Effective context: modern poems in the 'Love and Relationships' anthology
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can include meaningful context when writing about modern poems in the anthology.
Key learning points
- Context can be interpreted in historical, social, biographical, and literary ways.
- Incorporating meaningful context deepens our analysis of modern poems in the anthology.
- An author's personal experiences can significantly influence their work.
- Contextual points should be seamlessly included in our overall analysis and not 'bolted on' at the end.
Keywords
Context - circumstances or background surrounding a text
Multigenerational - involving or affecting multiple generations in a family or community
Punglish - a blend of English and Punjabi
Literary tradition - written works, styles and conventions passed down through generations.
Common misconception
Students may think context should be mentioned separately at the end of their paragraphs, rather than integrated throughout their analysis.
Context should be woven into your analysis to enrich your interpretation e.g. 'Nagra's depiction of family duties versus personal desires draws from his British-Indian experience, showcasing challenges faced by second-generation immigrants.'
Teacher tip
This lesson makes reference to 'modern' poems in the anthology. These are considered to be any poems published in the 20th century and beyond.
Equipment
You will need access to a copy of the AQA 'Love and Relationships' anthology to complete this lesson.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Who is the author of the poem 'Eden Rock'?
Q2.Who is the author of the poem 'Singh Song!'?
Q3.Which themes are central to 'Singh Song!'?
Q4.What are the central themes of 'Eden Rock'?
Q5.What is the definition of 'context' in literary analysis?
Q6.Why is it important to consider the wider context of a poem?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is context in literature?
Q2.What are the four types of context we often associate with the study of English?
Q3.Which aspect of context is linked to what was happening when the poem was written?
Q4.Daljit Nagra uses a type of language in 'Singh Song!' that is a blend of English and Punjabi. What is it called?
Q5.Charles Causley was influenced by his Cornish background and used typical styles and folk tales of this area in his work. As such this is an example of __________ context.
Q6.What event likely influenced Charles Causley's poem 'Eden Rock' and the inclusion of his father?
To help you plan your 11 English lesson on: Effective context: modern poems in the 'Love and Relationships' anthology, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 English lesson on: Effective context: modern poems in the 'Love and Relationships' anthology, 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.
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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.
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