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      Understanding new vocabulary in 'The Listeners' by Walter de la Mare

      Lesson details

      Learning outcome

      I can use strategies to identify key vocabulary and begin to understand the poem further.

      Key learning points

      1. Identifying the word class can support readers when interpreting new vocabluary
      2. Readers can use the context of the sentence to help with understanding the meaning
      3. Skipping a new word can help infer its meaning
      4. Replacing an unknown word with a known word can support readers when interpreting new vocabluary

      Keywords

      • Narrative poem - A narrative poem tells a story with characters, plot, and elements of a narrative.

      • Context - The context is the surrounding details that help you understand what you're reading.

      • Word class - Word class is the name we give to different types of words that are used to form sentences.

      • Reading fluency - Reading fluency refers to the ability to read a text accurately, smoothly, and with appropriate expression.

      Common misconception

      Pupils may think that any word can replace an unknown word.

      Replacement words should be based on contextual clues, which can be supported through inferring and reading around a word.

      Teacher tip

      Model plenty of thinking out loud. This is especially useful when demonstrating to pupils how to replace a word with a known word.

      Licence

      This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0
      except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions
      (Collection 2).

      Lesson video

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      Prior knowledge starter quiz

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      Walter de la Mare is an English poet. His poetry often explores themes of...

      war and politics.
      Correct answer: imagination and fantasy.
      love and romance.

      Q2.
      Select the most accurate summary of 'The Listeners' by Walter de la Mare.

      a traveller arrives, by carriage, to a mysterious building in the mountains
      a traveller arrives, by truck, to a mysterious building in the city
      Correct answer: a traveller arrives, by horse, to a mysterious building in the forest

      Q3.
      Is the following statement True or False? 'By asking questions about a poet, readers can deepen their understanding and engagement with a poem.'

      Correct Answer: True, true

      Q4.
      What is the term for the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words in a line of poetry?

      metaphor
      Correct answer: alliteration
      simile
      rhyme

      Q5.
      Select the common features of a poem.

      Correct answer: stanzas
      subheadings
      Correct answer: rhyme scheme
      Correct answer: repetition
      factual information

      Q6.
      Match the text type with the language used.

      Correct Answer:fiction text,descriptive language often including dialogue
      Correct Answer:non-fiction text,informative and objective language
      Correct Answer:Poetry,vivid and descriptive language often including rhyme

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      Match the word with the correct definition.

      Correct Answer:narrative poem,a story with characters, plot, and elements of a narrative
      Correct Answer:context ,the surrounding details that help you understand the text
      Correct Answer:word class,name given to different types of words from a sentence
      Correct Answer:reading fluency,to read a text accurately, smoothly, and with expression

      Q2.
      Is the following statement True or False? 'An antiquated word is a word we frequently use in the modern world.'

      Correct Answer: False, false

      Q3.
      Which of the following can be useful strategies to use when discovering new or unfamiliar vocabulary?

      Correct answer: skipping the word
      ignoring the context
      Correct answer: identifying the word class
      taking a wild guess
      Correct answer: reading around the word

      Q4.
      Match the following word classes to their definition.

      Correct Answer:noun,a naming word for people, places or things
      Correct Answer:verb,a doing, being or having word
      Correct Answer:adjective,describes a noun
      Correct Answer:adverb,describes a verb

      Q5.
      Match the vocabulary from 'The Listeners' to the correct word class.

      Correct Answer:champed,verb
      Correct Answer:stirrup,noun
      Correct Answer:leaf-fringed,adjective

      Q6.
      When reading poetry aloud, you should...

      Correct answer: use an expressive voice
      stare at your feet
      Correct answer: vary your volume
      Correct answer: emphasise key words
      Correct answer: use your facial expressions

      To help you plan your 5 English lesson on: Understanding new vocabulary in 'The Listeners' by Walter de la Mare, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...