Many Roma communities have faced discrimination in other European countries. The Roma are EU citizens and therefore under EU law, have the right to live in any European Union country. However, France has the right to expel the Roma if they have no work permit or proof they can support themselves financially. Many of the returned Roma have vowed to go back to France. Ionut Balasz, 26, said: "Of course I'm thinking about returning to France. Life is better there than in Romania." The Romanian foreign minister Teodor Basconschi said: "What has happened in Paris shows that we must have an integration plan across Europe for Roma citizens."

LANGUAGE WORK

1 - d

2 - b

3 - a

4 - c

5 - c

6 - b

7 - a

8 - d

9 - b

10 - d

11 - c

12 - a

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