Poetry from Different Cultures

This teaching guide for high-ability students is designed as a self-contained unit which can be used to prepare for the AQA A Paper 2 Section A question on the poetry from different cultures in the Anthology.

Let us remind ourselves of the assessment objectives addressed by this section. Candidates are required to demonstrate their ability to:

(i) read, with insight and engagement, making appropriate references to texts and developing and sustaining interpretations of them;

(iv) select material appropriate to...

Compare the ways an event is described in ‘Blessing’ with the ways an event is described in ‘Island Man’.

Imtiaz Dharker and Grace Nichols are both clearly concerned with issues of identity and clashing cultures when exploring the main events in their poems ‘Blessing’ and ‘Island Man’. Despite the fact that Dharker originates from Pakistan, and Nichols from Guyana, each seems able to use similar poetic techniques to get to grips with wider issues beyond the apparently mundane occurrences in their poetry.

The concept of identity is...

This anthology is used for the following courses:

GCSE English Spec Code 4700
GCSE English Language Spec Code 4705
GCSE English Literature Spec Code 4710

The Anthology can also be used for Controlled Assessments in the following:

GCSE English Literature Unit 5: Exploring poetry
GCSE English Unit 3: Understanding and producing creative texts
GCSE English Language Unit 3: Understanding spoken and written texts and writing creatively

Associated Resources

• Moon on the Tides: Character & Voice PPTs
• Moon on the Tides: Place PPTs
• Moon on the...

This anthology is used for the following courses:

GCSE English Spec Code 4700
GCSE English Language Spec Code 4705
GCSE English Literature Spec Code 4710

The Anthology can also be used for Controlled Assessments in the following:

GCSE English Literature Unit 5: Exploring poetry
GCSE English Unit 3: Understanding and producing creative texts
GCSE English Language Unit 3: Understanding spoken and written texts and writing creatively

Associated Resources

• Moon on the Tides: Character & Voice PPTs
• Moon on the Tides: Place PPTs
• Moon on the...

This anthology is used for the following courses:

GCSE English Spec Code 4700
GCSE English Language Spec Code 4705
GCSE English Literature Spec Code 4710

The Anthology can also be used for Controlled Assessments in the following:

GCSE English Literature Unit 5: Exploring poetry
GCSE English Unit 3: Understanding and producing creative texts
GCSE English Language Unit 3: Understanding spoken and written texts and writing creatively

Associated Resources

• Moon on the Tides: Character & Voice PPTs
• Moon on the Tides: Conflict PPTs
• Moon on the...

This anthology is used for the following courses:

GCSE English Spec Code 4700
GCSE English Language Spec Code 4705
GCSE English Literature Spec Code 4710

The Anthology can also be used for Controlled Assessments in the following:

GCSE English Literature Unit 5: Exploring poetry
GCSE English Unit 3: Understanding and producing creative texts
GCSE English Language Unit 3: Understanding spoken and written texts and writing creatively

Associated Resources

• Moon on the Tides: Place PPTs
• Moon on the Tides: Conflict PPTs
• Moon on the Tides:...

Click on the link below to download Jo Winwood’s PPT on The Clown Punk by Simon Armitage.

The Clown Punk.pptx

The Clown Punk.ppt

This resource is relevant to the following courses:

AQA GCSE English spec code 4700
AQA GCSE English Language spec code 4705
AQA GCSE English Literature spec code 4710

The anthology can also be used for Controlled Assessment in the following:

AQA English Literature Unit 5: Exploring Poetry
AQA English Unit 3: Understanding and producing creative texts
AQA English Language Unit 3: Understanding spoken and...

Click on the link below to download Jo Winwood’s PPT on Medusa by Carol Ann Duffy.

Medusa.pptx

Medusa.ppt

This resource is relevant to the following courses:

AQA GCSE English spec code 4700
AQA GCSE English Language spec code 4705
AQA GCSE English Literature spec code 4710

The anthology can also be used for Controlled Assessment in the following:

AQA English Literature Unit 5: Exploring Poetry
AQA English Unit 3: Understanding and producing creative texts
AQA English Language Unit 3: Understanding spoken and written texts and writing...

Click on the link below to download Jo Winwood’s PPT on Horse Whisperer by Andrew Forster.

Horse Whisperer.pptx

Horse Whisperer.ppt

This resource is relevant to the following courses:

AQA GCSE English spec code 4700
AQA GCSE English Language spec code 4705
AQA GCSE English Literature spec code 4710

The anthology can also be used for Controlled Assessment in the following:

AQA English Literature Unit 5: Exploring Poetry
AQA English Unit 3: Understanding and producing creative texts
AQA English Language Unit 3: Understanding spoken and...

Click on the link below to download Jo Winwood’s PPT on Checkin Out Me History by John Agard.

Checkin Out Me History.pptx

Checkin Out Me History.ppt

This resource is relevant to the following courses:

AQA GCSE English spec code 4700
AQA GCSE English Language spec code 4705
AQA GCSE English Literature spec code 4710

The anthology can also be used for Controlled Assessment in the following:

AQA English Literature Unit 5: Exploring Poetry
AQA English Unit 3: Understanding and producing creative texts
AQA English Language Unit 3:...

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Mother...

A Teaching Guide to Pre-1914, Duffy and Armitage Poems
‘Mother, any distance’ and ‘The Laboratory’

The presentation of women in ‘Mother, any distance’ and ‘The Laboratory’

This teaching guide is one of 4 guides which cover between them the 12 Key Poems for AQA A GCSE English Literature for Carol Ann Duffy, Simon Armitage and the relevant Pre-1914 poems (Higher Tier).

As pupils must compare a particular theme, idea or approach in the poems in the examination, these guides are centred on a particular theme which is relevant to...

Comparative Analysis

Complete the following grid in as much detail as possible. Try to include different interpretations. If you’re not sure have a guess – but make sure you can back up your ideas from the text. Make sure that as well as finding the techniques, you comment on their effects/significance.

Comparison Grid.doc

a always and another back blue breaking circular comes crumpled day defiantly dull east emerald fishermen from grey groggily he head heaves himself his in island london man metallic morning muffling north of out pillow pushing roar sands sea seabirds small soar sound steady sun surf surfacing surge the to up wakes waves wheels wild wombing

Island Man Collapsed.doc

a aluminium and around as blessing bones brass buckets bursts butts child children congregation copper cracks crashes drip echo enough every flashing flow for fortune found frantic from god ground hands has highlights huts imagine in is it kindly light like liquid man mug municipal naked never of over perfection pipe plastic pod polished pots roar rush screaming silver sings skin small sometimes splash streets sudden sun the their there tin to tongues voice water with woman

Blessing Collapsed.doc

Section A: Poems from Different Cultures

What you did well:

• Wrote about two poems
• Used quotations well
• Began to use poetic terminology
• Showed an understanding of feelings, attitudes and ideas
• Started to use some cross reference between poems
• Showed some understanding of a variety of poetic techniques and the ways they related to the focus of the question

What you need to improve:

• Integrate brief cross reference between the two poems throughout your essay – don’t just compare them at the end
• Use poetic terminology much more, e.g....

Essay Question:
Compare the ways in which contrast is used in ‘Blessing’ and ‘Island Man’

Introduction

Outline key similarities and differences between the poems and how each handles contrast (the focus of the question). What is your main point that you are going to argue about contrast?

E.g. each poem is written by different poets from different cultures and uses contrast for a certain reason (be specific) one is set in India, the other in set London/Caribbean – they are concerned with different types of contrast (again, be...

You will be working in groups of 4 to annotate one of the remaining 4 poems from Cluster 1 (Two Scavengers, Night of the Scorpion, Vultures, What Were They Like?). Each poem will have 2 groups working on it.

In your group of 4, you will be expected to do the following:

a) Give some background to the poet – where do they come from, when were they born, what are their poetic themes and ideas, what kind of topics do they write about? Which country is the poem set in? What themes come out in the poem?

b) Analyse the language of the poem –...

How to Revise Poems from Different Cultures (Section A)

A quick reminder:

• You will have 45 mins to compare the way a specified theme /ideas /title /poetic and literary techniques /methods is/are used in two poems. One poem will be named in the question, and you have to select the second poem. Remember you will have a blank and unannotated copy of the Anthology in the exam, so you must learn your notes well, as well as having your own ideas about the poems and being flexible enough to adapt to the demands of the question and to any ideas...