Skim reading and close reading: 'Testament of Youth' by Vera Brittain
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can show a thorough understanding of an extract from Vera Brittain’s ‘Testament of Youth’, a memoir which recounts experiences on the British Home Front during World War One .
Key learning points
- Vera Brittain (1893-1970) was a British writer and nurse.
- Brittain is best known for her 1933 memoir ‘Testament of Youth’.
- ‘Testament of Youth’ recounts Brittain’s personal experiences of loneliness and loss during World War One.
- Skimming and scanning a text involves quickly reading something, and gathering its main ideas and overall tone.
- Close reading involves carefully considering a writer’s methods and their effects.
Keywords
Testament - truthful account
Memoir - a nonfiction account of something written from a person's memories
Close reading - carefully, thoughtfully and slowly examining a text and considering the choices the writer made
Gist - the main idea or essence of something, often brief and in a simplified form
Home front - civilians of a country that is at war who feel its impact in their daily lives
Common misconception
'Testament of Youth' is fictional.
A memoir is an account of something based on a person's memories. They are examples of nonfiction.
Teacher tip
The Brittain extract is challenging in both its sentence construction and vocabulary. Considering how to read this extract with your class could be the focus of the majority of your planning. You could consider the words you want to gloss, how you will read, and what questions you wish to ask.
Equipment
There is a copy of the extract from ‘Testament of Youth’ by Vera Brittain on the worksheet for this lesson.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.'Literary perspectives from the First World War' focuses, primarily, on experiences of World War One. Match these key terms relating to this war to their definitions.
civilians of a country that is at war who feel its impact day to day
the line of battle that is closest to the enemy
the line of trenches in Europe where many WW1 battles took place
a deep ditch dug in order to protect soldiers from enemy fire
Q2.Each of these key terms helps us develop an understanding of an unseen text. Match each key term to its definition.
quickly reading a text and selecting its key ideas and overall tone
examining a text and considering the choices the writer made
the main idea or essence of something, often brief and simplified
Q3.'Literary perspectives from the First World War' focuses, primarily, on experiences of World War One. Match some of the feelings of civilians on the British home front to their source.
for those on the front line
about the experience of trench warfare
there were food shortages
with fewer men, women took up employment
of invasion or bombing
Q4.A pupil is about to read a nonfiction extract (Literary perspectives from the First World War). They say, "Writers don't use methods in nonfiction texts." How would you correct them?
Q5.A pupil wants to analyse the methods of a nonfiction extract ('Literary perspectives from the First World War'). What are methods?
Q6.An important method of communication was the during WW1. This is a short written message which often informed civilians of death of a loved one.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Each of these key terms is a type of text explored in the unit 'Literary perspectives from the First World War'. Match each term to its definition.
truthful account
an account of something written from a person's memories
writing about real events
Q2.Vera Brittain wrote 'Testament of Youth' ('Literary perspectives from the First World War'). Match each key date to its event to plot a rough outline of her life.
Brittain is born
Brittain turns 20; WW1 begins
Brittain leaves university and becomes a nurse
During the war, her fiancé, brother and two close friends are killed
WW1 ends and Brittain returns to university
'Testament of Youth' published
Q3.Vera Brittain wrote 'Testament of Youth' ('Literary perspectives from the First World War'). It is a , a nonfiction account of something written from a person's memories.
Q4.Vera Brittain wrote 'Testament of Youth' ('Literary perspectives from the First World War'). In it, she says that during war, people dreaded the doorbell ringing in case it was a postman bringing a...
Q5.Vera Brittain wrote 'Testament of Youth' ('Literary perspectives from the First World War'). In it, she describes the "gnawing " she felt all the time her fiancé was on the front line.
Q6.Vera Brittain wrote 'Testament of Youth'. In it, she writes that WW1 created a " " between men who had been at the front, and their loved ones who had not.
To help you plan your 9 English lesson on: Skim reading and close reading: 'Testament of Youth' by Vera Brittain, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 9 English lesson on: Skim reading and close reading: 'Testament of Youth' by Vera Brittain, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 English lessons from the Literary perspectives from the First World War unit, dive into the full secondary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.