Teaching about Refugees

Before you begin

Before you start teaching about refugees, asylum and migration and when working with refugee children, familiarize yourself with basic concepts and facts and figures on the topic. We recommend that you first read the Teaching About Refugees Guidebook for Teachers.

READ THE GUIDEBOOK ONLINE The Guidebook for teachers is an interactive PDF. This means you can open the document on your computer and click on the links in the Guidebook to view related teaching materials on this page, making it easy for you to switch between the Guidebook and the Teaching About Refugees web page.

READ THE GUIDEBOOK IN PRINT If you decide to print the Guidebook, keep your web browser open on this page and scroll down through the materials below when prompted in the Guidebook.

1. Words matter
2. Facts matter
3. Age-appropriate teaching materials
4. UNHCR media materials
5. Including refugees in your classroom

Words matter

Understanding the terms refugees, migration, and asylum begins with understanding a few basics. The word refugee is often used as a blanket term for people displaced by war, violence or persecution. But there are different categories of displaced people, each with specific needs. Knowing what these categories mean exactly is important and will contribute to a better understanding of this complex topic. It will also help you better understand the situation of refugees, asylum-seekers or others you may be teaching.

• Download the Words Matter summary table for easy reference when you are teaching or putting a lesson plan together.

Watch these explainer animations yourself as a preparation for your lesson or lecture. Some of these materials are also included in the suggested teaching materials for secondary education.

What about stateless persons?

Stateless persons do not have the nationality of any country. They are no refugees, but they can be in some cases. UNHCR also has a mandate to help stateless persons. We’ve created a separate set of teaching materials on this complex topic, the Teaching about Statelessness page.

Facts matter

More than 82 million people are displaced today. This is the highest number since the end of World War II. Who are the people behind these staggering statistics?

Finding accurate information about refugees, asylum and migration for teaching purposes can be a challenge. Find out about numbers of refugees, asylum-seekers, internally displaced persons and stateless persons, their countries of origin and host countries in these fact sheets:

Age-appropriate teaching materials

Before you start teaching about the topic of refugees, asylum and migration, you need to carefully consider which materials you will present to your pupils. Materials should not cause distress, and the complexity of the subject matter needs to be age-appropriate.
Read our recommendations for each age group and download teaching materials with suggestions for age-appropriate teaching about refugees, asylum and migration.

UNHCR media materials

Behind the statistics on refugees are millions of ordinary people who live through extraordinary times. Understanding the human cost of war, violence and persecution through testimonies and telling refugee stories is a powerful tool to 'put a face on the numbers' and better understand the disruption, stress and loss associated with being displaced.

Watch some of the videos, infographics and other materials. When useful for your teaching context or out of simple interest, you can do some further reading to build your knowledge of the topic.

UNHCR Youtube channel

Find a large collection of refugees stories, explainers and other materials on refugees, asylum-seekers and stateless persons on the UN Refugee Agency’s main video channel.

UNHCR's refugee data website

Find out what is happening in refugee emergencies in different parts of the world, as well as interactive maps, reports and other publications on refugees, on the UNHCR's refugee data website.

More information on refugee education

Including refugees in your classroom

Many refugee and migrant children will need to learn the language of their host communities when they start going to school in a new country. It may take them a while to reach a level of language proficiency that will allow them to learn efficiently in the host community language.

Another major barrier to learning for displaced learners is mental health. Some refugee children may suffer from stress or trauma because of difficult events they have experienced as a result of being displaced. Mental health issues can interfere with learning processes, so it is crucial that these are addressed to allow displaced children to return to regular learning as much as possible.

Understanding language acquisition

Language learning is a long process. It can take many years for newcomers in a host community to learn the local language up to a level where they can easily learn other subjects in school.

Guidance for teachers on stress and trauma

Children who suffer from stress or trauma may need professional help from qualified personnel. Teachers can help detect potential signs so children can be directed to adequate support structures. They should, however, never intervene when only qualified therapists should.

Effects of stress and trauma on learning

Executive function is often compromised when children experience stress and trauma. This video by Harvard University's Center on the Developing Child explains learning challenges that may affect children suffering from stress and trauma and the science behind these challenges.