Diversity in Britain

Lesson objective

Learn about UK migration, both inward and outward.

Lesson plan - Diversity in Britain

Starter (five minutes) Whole class discussion

Quick reminder of the principal causes of migration, both inward and outward.

    Asylum
    Employment
    Social e.g. family connections

And any special factors today.

    EU expansion to Central and South-East Europe allowing freedom of movement
    Unrest in the Arab world
Main section Group activity (10 minutes)

Study the main periods of immigration/ emigration into/ from the UK since 1945 (dates, volumes, reasons, destinations) (Fact sheets)

 

From the Commonwealth:

    West Indies
    East Africa
    India
    Pakistan

From the EU:

    Spain
    Portugal
    A8 Central European

British residents emigrating over that period
What are the patterns?

    Proportion of the population by major immigrant group today
    Centres of immigrant populations
    Development of border controls
Whole class discussion
(10 minutes, based on fact sheets)		 How far is Britain a multicultural society?

Representation of first/second generation immigrants at upper levels of society
           
    Politics
    Business
    Professions
    University admissions

Multicultural practices
           
    Muslim veil
    Muslim schools
    Muslim marriage culture
Whole class discussion (10 minutes) Community cohesion

Issues relating to immigrants:
           
    Take our jobs
    Don’t speak English
    Marry our children
    Wear strange clothes
    Have their own schools, laws etc
    Are not British
Plenary
(5 minutes		 Concepts of stereotyping / impact of mass media

List some of the benefits of immigration and emigration

Note: Consider for a G&T group giving them a border control rôle-play for the last 15 minutes of the lesson.

There are scenarios in one of the references but others could be created. The observers would comment on the interview and assess whether all the right questions were asked and on the persuasiveness of the replies.

Alternatively, rôle-plays could be used for a whole lesson among all groups.

Reference:

Migration workshops
Migrant workers from the EU
Asylum interview
 
Fact sheets      UK immigration trends since 1945
    Destinations of UK immigrants since 1945
    Rôle-play briefing
Subject content AQA GCE
Unit 1 CIST1 Identity, Rights and Responsibilities

Key Question: What does it mean to be British?

 

KS5 lesson plan - Diversity in Britain