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About the Video Clip:

Video Clip Synopsis:
Well-paid but back-breaking sugarcane work in North Queensland provided the initial resources for Giovanni’s business. He and his family went on to create a now highly- successful imported tile business.

1min 5sec

Giovanni’s Tile Business Grows is an excerpt from the film Working (55 mins), an episode of the series The Migrant Experience (6 x 55 mins), produced in 1984.




Study Module

Curriculum Focus: English
Year: 9-10
Theme: Immigration & Work

Key Concepts

Immigration; Generations; Economy; Family; Representation

Curriculum Applicability Notes

ACT:Everyday texts – Language: Contextual understanding
NSW:(1997 Syllabus) C5 Mass media
(2003 Syllabus) Stage 5 Outcome 4
NT:R/V 5.1 – 5.3
R/V 5+.1-5+.3
Qld:Cr 6.2
SA:Texts and contexts 5.3
Tas:Communicating – Being literate, Standard 4
Vic:Reading – Texts 6.6
WA:Understanding Language
Attitudes, values and beliefs

Context / Background Information

After World War 2 the Australian Government brought a number of Europeans displaced by the war, known as DPs, to Australia. This was followed by a massive migration scheme which brought more southern, eastern and western Europeans to Australia. Most of the European migrants could not speak English.

This influx of migrants was almost a social revolution in Australia, as most previous mass migration had been focused on British people. This migration would have a major impact on the migrants’ lives, but also on Australia. The existing Australian population reacted and for the most part accepted these foreign newcomers, these ‘new Australians’. Australian cultural life changed dramatically over time.

These new Australians, like Giovanni Spoda, rose to the challenge of starting life again in a new land. Giovanni and his wife raised their family here. Their children are second generation Australian Europeans with mixed cultural values.

Discussion Pointers

  1. What does the video clip show?
  2. What is Giovanni Spoda’s story?
  3. What qualities has he shown?
  4. Why has he succeeded?
  5. How has family been a part of that success?
  6. What is the message of this video clip about the immigrant experience?

Suggested Classroom Activities

  1. Identify the various elements of the migration experience that are represented in this video clip. For example, what is the role of family? Of hard work? Of helping other migrants?
  2. A typical image of the migration experience represents the children as torn between the old and new cultures. Compare this representation. Suggest reasons to explain the differences that exist. How could you test to decide which image is closer to the truth?

Modules That Use This Clip

English Year 9-10, SOSE/HSIE Year 9-10, SOSE/HSIE Year 11-12