Starter quiz
- At the end of 'Leave Taking', what happens to the character of Viv?
- She moves in with Mai.
- She moves in with Brod after Enid throws them both out.
- She goes on a gap year despite Enid's protestations.
- She goes to university. ✓
- She moves in with Del to support with the baby.
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- At the end of 'Leave Taking', what happens to the character of Del?
- She moves back in with Enid.
- She becomes an obeah woman. ✓
- She has her baby.
- She uses the money Viv gives her to start a new life.
- She fights with Enid.
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- Each of these scenes from 'Leave Taking' includes either Del or Viv, or both. Match the scenes to their plot points.
- Scene One⇔Del and Viv attend an obeah reading with Enid. ✓
- Scene Two⇔Del leaves the family home after a fight with Enid. ✓
- Scene Four⇔Enid gives Viv money for university; Viv isn't excited by university. ✓
- Scene Five⇔Del is angry with Viv for skipping an A Level exam. ✓
- Scene Seven⇔Del learns that her father used to abuse her mother. ✓
- Scene Eight⇔Del becomes an obeah woman; Viv goes to university. ✓
- In Scene Four of 'Leave Taking', Viv expresses frustration that she spends "my life bent over books that have nothing to do with ..."
- 'me' ✓
- In Scene Five of 'Leave Taking', Mai reads Del's palm and gives an insight into her experiences with formal education. Mai says, "The teachers say you ______, so you give up."
- 'slow' ✓
- In Scene Five of 'Leave Taking', Mai reads Del's palm and gives an insight into her experiences with formal education. Mai says, "You have a ______ for books."
- 'liking' ✓
Exit quiz
- In 'Leave Taking', why is the character of Viv keen to take a gap year?
- She wants to spend time with Del and the baby.
- She needs to retake her A Levels because she skipped an exam.
- She doesn't have enough money to go yet.
- She wants to explore her cultural identity by visiting the West Indies. ✓
- She wants to explore the world of work, like Del has.
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- Match these keywords which help explore 'Leave Taking' to their definitions.
- formal education⇔learning that occurs in institutions ✓
- informal education⇔the learning that occurs outside formal settings ✓
- formative⇔an experience that has a profound and lasting influence ✓
- A ______ experience is one that has a deep and lasting influence on a person.
- 'formative' ✓
- In 'Leave Taking', in what ways might we say Mai's influence on Del is formative?
- She urges Del to return to formal education.
- She gives Del money so that she can form a life for herself without Enid.
- She develops Del's interest and skills in obeah. ✓
- She tells Del about her mother's experience of domestic abuse.
- She helps her understand an aspect of her cultural identity. ✓
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- In Scene Five of 'Leave Taking', why is Del is angry with Viv for skipping one of her A Level exams?
- She was relying on Viv to support by getting a good job after her exams.
- She wants Viv to go to university so she can move back in with Enid.
- She understands the power of education to alter your life. ✓
- She knows Viv will do well in the exams because she has done an obeah reading.
- She thinks Viv has been short-sighted about how this will impact her life. ✓
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- In Scene Five of 'Leave Taking', Viv expresses frustration with her school curriculum. She says, "no matter how hard I ______ for myself in them books, I'm never there."
- 'search' ✓
Worksheet
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Lesson Details
Key learning points
- Del's experiences with formal education were mainly negative.
- Del understands the value of formal education, hence her anger at Viv for skipping one of her A Level exams.
- Del finds a sense of peace and fulfilment via her informal education with Mai.
- Despite her academic success, Viv doesn't connect to her school curriculum.
- At the end of the play, Viv pursues Black Studies at uni, perhaps suggesting she will enjoy a more fulfilling education.
Common misconception
Del doesn't value formal education.
Del does see the value in formal education, but was turned away from it through a lack of support and understanding.
Keywords
Formal education - Teaching and learning that happens in institutions and follows a particular curriculum.
Informal education - The learning that occurs outside formal settings; a lifelong education in which you learn about yourself and the world.
Formative - An experience that has a profound (deep) and lasting influence on a person.
Dyslexia - A condition that affects the skills used to read fluently and accurately.
Identity - Who you are; the qualities that make you. Understanding, finding and accepting your identity can be a life’s work.
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