‘Tri Biri!’: the colonies, Europe and migration in Britain and Portugal over the last thirty or so years – how can we respond?

Abstract

This article traces the way in which immigration in Britain and Portugal has changed over the past thirty years or so. It notes the way in which immigration in each country has followed a similar path, with Portugal following the patterns established earlier in Britain. It points out how immigration from the former colonies has been eclipsed by immigration from Europe since joining the European Union and describes some of the effects on schools of the resulting linguistic diversity. It concludes by describing some of ways in which education professionals can respond to such diversity for the good of all.