Respect for all: Migration to Britain

This activity was used with pupils in key stage 4, year 11.

Context

This activity was part of the 'modern world study' of the school's history project course on multicultural Britain. This project was particularly relevant in the context of the school, which is based in a semi-rural area south of a city in the north of England. The local economy is predominantly based on farming and the chemical industry. Almost all of the pupils are white: the ratio of white to non-white pupils is greater than 99:1. In general the pupils showed little awareness or interest in issues concerning the cultural diversity of modern Britain.

Aim

• To raise awareness of cultural diversity and create an understanding of motivations and experiences.

Activity objective

• To explain the reasons why people have moved to Britain during the last 100 years and explore the way in which controls defining 'legal' and 'illegal' immigration have been put in place.

Activity description

The study, which resulted in a piece of coursework, was designed to immerse the pupils quickly in a wealth of information and to raise awareness of the different origins of ethnic groups within Britain. It was important that the start to the activity, watching a video, was accessible to a mixed-ability group.

Lesson 1

The pupils watched the 4Learning programme Origins. The half-hour episode contained five brief films that told the stories of Caribbean, Polish, Irish, Pakistani and Vietnamese migrants who all settled in the west of England. The programme contained narrative, animation, interviews and poetry.

The pupils were divided into small groups, each one focusing on a different person's story. They watched the episode and then reported back on why the person decided to move and how they had been treated on arrival and in the subsequent months. Next, with teacher guidance, the class discussed why each person moved to Britain (recognising these causes as economic, political, cultural, accidental or circumstantial), and discussed ways in which controls placed on immigration affect different groups.

Lesson 2

In the next lesson the pupils were given a historical perspective on the current multicultural nature of the British nation. One exercise involved pupils matching up groups of immigrants from the last 2,000 years with the correct descriptions of their countries of origin and their motivations for moving.

This general introduction was followed by an in-depth study of Jewish migration to Britain between 1880 and 1914. The pupils were not aware of this migration, nor did they know there was a resident Jewish population in the UK during this period that reacted in different ways to the new wave of Jewish immigration occurring after 1880. The pupils were asked to analyse and evaluate conflicting historical interpretations of the reasons for migration of Jews at this time, using a range of historical sources to research and corroborate their findings.

The pupils then investigated the period immediately after the Second World War (1945-1958). Using source information and a map, they researched answers to four simple questions:

Who migrated to Britain?
How many migrants came to Britain?
When did they come?
Why did they decide to move?

These questions were investigated for different ethnic groups of migrant people during the post-war period: Irish, black African-Caribbeans (known as West Indians at the time), West Africans, Cypriots, black Asian peoples from the Indian subcontinent, and East Europeans. The pupils wrote their answers on small labels that were colour-coded and placed on the map of the world. The motives for migration (established in the first lesson) were applied visually by drawing small thumbnail icons next to each summary box. These were used to symbolise the separate motives for migration: economic, political, cultural and so on.

After this broad survey of the post-war period, the pupils moved on to a detailed investigation into a specific group of migrants (building on their earlier work on Jewish immigration): the migration of African-Caribbean people to Britain after 1945. Using photographic evidence, autobiographical accounts and internet research, the pupils used the idea of 'push' and 'pull' factors to organise their research. The second programme in the 4Learning series History in action: race in the 20th century, entitled 'Migration' was used as a stimulus. This programme uses images and personal testimonies to discuss the reasons for migration and the experiences of immigrants on their arrival in Britain.

The pupils then investigated recent immigration and the push and pull factors that led to this migration (eg economic, political, and cultural). The pupils used the internet and relevant textbooks to find examples of these factors and the positives and negatives of deciding to migrate in relation to asylum seekers and refugees in the 1990s.

Lesson 3

In the final lesson, the pupils discussed how to organise their findings to answer the question:

With reference to the period 1880 to the present day, explain why people chose to migrate to Britain.

In a discussion session, the pupils were encouraged to analyse the general motives behind migration, and to move away from a chronological approach. This was designed to help pupils organise their research across the whole timespan and consider economic motives before political ones.

The abler pupils became aware that economic and political motives are interrelated. They made the point that politicians, when managing the economy, needed to correct the labour shortages after the Second World War. In this way the British government provided an economic 'pull' factor. Earlier in the century, Russian governments passed political laws that attacked the ability of Jews to earn a living. Thus the Russian government created a political 'push' factor.

The enabling factors in the process of migration were not overlooked: migration occurred because the opportunity existed for it to happen. The pupils were also asked to think about the power of communication and transport through the twentieth century. Pupils pointed out the importance of regulating the Channel Tunnel in that context and the approach of other European countries to migration.

Commentary

These activities use coursework as an opportunity for research. The teacher offered advice and, initially, suggestions for a line of enquiry. The pupils were equipped with concepts to help them understand migration (eg 'push' and 'pull', political, economic, and cultural factors). There were opportunities for use a range of source material and ICT equipment.

This allowed them to understand the assignment in a broad and original manner. The pupils were asked to consider migration in terms of broad themes and across a wide time period, while studying Jewish and Caribbean immigration in detail.

This history coursework took place while pupils were engaged in related work on rights and relationships in citizenship lessons. Topics covered in these citizenship lessons included: human rights, equality, justice, and racial harassment. Many pupils saw connections with the written material they studied in history about asylum seekers and refugees. This historical context contributed to the pupils' awareness by deepening their understanding of the origins and issues of living in our multicultural society.

Points to note

The assignment linked with a subsequent investigation on the experiences and challenges faced by immigrants starting a new life in Britain. The same holistic and analytical approach was used.

Resources

'Migration', programme 2 in History in action: race in the 20th century, 4Learning strand, Channel 4

Origins, 4Learning strand, Channel 4

The history schemes of work can be found at www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/schemes
The online national curriculum can be found at www.nc.uk.net

History introduction

All subjects and activities

Respect for all introduction

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