New
New
Year 11
Eduqas

Comparing personal responses to unseen poetry

I can compare and interrogate my personal responses to unseen poetry.

New
New
Year 11
Eduqas

Comparing personal responses to unseen poetry

I can compare and interrogate my personal responses to unseen poetry.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. You might begin to form a comparative response by considering which poem you have a greater emotional reaction to.
  2. Then, you might develop your comparison by considering which one you find more provocative, pertinent, or ambiguous.
  3. Comparing your personal responses can help you to understand how poets have created meaning.
  4. Interrogating why you react differently to poems can help you understand the world around you and yourself.

Keywords

  • Interrogate - to ask questions in order to seek answers or information

  • Ambiguous - something unclear or vague which is open to more than one possible interpretation

  • Pertinent - relevant or applicable to a particular matter

  • Provocative - cause a strong emotional reaction

  • Poignant - causing or having a very sharp feeling of sadness

Common misconception

That considering which poem you have a stronger emotional reaction to is not worthwhile.

Comparing your personal responses to poems can help you to see how the poet has managed to create meaning and mood through their writing.

It might be useful for pupils to share which poems they have a stronger emotional reaction to, to see whether there are any particular trends or common ideas.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You will need a copy of Michael Laskey’s ‘Nobody’ and Robin Robertson’s ‘Donegal’ which are available in the additional materials.

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), 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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6 Questions

Q1.
'Belonging to or affecting a particular person rather than anyone else' is the definition of ...
Correct answer: personal
universal
formal
Q2.
Considering the similarities and differences between two texts is called a .
Correct Answer: comparison
Q3.
'Something unclear or vague which is open to more than one possible interpretation' is the definition of .
Correct Answer: ambiguous, ambiguity
Q4.
'To ask questions in order to seek answers or information' is the definition of ...
Correct answer: interrogate
intimidate
interpretation
Q5.
'Relevant or applicable to a particular matter' is the definition of .
Correct Answer: pertinent
Q6.
Which of the following pronouns might make you think a poem is about a personal relationship?
'I' and 'my'
Correct answer: 'I' and 'you'
'he' and 'they'

6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following is a summary for Laskey's 'Nobody'?
Correct answer: The speaker asks the reader to consider how they live their life.
The speaker details their experience of building snowmen.
The speaker asks the reader to consider their idea of childhood.
Q2.
Which of the following is a summary of Robertson's 'Donegal'?
The speaker considers their relationship with their father.
Correct answer: The speaker considers their relationship with their daughter.
The speaker muses on parenthood in general.
Q3.
Which of the following words means something 'vague and unclear'?
Correct answer: ambiguity
animosity
ambivalence
Q4.
'Causing a strong emotional reaction' is the definition of .
Correct Answer: provocative, provoke, provoking
Q5.
'Causing or having a very sharp feeling of sadness' is the definition of .
Correct Answer: poignant
Q6.
Which of the following sentences expresses the opinion that Robertson's 'Donegal' is more relevant?
Robertson's 'Donegal' is more provocative.
Robertson's 'Donegal' is more ambiguous.
Correct answer: Robertson's 'Donegal' is more pertinent.

Additional material

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