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Year 6 - English

Exploring the Empire Windrush and the experiences of its passengers

The Empire Windrush: diary writing

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils use research around the Empire Windrush and an account of a fictional passenger to write a diary entry from a Windrush passenger's perspective. They use a conversational tone and informal devices, including exclamatives and verbless sentences, to meet the writing purpose.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to explain why West Indian immigrants came to the UK on the Windrush and describe some of the challenges they faced when they arrived here.

Key Notes

  • Britain had a vast empire in the early 20th Century, but it was very badly affected by WWII and had labour shortages.
  • In 1948, a new law clarified that all citizens of the Commonwealth had the right to settle and work in the UK.
  • There was high unemployment in the Caribbean; many people hoped for better wages and living conditions in the UK.
  • West Indian immigrants therefore arrived in Britain on ships including the Empire Windrush at this time.
  • On arrival, they faced discrimination in jobs, services and housing.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • colony: a country or area under the control of another country
  • emigrate: when you leave your own country to settle in another
  • immigrant: someone who has come to a country different to their country of origin to live permanently
  • discrimination: treating a person or group of people differently and unfairly because of a certain characteristic
  • racism: harmful and unfair behaviours and attitudes that people can show if they hold the belief that their own race is superior to another

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Pupils may believe that immigration is only **to** the UK and not into other countries **from** the UK.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.

Britain had a vast empire in the early 20th Century, but it was very badly affected by WWII and had labour shortages. In 1948, a new law clarified that all citizens of the Commonwealth had the right to settle and work in the UK.

2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'colony'

a country or area under the control of another country.

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: Pupils may believe that immigration is only **to** the UK and not into other countries **from** the UK. Correction: Part of the reason for the post-war labour shortage was that Britons emigrated in vast numbers to other Commonwealth countries.

More Lessons In This Unit

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