Vietnamese Refugee Oral History Project

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Vietnamese Refugee Oral History Project 

Oral history of Hung Viet Nguyễn, born on Christmas Day in 1957 n Saigon, Vietnam. He discussed his memories of growing up and attending school in Saigon. He escaped Vietnam by boat in 1981 by himself and passed through a few refugee camps in the Philippines before being sponsored by his brother to Santa Clara, California. He settled down in Torrance, California with a wife and two sons. While he works as a Graphics artist, he is also an artist who has exhibited his work in both mainstream and Vietnamese Am

Author: Joseph Nguyễn 
Grades: 9-11

Suggested Amount of Time: One month long project
Area of Study: Vietnamese Departures and Transit

Compelling Question

  • How did Vietnamese build communities as they attempted to survive and traverse the hardships of life in transit?

Lesson Questions
  • How can we document, preserve, and share the personal experiences of Vietnamese refugees in the US? 
  • How can we connect our own family and personal migration experiences to America to that of Vietnamese refugees?
Lesson Objective

Students will be able to apply their knowledge of the Vietnamese American experience and conduct a full oral-history interview with a member of the Vietnamese American community and synthesize their findings into a presentation. This is a summative project that can span several months to complete.

Lesson Background

Prior to this project, students should have a grounded understanding of the Vietnam War history and impacts on Vietnamese American refugees. In the aftermath of the Vietnam War, millions of Vietnamese people fled their homeland, seeking refuge from political persecution and war-torn conditions. These refugees faced treacherous journeys by land and sea, often enduring great hardships to find safety in other countries. Their experiences are a testament to resilience, courage, and the pursuit of freedom. It may be beneficial to encourage self care practices throughout this project as uncovering some oral histories could be emotional. 

This lesson fits best as a cumulative project after learning about the Vietnam War and the events that unfolded thereafter.

Image Citation: Oral history of Hung Viet Nguyễn. (n.d.). Calisphere. https://calisphere.org/item/ark:/81235/d8kb3s/

Historical Thinking Skills

This lesson will facilitate student proficiency in the ethical dimension, one of Seixas’ historical thinking skills (Seixas & Morton, 2013). To consolidate thinking about how we should remember and respond to the past. Students consider how a fair assessment of the ethical implications of history can inform us of our responsibilities to remember and respond to contributions, sacrifices, and injustices of the past.

Supplies:
  • Access to laptop device
  • Vietnamese in the Diaspora Digital Archive
  • Viet Stories: Vietnamese American Oral History Project
Videos
  • Kim Yen Vu Oral History, timestamp 0:00–7:23
Handouts
  1. Warm-Up (10 min)
    1. Ask students to think about interviews that they have watched or been a part of. What are some norms that might be typical of an interview? 
    2. Have a whole class discussion and the teacher can list out some ideas on the board. 
    3. Inform students of the lesson objective and lesson questions. Teachers can also provide context by utilizing the lesson background.
  2. Interview source with multiple interactions (20–35 min)
    1. The class will examine a segment of an oral history interview together: Kim Yen Vu Oral History (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnSc2CdHIeQ). 
      1. Teacher can provide the following context: “Interviews were conducted by the Vietnamese American Heritage Foundation as part of the national 500 Oral Histories Project.” (Viet Diaspora Stories, 2019) Linda Ho-Pashay is interviewing Kim Yen Vu about how the Vietnam War impacted her and her family.
    2. First Interaction: Prior to listening to the interview, have students jot down at least five questions they think would be valuable to include as someone who is interviewing Kim. This list of questions can be done with a partner.
      1. Optional: Prior to listening to a part of the interview, have students tap into their prior knowledge, and recall information they learned about the Vietnam War and Vietnamese refugee experiences. This can be done as a brief partner or group share.
    3. Second Interaction: Teachers will play the video from 0:00–7:23. Teachers can choose to play the interview further if they wish. 
      1. A written transcript with timestamps is available on the YouTube website https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnSc2CdHIeQ.
      2. As students are listening, have them write down interview norms that they observe from the person interviewing.  
        1. Examples include: formal introduction, rephrasing, asking follow up questions, etc. 
      3. Have students share their noticings with a peer, then have a whole class share out. 
      4. Teachers can also have students think of other interview etiquette and considerations that may not have been observed in the video such as seating proximity, frontloading the guest with topics and questions, sensitivity around emotional and traumatic memories. 
    4. Third Interaction: Teachers can choose to replay the same segment, or watch a different segment of the interview with the class. Alternatively, students can be provided the link to watch the video at a different preferred time stamp. ç Students can watch a 5–10 minute segment.
      1. In this third watch, have students jot down information they learned about the Vietnam War experiences and impacts that followed. 
      2. Once each student has finished watching, have them share their findings with a peer. 
      3. Have a class share out with notes that they gathered.
  3. Project Introduction: Content and Brainstorming (30 minutes)
    1. Teachers will introduce the project. Distribute the “Roots Oral History Packet” to students (https://app.box.com/file/1541778918183?s=xnj2asbakijcgeoeigeymhypj4i6jbil). The teacher will explain that this is a cumulative, month-long summative project that will help students apply their knowledge and concepts learned in the classroom to the experiences of real members of the Vietnamese American community and their own families. 
    2. Goal of project: To preserve the memories of all Vietnamese American students, parents, and community members through media, photos, videos, interviews with parents, and stories written by students about their family history or about a peer/community members’ family history. 
      1. This project can be open to an interview of a Vietnamese American community member, family, or friend. Optionally, students can also utilize an oral history interview that is available at “Vietnamese in the Diaspora Digital Archive” (https://vietdiasporastories.omeka.net/items/browse?collection=20) or Viet Stories: Vietnamese American Oral History project (https://calisphere.org/collections/36/) instead of interviewing a community member. 
    3. Begin with a free write to “Part 1: Choosing a Story” 
      1. Students will answer question one and any of the questions in the Part 1 section and to keep writing until the time is up. If students need more sheets of paper, the teacher should provide it to them.
      2. After the free-write, the teacher will have students split up into pairs.
      3. Each student will exchange their free-write with each other, and the student that is editing the other student’s free-write will silently highlight all of the words that they feel highlight the main themes of the student’s free-write. (5 minutes)
    4.  After editing, the teacher will instruct students to give their free-writes back to each other and to explain what words they highlighted and how they think it represents important thematic areas that they can focus on in their oral history. (5 minutes)
      1. The class will come back together, and the students will share with the class their free-write and how they think they can develop a theme for their oral history. (5 minutes)
      2. Finally, the students will choose a theme for their oral history as an exit slip, with one or two sentences explaining why they chose the theme, who they may want to interview, and how they hope their interview will be connected to the experience of Vietnamese Americans that they learned in class.
  4. Interview Contact Information (one to two weeks)
    1. The teacher should set deadlines throughout the weeks for the following:
      1. Confirming whether students have found someone to interview with their contact information. 
        1. If students are using an interview from the digital archives, confirm whether they have selected the interview to examine.
      2. Writing a letter activity: The teacher will have students personalize the following email template below and to have them send it to their contact in class:

        1. Dear [Interviewee's Name],

        2. I hope this letter finds you well. My name is [Your Name], and I am part of an oral history project exploring the experiences of Vietnamese Americans who left Vietnam between the 1970s and 1980s. Our aim is to gain a better understanding of the personal histories, the pain of separation and loss, and the policies and events that influenced the decisions to leave Vietnam.

        3. Your story is important and contributes greatly to our understanding of this historical period. We believe that your experiences will provide invaluable insights into the Vietnamese American narrative and help us answer our guiding questions:

        4. How do we understand the pain of separation and loss experienced by Vietnamese Americans who chose to flee their homeland?

        5. What policies and historical events influenced the decisions for Vietnamese Americans to leave behind their homeland?

        6. We are writing to kindly request your participation in this project. We would be honored if you would agree to an interview, which we anticipate will take approximately [estimated duration of interview]. Our conversation would be recorded, with your permission, to ensure we accurately capture your story.

        7. If you are willing to participate, could we arrange a time and place for the interview that suits your schedule? We are flexible and can accommodate your preferences.

        8. We understand that sharing personal stories can be emotional and sometimes difficult. Please know that we will handle your experiences with the utmost respect and sensitivity.

        9. Thank you for considering our request. Your participation would greatly enrich our project and help us to preserve the history and experiences of Vietnamese Americans for future generations.

        10. Best Regards,

        11. [Your Name]

        12. [Your Contact Information]

        13. If students are using an interview from the digital archives, they can still practice writing this letter as if they were the person conducting the interview they selected.

        14. The teacher will set a deadline for the end of Part 2 for confirmation on whether the students have conducted the interview or not. The teacher should warn students to schedule interviews about two weeks before the deadline to make time for possible delays. 

  5. Part 2: Conducting the Interview (two to three weeks)
    1. Have students prepare a list of questions that they plan to ask their individual. Students can choose from the questions in the packet, as well as generate their own. 
      1. If students are using an interview from the digital archives, have them select the questions that are evident in the interview - as well as at least 4 more questions they would have asked if they conducted the interview themselves. 
    2. Throughout this duration, allow for teacher-student check ins or student-student check ins. During the check-ins, students can share their plans, goals, and projected dates.
  6. Part 3: Writing Testimony (one to two weeks)
    1. The teacher will give students class time and a deadline of one to two weeks to write a testimony based on the conducted interviews. 
      1. Example testimonies that the teacher could share can be found on the Roots source (link: https://rootshistoryproject.wixsite.com/home/latest-stories?pgid=irkm5hav-eba95a49-0d2e-4e62-a491-a6cefc7c1fb5) and an example linked here https://rootshistoryproject.wixsite.com/home/latest-stories?pgid=irkm5hav-80a3c3ea-4a39-4ba7-8445-8635423a510e.
    2. Testimonies to include, but are not limited to the following details: Name of interviewee, background, experiences, struggles and accomplishments, life lessons learned, connections to culture, etc.
    3. Alternatives to written testimonies:
      1. Video reflections or interviews, podcast episode, story book about the interviewee, infographic of the interviewee. 
  7. Presentations (20–40 min)
    1. The teacher will have a few days of final presentations in which students will read their testimonies, with pictures attached, to the class. 
      1. If students are using an interview from the digital archives, they can still complete a testimony based on their selected individual.
    2. Another option, if presentations are too long or some students do not feel comfortable sharing in front of class, is to create a gallery walk in class, in which each students’ testimonies are printed on large posters with photos and hung around the classroom. Testimonies can also be published for digital sharing methods. This can also be done as small group shares or video reflections.
      1. Students will be instructed to go around the classroom with sticky notes, read the testimonies from fellow students, and write positive and encouraging comments with the sticky notes to be posted next to their posters.
      2. At the end, the posters and sticky notes will be given back to the original owner.
      3. The teacher can also organize a kind of open house for parents and community members to also walk around and appreciate the testimonies from each student.
  8. Reflections (15 min)
    1. After the completion of the project and class share, have students reflect on the interview process by answering one of the lesson questions:
      1. How can we document, preserve, and share the personal experiences of Vietnamese refugees in the US? 
      2. How can we connect our own family and personal migration experiences to America to that of Vietnamese refugees?

Students will complete an oral history interview of a Vietnamese American community member and share the story in one of the following ways: written testimony, video reflections/interviews, podcast episode, story book about the interviewee, infographic of the interviewee.

  • Engagement: Consider the following method to support with lesson engagement:
    • Provide tasks that allow for active participation, exploration and experimentation 
    • Invite personal response, evaluation and self-reflection to content and activities 
  • Representation: Consider the following method to support with multiple means of representation:
    • Progressively release information (e.g., sequential highlighting) 
    • Provide multiple entry points to a lesson and optional pathways through content (e.g., exploring big ideas through dramatic works, arts and literature, film and media) 
  • Action and Expression: Consider the following method to support in presenting their learning in multiple ways:
    • Compose in multiple media such as text, speech, drawing, illustration, comics, storyboards, design, film, music, visual art, sculpture, or video  

 

For additional ideas to support your students, check out the UDL Guidelines at CAST 2018 http://udlguidelines.cast.org.

  • Emerging: Consider the following method to support with emerging students:
    • Speaking: Ask simple who, what, when, where, yes/no, or either/or questions 
  • Expanding: Consider the following method to support with expanding students:
    • Speaking: Provide graphic organizers or notes to scaffold oral retelling 
    • Speaking: Scaffold oral reports with note cards and provide time for prior practice
  • Bridging: Consider the following method to support with bridging students:
    • Speaking: Require full sentence responses by asking open ended questions
      • In response to a prompt, the teacher offers a sentence frame orally and/or in writing to support expression of student thinking. Frames are adjusted based upon specific grammatical structure, key vocabulary, content learning, and language proficiency level descriptors, etc. Frames are a temporary scaffold that require modification.

 

For additional guidance around scaffolding for multilingual learners, please consult the following resources:

  1. Video Montage - Students can create a video montage or collage that captures their interview with their narrator. The video can include materials from the oral history project packet such as pictures, videos, audio, or pivotal quotes of the narrator’s story.
  2. Autobiography - Students can create an autobiography of themselves and publicize this through a video, book, or slide presentation. The autobiography can highlight milestones or monumental events in their lives. This can also include a timeline of events, personal photos, and even a preview into their future aspirations.
  3. This oral history project can be open to other individuals that may not belong to the Vietnamese American community.

Britt, K. 2020, May 11. English learner toolkit of strategies. California County Superintendents. https://cacountysupts.org/english-learner-toolkit-of-strategies/

 

California Department of Education & English Learner Support Division. 2012. California English Language Development standards (Electronic Edition) kindergarten through grade 12 (F. Ong & J. McLean, Eds.). California Department of Education. https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/el/er/documents/eldstndspublication14.pdf

California Educators Together. (n.d.). ELA / ELD framework. https://www.caeducatorstogether.org/resources/6537/ela-eld-framework

CAST. 2018. The UDL guidelines. http://udlguidelines.cast.org

Continuing the Search for Opportunities and Freedom, by Vivian Nguyễn - Class of 2023 | Latest Stories. (n.d.). Home. https://rootshistoryproject.wixsite.com/home/latest-stories?pgid=irkm5hav-eba95a49-0d2e-4e62-a491-a6cefc7c1fb5

Love is Love is Love, by Kevin Lư Nguyễn - Class of 2020 | Latest Stories. (n.d.). Home. Retrieved December 6, 2023. https://rootshistoryproject.wixsite.com/home/latest-stories?pgid=irkm5hav-80a3c3ea-4a39-4ba7-8445-8635423a510e

Refugene. (n.d.). The Family Stories Project. REFUGENE and Union of Vietnamese Student Associations in North America. https://refugene.com/pages/refugenexunavsa#resources 

 

San Diego County Office of Education. (n.d.). Providing appropriate scaffolding. https://www.sdcoe.net/educators/multilingual-education-and-global-achievement/oracy-toolkit/providing-appropriate-scaffolding#scaffolding

 

Sexias, P. & Morton, T. 2013. The big six: Historical thinking concepts. Nelson Education.

 

Tulare County Office of Education. (n.d.). Strategies for ELD. https://commoncore.tcoe.org/Content/Public/doc/Alpha-CollectionofELDStrategies.pdf 

 

Viet Diaspora Stories. (2019, August 14). Kim Yen Vu Oral History [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnSc2CdHIeQ 

 

Viet Stories: Vietnamese American Oral History project. (n.d.). Calisphere. https://calisphere.org/collections/36/ 

 

Vietnamese in the Diaspora Digital Archive (VIDDA). (n.d.). https://vietdiasporastories.omeka.net/items/browse?collection=20 

Model Curriculum

Vietnamese American Experiences

Standard(s)

HSS 11.9 RI.11-12.7 W.9-10.7 SL.9-10.1

Grade(s)

Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11