Daisy C.S. Catalan
This unit introduces the students to the diversity of Filipinos in the United States. It traces the historical context in which the Filipino community has grown in size, from when the Philippines was colonized by the United States in 1899, to the worsening social and economic condition of the country in the 1980s and 1990s. In addition, the liberalization of the Immigration policy of the United states in the 60s has likewise served as a powerful “pull” for the continuing immigration of Filipinos. This unit also points out that the sources of Filipino diversity are many and varied. These include: historical factors, place of birth (local born versus foreign born Filipinos), recency of migration, modes of entry, and the United States system of immigrant preference and numerical limitations.
Using the Filipino immigrant experiences and immigration patterns as models, the English language learners in ESOL class will articulate their feelings and write their own similar immigrant experiences. The students will create time lines using their personal stories or those of the members of their families. They will compare Philippine historical experience with Puerto Rico and Mexico and find similarities and differences. They will learn how to read tables and charts, to interpret graphs, and also to make graphs from statistics available to them.
(Recommended for ESOL/Bilingual History, grades 9-12)
