Abstract:

Wars and geopolitical changes create big refugee flows and forced migration around the world nowadays. The surge of refugees fleeing wars and persecution into Europe leads to a great humanitarian tragedy in the world, including Greece, which receives thousands asylum seekers and is located in the eye of the storm. “The Best We Could Do” is a national best-seller graphic novel and its writer is a Pulitzer award winner. The story presents the difficulties of immigration due to tragedies of war and the consequences that displacement causes on a child’s soul. The writer documents her family’s adventure and bold escape after the fall of South Vietnam in the 1970s and their struggle to survive and build a new life. The story shines a light on the enduring strength of people in the face of adversity and focuses on the importance of concepts such as family and identity and the meaning of home. The Best We Could Do offers inspiration to all of those families who are in search for a hopeful future. In this context, an ELT lesson plan with differentiating levels of thinking and questioning, metaphorical and analogous thinking, role-playing, Think-Pair-Share technique, use of graphic organizers and cubing and use of technology was designed and taught at the C2 level of a private school in Athens aiming at raising social awareness and sensitivity towards refugees and making immigrant students feel deeply understood and welcome. As a result, students became motivated and had active participation in all teaching activities, became critical thinkers and problem solvers, enriched their vocabulary, became active citizens of the world and indicated their empathy through their expressed creativity.

Keywords:

Critical Thinking, Graphic Novel, Social Awareness, Refugees.