Essay writing: using context in responses to ‘Small Island’
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can understand how context is used in a written response.
Key learning points
- Context can refer to key concepts, such as colourism or colonial attitudes, which inform our understanding of the text.
- Context refers to historical, social, literary and biographical information.
- Context should not be presented as isolated facts.
- Context should be relevant to the analysis and woven in the response.
- Context should develop your ideas and give an insight into the writer’s purpose and intention.
Keywords
Colonialism - The control by one country over another. At various points the British Empire controlled 56 countries.
Windrush generation - The people who emigrated on the HMT Windrush between 1948 and 1971.
Stage adaptation - Where a text, for example a novel or a film, is made into a theatrical production for the stage.
Diaspora - The spread of people from their original homeland.
Weave - In relation to context, when you embed into paragraphs rather than including as isolated facts.
Common misconception
That context refers just to historical facts.
Think about the 'big ideas' in the text and what has influenced and informed these. This all comes under the umbrella of context.
Teacher tip
If it has not been explored in depth already, Andrea Levy's essay "Back to My Own Country" provides excellent contextual information and exploration of her intentions when writing.
Equipment
You will need access to a copy of the play 'Small Island' written by Andrea Levy and adapted for the stage by Helen Edmundson
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Between which years is the play 'Small Island' set?
Q2.What year was the novel 'Small Island' first adapted for stage and performed?
Q3.What is the definition of colourism?
Q4.In 'Small Island', what connotations does the description "golden life" carry in the context of Little Hortense and colourism?
Q5.Starting with the first, put these plot points from Act 1 Scene 1 in 'Small Island' in chronological order.
Q6.In 'Small Island' which character says: "There is a whole world out there where real things are happening and people are really living their lives."
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is the term used to describe the spread of people from their original homeland?
Q2.What is the term for the control by one country over another?
Q3.'Small Island' is a stage adaption of a novel by Andrea Levy. What type of context is this?
Q4.Andrea Levy, author of the novel 'Small Island', was a second generation migrant to Jamaican parents. What type of context is this?
Q5.In which year was 'Small Island' first performed on stage and what is the significance of this date?
Q6.In every literature essay, you should include context. Match the type of context to its definition.
What was happening when the text was written?
What are the life experiences of the author?
What were the shared values and ideas of the time period?
What influenced the text's style or genre?
To help you plan your 9 English lesson on: Essay writing: using context in responses to ‘Small Island’, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 9 English lesson on: Essay writing: using context in responses to ‘Small Island’, 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 'Small Island' unit, dive into the full secondary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.