disagreement or tension between individuals or groups

unjustified negative opinion towards an individual or group, based on an unfair perception of them

mental processes or actions not actively perceived or controlled by the individual

treating serious issues with inappropriate humour, often to entertain or provoke amusement

regional or social variety of language with distinct grammar, pronunciation or vocabulary

Analysing the poem ‘Half-caste’ by John Agard

English

In 'Edexcel Conflict Poetry', pupils compared the language, form and structure of a variety of poems connected by the themes of power and conflict. In 'Edexcel Conflict Poetry continued', pupils work on making more nuanced comparisons between poems.

In 'A World at War: Poetry', pupils explore how poets present the atrocities of World War One through their poetry. In 'Edexcel Conflict Poetry', pupils analyse how a variety of different wars have been presented through poetry.

Poetry anthology: first study

Discriminatory behaviour or images, whether on the grounds of race, gender, disability, religion or belief or sexual orientation, or otherwise.

Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour

Historic or outdated representations of people that may portray inequality or injustice.

lack of fairness or justice; violation of rights or equality

feeling or showing envy or resentment towards someone's achievements

lack of knowledge, understanding, or awareness about a particular subject

a negative opinion towards an individual or group, based on an unfair perception

deliberate or purposeful, done with awareness and planning

mental processes or actions not actively perceived or controlled by someone

not justified or deserved, lacking a valid reason or basis

impossible to deny or dispute, clearly evident or unquestionable

Which of these types of language does Agard use in 'Half-caste' to make the speaker seem friendly and 'normal'?

In the poem 'Half-caste', the words "yuh", "mih" and "dem" are all examples of which type of spelling?

Which of the following quotes from 'Half-caste' is an example of an imperative?

biased attitudes based on logical reasoning or factual evidence

biased attitudes that individuals hold without awareness or deliberation

willingness to consider diverse perspectives without preconceived notions

intentional bias that individuals are aware of and actively express

we should avoid talking about someone's race

Agard's poem 'Half-caste' challenges the inappropriate and out-dated term 'half-caste'. Nowadays, instead of saying 'half-caste', we could use the terms ...

something that entertains or brings pleasure, often by provoking laughter

 something profoundly moving or emotionally touching

treating serious issues with inappropriate humour, to entertain or amuse

 a state of nervousness, strain, or anxiety, often due to conflict

he used to work as the British Ambassador to Jamaica.

he is also an award-winning Calypso musician.

he used to work in British schools, promoting knowledge of Caribbean culture. 

he made a film about his childhood in Guyana.

John Agard is passionate about his Caribbean heritage. We know this because ...

What type of language is used to indicate personal interpretations of a text?

Which types of conflict can we most strongly identify in the poem 'Half-caste'?

using different materials to build a house

Which of these examples does Agard provide in 'Half-caste' to explore the beauty of combining different elements?

Content guidance

Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour

Adult supervision recommended

Starter Quiz