Starter quiz
- What does the term 'dual heritage' mean?
- It refers to someone who moved from their home country shortly after birth.
- It refers to someone whose parents each have two different racial backgrounds. ✓
- It refers to a society that was formed by combining different ethnicities.
- It refers to a group of people who are all from different ethnic backgrounds.
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- What is informal language?
- polished, precise style used in professional or academic settings
- specialised terminology or jargon specific to a particular field or discipline
- relaxed, casual style of communication, often used in everyday conversation ✓
- figurative speech using metaphor to convey abstract ideas or comparisons
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- What is discrimination?
- acting with freedom to make choices, not based on prejudice or bias
- unfair treatment based on characteristics like race, gender or religion ✓
- forced absence from one's home or country, typically due to political reasons
- a difference or inconsistency, not related to unfair treatment or prejudice
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- What is imagery?
- a poem based on an picture or other piece of artwork
- the use of symbols to represent ideas or concepts beyond their literal meaning
- attributing human characteristics to non-human entities or abstract concepts
- descriptive language that appeals to the senses, creating vivid mental pictures ✓
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- What is a dialect?
- words or phrases that all link to a particular topic or theme
- words/pronunciations specific to a certain regional or social group ✓
- using two opposite ideas to explore their shared characteristics
- dividing something into two or more parts to explore it fully
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- What does it mean to write something phonetically?
- following conventional spelling rules without adjustments for pronunciation
- artistic handwriting or lettering, emphasising aesthetic form over accuracy
- to use spellings from other languages for English words we have borrowed
- spelling words based on their pronunciation rather than their standard spelling ✓
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Exit quiz
- What does the word 'caste' mean?
- when people play certain societal roles because of how they were brought up
- it is another way of saying 'background'
- the shared qualities/aspects across different cultures
- social system based on hierarchical divisions associated with occupation/status ✓
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- What does the word 'derogatory' mean?
- expressing praise, admiration, or approval
- expressing a disrespectful or negative attitude, often aimed at a person/group ✓
- forming opinions or criticisms about others, lacking a full understanding
- treating serious issues with inappropriate humour, often to entertain
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- How could the term 'half-caste' have derogatory connotations?
- It suggests that there is something hierarchical about race/heritage. ✓
- It suggests that people are pretending to be a part of a particular culture.
- It gives the impression that someone's identity is incomplete. ✓
- It suggests that mixed race people should choose between their two identities.
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- What is interesting about the spellings in the poem 'Half-caste' by John Agard?
- Agard has used lots of words borrowed from other languages.
- Agard has used phonetic spellings to emphasise the speaker's Caribbean dialect. ✓
- Agard has intentionally spelled some words incorrectly.
- Agard uses many homophones to highlight the complexity of the English language.
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- Which of these interpretations of the poem 'Half-caste' is most accurate?
- This poem explores the speaker's conflict with people who say 'half-caste'. ✓
- This poem explores the speaker's inner conflict about their dual heritage.
- This poem explores how life would be easier if everyone spoke the same language.
- This poem explores how difference and diversity are things to be feared.
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- In 'Half-caste', Agard plays on the negative meaning of 'half-caste, listing aspects of culture that are more beautiful because they consist of a combination of elements. We could argue he is being...
- insolent.
- facetious. ✓
- derogatory.
- florid.
- ambiguous.
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Worksheet
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Presentation
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Video
Lesson Details
Key learning points
- John Agard was born in Guyana to a Caribbean father and Portuguese mother.
- 'Half-caste' was a term which was used to describe mixed race people.
- Agard objects to the term 'half-caste' as it implies mixed race people are only half a person.
- He uses a facetious tone in the poem to explore the derogatory meanings linked to the term 'half-caste'.
- Agard embraces the joy that having mixed identities can bring.
Common misconception
'Half-caste' is a word used to describe people whose parents have different racial or cultural backgrounds.
This is a historical term and is now considered inappropriate and disrespectful to use. Instead, we may use terms such as 'mixed race' or 'dual heritage' to discuss someone's cultural or racial background.
Keywords
Caste - social system based on hierarchical divisions, often associated with occupation and status
Mixed race - individuals of multiple racial heritage
Dual heritage - having ancestry from two distinct cultural or ethnic backgrounds
Facetious - treating serious issues with inappropriate humour, often to entertain or provoke amusement
Derogatory - expressing a disrespectful or negative attitude, often aimed at a person or group
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