Analysing the poem, "Singh Song." Hello and welcome to today's lesson.

My name is Mr. Young.

And I'm so glad that you could join me on today's lesson, which is all about analysing the poem "Singh Song" by Daljit Nagra.

So shall we get started? So today's lesson has a very clear learning outcome.

So by the end of today's lesson, we should all be able to explore how Nagra conveys a joyful relationship which subverts expectations.

And in today's lesson, we're gonna be accompanied by some very important words, our keywords.

So let's take a look at what they are.

So our first word is equity, which is the quality of being fair.

So we would say this kind of applies to the poem because the relationship between Singh and his bride is certainly one of equity, isn't it? Anaphora, a device where the same word or phrase is repeated several times at the start of a sentence.

And we see this used really, really effectively by Daljit Nagra throughout the poem.

Mundane, if something is mundane, it is very ordinary and therefore not interesting.

So the kind of things we typically do day by day can certainly be described as mundane.

Punglish, a colloquial term for language that is a mixture of Punjabi and English.

And finally, playful, which means lighthearted.

You can be fond of games or amusement if you are playful.

And we see that kind of playful relationship in the poem.

So today's lesson is structured in the following way.

So learning cycle one, we are going to look exclusively at Nagra's methods.

So what I mean by that is kind of looking at all of the fantastic things that Daljit Nagra does to make this such a kind of captivating and interesting poem.

And then we're gonna move on to learning cycle two, where you're gonna get a really great opportunity to write about all of those fantastic things we look at in learning cycle one.

So let's get started.

So the poem "Singh Song" focuses on the relationship between Singh, who is the narrator, and his bride.

So quick discussion question just to kick off this lesson, what words could we use to describe that relationship? How could you describe that relationship? So hit that Pause button, have a quick discussion or jot down some ideas if you're working independently.

And then do push Play when you'd like to proceed.

Okay, fantastic work on that.

What a lovely start to this lesson.

And it is lovely to see you guys kind of bringing your existing knowledge of the poem, and particularly the relationship into being here.

And I'm hearing some fantastic words that we could use to describe that relationship.

So I would really focus on the following things, what Alex has said here.

So Alex has said, "I think their relationship could be described as playful, mundane, and loving." So let's make that a bit more challenging.

Next discussion question for me then, please.

What evidence from the poem could Alex use to support his interpretation? So how could he support that interpretation that the relationship is playful, mundane, and loving? What could he say? So once again, pause that video, complete the task, and then do push Play when you'd like to proceed.

Okay, once again, great job on that.

It is such a fantastic and important skill in English to be able to kinda justify our interpretations of texts.

So it's really, really great to hear people kind of picking very specific things from the poem to support those interpretations that Alex has made.

So some things that really kinda stick out to me are as follows.

So I would say kind of at the end of every day, they share food together.

So that is absolutely a very mundane activity, isn't it? That could certainly justify Alex's point.

Again, they've got this idea that they joke around when the shop is closed.

They're constantly kinda flirting and laughing, and they're making these kinda jokes about the prices of goods and linking it to their relationship.

Again, we could certainly say that that kinda shows their relationship as quite playful.

And certainly, we could say they have a loving relationship.

They clearly have a very, very loving relationship throughout the poem.

They kind of make love frequently, and they are constantly trading these kind of loving remarks.

So I think we could absolutely justify everything that Alex has said there.

So throughout the poem, Nagra uses several methods to portray the relationship between Singh and his wife as the following things.

So I would say the things that really jump out to me, the key key ways we can analyse their relationship is as being equitable, which means fair, playful, intimate, and mundane.

So my task view is as follows.

I would like you to reread your copy of the poem and identify examples for me of where the relationship can be described in the above ways.

Where can you see examples of their equitable relationship, their playful relationship, their intimate relationship, and even their mundane relationship? There are lots and lots of examples running throughout this poem.

So hit that Pause button, take out your copy of the poem, and then do complete the task, and push Play when you'd like to proceed.

Okay, fantastic work on that.

Really well done for engaging with the poem again and for kind of coming up with very key examples of where these things can be shown.

There's quite a lot, isn't there? So quick check for understanding for me then, please.

So in the poem, Nagra highlights the couple eating chapatti together and taking enjoyment from it.

As such, this highlights the mundane side of their relationship, playful side of their relationship, or intimate side of their relationship? Which one of those do you think it shows? So hit that Pause button, complete the task, and then push Play when you'd like to continue.

Okay, well done to everybody who said a, the mundane side of their relationship.

It absolutely shows that, doesn't it? Although their relationship is loving, is playful, there is also this really nice kind of mundane side to it, which is really kinda demonstrated to me when they are just sharing food, a very simple activity at the end of each day.

Great job for picking up on that.

Okay, so we are going to start looking now at the very specific techniques that Nagra uses throughout the poem.

So we've got anaphora.

Anaphora is a device where the same word or phrase is repeated several times at the start of a sentence.

So quick discussion then.

What examples of anaphora can you find in the poem? And why do you think Nagra has used them? So have a little look for your poem, where is Nagra repeating the same word or phrase at the start of stanzas or sentences.

So hit that Pause button, complete the task, and then do Push play when you'd like to proceed.

Okay, great job on that.

Really well done for you to use your analytical skills in this poem and spot where Nagra is using this device.

So we've got some comments here from some of the old pupils.

So the first one is, "I think several stanzas begin with a focus on his bride to show Singh's sheer joy at being married to his wife." And I think that's really clear, isn't it? He regularly refers to his bride again, and again, and again at the start of different stanzas and sentences.

And I think it really shows his kinda celebration of love for her, doesn't it? Our second comment, "I think the closing couplets all begin with them sitting facing each other on the stools to show the equity in their relationship." Really interesting comment there from Aisha.

This kind of way that anaphora is used to show the equitable and fair relationship that they have.

Great point if and well done if you picked up on anything similar in your own discussions.

So let's take a look again at stanza two.

So arguably, this stanza shows the passionate side of their love, but also, it's more mundane, everyday side.

So discussion, what methods does Nagra use to achieve this? So have a look at that stanza two.

And what kind of method is Nagra using here to show the kind of loving but mundane side of their relationship? So hit that Pause button, have a quick discussion, jot down some ideas if you're working independently, and then do push Play when you'd like to continue.

Okay, once again, great job on that.

It is really, really important, a real key skill in English to kinda mix those big ideas, those kind of things that we're saying about their relationship with the actual kind of nuts and bolts and techniques that Nagra is using.

So a couple of things we could have said here really.

So for me, I would say that initially, Nagra uses a euphemistic simile to convey the passion of their relationship.

However, he then contrast this with the mundane side of their relationship.

For example, with their eating chapatti, suggesting that Singh finds this mundanity just as enjoyable as the more passionate side of their relationship.

So that real contrast between the loving side and the kind of mundane side really comes across there.

And great job if you picked up on that.

Okay, so Izzy said the following about Singh's relationship with his wife.

And Izzy said, "Although we are given an overwhelmingly positive depiction of Singh's relationship with his wife, there may still be some tension." So quick discussion question then.

What do you think led Izzy to say this? Why did Izzy say this? Where does the tension come from in this supposedly very, very loving relationship? So hit that Pause button, have a quick discussion, and then push Play when you'd like to proceed.

Okay, excellent work on that.

Well done to everybody who picked up this kind of idea of intergenerational conflict that is running throughout the poem.

So in the poem, we get the impression that there may be some conflict between Singh's wife and his family as she is regularly effing at them.

That means swearing at them.

And Nagra also uses imagery to describe his wife's unconventional appearance.

So she's mixing a Western donkey jacket and a Punjabi sari, perhaps, again, suggesting this causes some conflict with Singh's more traditional parents.

So we kind of get this kind of, again, this contrast between the love and the kind of adoration that is existing between them, but also this kind of conflict and tension in the background, particularly with Singh's parents.

Once again, well done for picking up on that.

Okay, check for understanding for me then, please.

So the relationship between Singh and his bride seems perfect and appears free from tension of any kind.

Is that true or false? Hit that Pause button, complete the task, and then push Play when you'd like to see which is correct.

Okay, well done to everybody who said false.

It's, of course, false.

It is not this kind of absolutely overwhelmingly perfect relationship.

There is some tension, isn't there? But what is that tension? How could we justify that? Is it a? Although often depicted as very in love, they are also depicted as a couple that argue too.

Or is it B? Although the relationship seems perfect, there appears to be conflict between Singh's wife and his parents.

So once again, hit that Pause button, complete the task, and then do push Play when you'd like to proceed.

Okay, excellent work to all of the groups and individuals who said b.

That conflict comes from the parents, isn't it? From Singh's parents and his bride.

There seems to be some real tension there between them.

Great job for picking up on that.

Okay, next check for understanding for me.

Which of the below are accurate ways to describe Singh and his wife's relationship? Is it volatile? Is it equitable? Is it playful or is it cold? Once again, I'll give you a clue that there are more, there is more than one kind of correct answer here.

So hit that Pause button, complete the task, and then do push Play when you'd like to proceed.

Okay, excellent work if you identify b and c.

We would say their relationship is very equitable, isn't it? It's very fair kind of particularly how they treat each other.

And it's very playful as well.

There's lots of fun things that happen between Singh and his wife.

Well done for picking up on that.

Okay, we have reached our first practise task of today's lesson.

So let's make it count.

So I would like you to complete the sentence starters using the prompts to support you.

So we have some sentence starters here.

And they are as follows.

Nagra's poem depicts Singh's relationship as mundane because.

Nagra's poem depicts Singh's relationship as intimate but.

And finally, Nagra's poem depicts Singh's relationship as playful so.

So really excited to see you apply your knowledge in this task and really excited to see how you get on.

So hit that Pause button, and then do push Play when you'd like to see some feedback.

Okay then, excellent work on that task.

I think it's a great skill in English to be able to kind of challenge our thinking and these because, but, and so activities really help us do that.

So let's do a bit of self-assessment on what we've written.

So I would like you to self-assess your sentences using the questions to guide you.

So firstly, Nagra's poem depicts Singh's relationship as mundane because.

So for that one, have you included specific devices that Nagra uses in the poem like anaphora and simile? For our second one, Nagra's poem depicts Singh's relationship as intimate but.

So have you focused on the potential conflict between Singh's wife and his parents? And finally, Nagra's poem depicts Singh's relationship as playful so.

Have you identified both how language and structure support a playful tone in the poem? So if you've done all of those things, then you should have some really fantastic sentences.

But if you've not done those things, please don't worry at all 'cause that can be a really nice target for next time, so great job.

Okay, we have reached learning cycle two.

So well done for all of your fantastic work in learning cycle one.

So now, we are going to get a really nice opportunity to put some of those fantastic ideas into a really nice piece of written work.

So let's get started.

So in order to write an excellent response to the poem, we need to fully develop our ideas in our analytical writing.

So there's no use just having all of these kind of fantastic ideas if we can't actually put them into a really nice developed paragraph.

So we might develop our ideas through the following things.

We might explain the effect on the reader.

We might extend our analysis by adding a further quotation.

We might analyse the language more closely.

We might link to some relevant context.

Or we could give an alternative interpretation.

So we're gonna take a look at how all, how we can do all of these things in relation to the poem "Singh Song." So when writing analytically, we can use discourse markers to explore multiple angles of an idea.

So discourse markers are really, really effective, acting a bit like road signs, kind of telling the reader where we are going.

And we've got different discourse markers that can do different things.

So some can add and sequence.

So ones like furthermore, additionally, moreover.

Some can give examples, like for example and illustrated by.

Others can kinda show a cause and effect, which might show the reasons behind something.

So things like therefore and thus.

And finally, we can compare and contrast with discourse markers like similarly and likewise.

So my question for you is, how would you use discourse markers to add an analysis of the use of Punglish to this analytical sentence? And that sentence begins: in "Singh Song," Nagra subverts the expectations we may have for the relationship.

What could we do? What could we do there to continue that? What discourse marker could we use there? So first task of learning cycle two, hit that Pause button, complete it, and then do Push play when you'd like to proceed.

Okay, fantastic work to everybody who identified the idea that we are kind of adding and sequencing our argument there.

So we could say, moreover, by using Punglish for the shopkeeper, we might have expected to be given a stereotypical relationship, but instead, the couple are consistently unconventional.

So a really nice way that we can continue our argument there using discourse markers to help us.

So another one.

So how would you use discourse markers to show the effect of Nagra's use of anaphora? So "Singh Song" uses anaphora in the final couplets to describe how the couple sit facing each other.

So once again, hit that Pause button, have a quick discussion, jot down some ideas if you're working independently, how can we continue this fantastic point about anaphora? Okay, once again, fantastic work on that.

And well done if you picked up that this is showing cause and effects.

So we could say, consequently, we get an understanding of the equity that clearly exists in their relationship.

So we are showing that there is the cause of the anaphora is kind of leading to this effect of showing the equity in their relationship.

Great job for picking up on that.

So quick check for understanding for me then, please.

Which of the below discourse markers would we say is appropriate for adding or sequencing our argument? So hit that Pause button, complete the task, and then do push Play when you'd like to see which are correct.

Okay, great job if you identified a and c.

We could say furthermore and additionally as really great discourse markers to help us continue and sequence our argument.

And you'll get a really good opportunity to use these in today's practise task.

So let's consider how we might analyse language in more detail.

So when analysing language, we want to consider why the poet may have used certain words or language techniques, to consider the connotations of these words, and finally, what effect this language has on the reader.

So I have another discussion task for you.

I would like you to think about how could we extend the sentence below to show a language technique and the effect on the reader.

And that sentence is Nagra's repeated use of bride to begin several sentences suggests the extent of Singh's love for his wife.

So how can we continue that? Hit that Pause button, complete the task, and then do push Play when you'd like to proceed.

Okay, well done on that task and well done to all the groups and individuals who highlighted something similar.

The use of anaphora strengthens our understanding of Singh's love as each stanza focuses on a different aspect of his love for her.

So for example, at one point, he focuses on her tummy.

So we are using this idea here of linking our idea to a very clear use of language or a very, in this case, a very specific language device.

Well done if you've got anything similar in your own work.

So a further way to develop your analysis is to offer an alternative interpretation.

So this could be really, really high-level analysis to kind of offer multiple interpretations of the same thing.

So quick discussion, how might we offer an alternative interpretation of the relationship that develops the idea below? And that idea is as follows.

So we might interpret Singh's relationship as a perfect representation of the joyful early stages of a new relationship.

I think we definitely, definitely see that throughout the poem.

However, how can we elevate that idea even more by showing an alternative interpretation? A bit tricky this one, but really excited to see how you get on.

So hit that Pause button, complete the task, and then do push Play when you'd like to see some feedback.

Okay, well done on that.

It's not the easiest thing in the world, is it, to come up with alternative interpretations, but I think they can really enhance our analytical writing.

So what really kinda sticks out to me is the idea that we could potentially say, furthermore, we can also interpret the relationship as one that may be more turbulent in the future due to the wife's seemingly complex relationship with Singh's parents.

Her effing at them may be an early indication of the conflict that may manifest as the relationship progresses.

It's a really interesting alternative interpretation there to kind of marry up with that other idea of it depicting the joyful early stages of a relationship.

And well done if you picked up on anything similar in your own discussions.

So let's consider how we might further extend our ideas by creating a link to relevant context.

So kind of background information.

The poem references the generational conflict between Singh and his parents.

So we have this student comment here.

So I know people have said, "We get an indication that Singh's father doesn't entirely trust him.

We learn that, despite owning several shops, his father only lets him run one, perhaps suggesting his awareness of Singh's casual attitude towards the shop." So really, really nice point that.

And I totally agree with that.

That comes across, doesn't it? Certainly, at the beginning of the poem.

So how could we make then a link, perhaps, to Nagra's own life? How could that be relevant here? So hit the Pause button, complete the task, and then push Play when you'd like to see how you could have approached it.

Okay, well done to everybody who picked up on that really important contextual detail that Nagra worked in one of his own father's shops.

So he may have a kind of personal connection there.

So we could say, Nagra may have drawn on his own experience working in one of his father's shops to explore this generational conflict.

It's a really, really nice link to context there.

Okay, so we have reached our final practise task of today's lesson.

So I'm super excited to see you put all this together and hopefully, produce a really, really nice piece of written work.

So your task is as follows.

So write a response to this question.

How does Nagra present Singh's relationship with his wife in "Singh Song?" And things you might wish to consider are the language devices that Nagra uses.

So we've looked at anaphora, simile, contrast, the ideas about love that are presented within the poem, the different ways that the love between them is presented, and finally, how the poem subverts typical expectations of love.

So it'd be great if you can include these things in your answer.

So pause the video, complete the task, and then do push Play when you'd like to see a little bit of feedback on how you could have undertaken this task.

Okay, excellent work on that task.

Really, really well done.

It is great, a great skill in English to be able to kind of work together to create these really nice pieces of written text to show our understanding of the poem.

So read through your answer and assess it against the following questions.

So did your answer explore the language devices that Nagra uses? Did you speak about the ideas about love within the poem? Did you talk about the different ways that the love between them is presented? And did you talk about how the poem subverts typical expectations of love? So if you did all of those things, then my goodness, that must be a fantastic piece of work.

But if you have not covered any as as much as you wanted to, then please don't worry because that can be a really nice target for next time.

So we have reached the end of today's lesson.

It's been an absolute pleasure to teach you as always.

And I really look forward to teaching you on another lesson in this sequence.

But before we finish for today, let's just recap all of those fantastic things that we have looked at.

So firstly, arguably, Nagra uses anaphora to depict the speaker's joyful and equitable relationship with his wife.

Arguably, Nagra uses a simile to euphemistically convey the speaker's intimacy with his wife.

Arguably, Nagra uses contrast to show how the couple find romance in the mundanity of their lives.

And finally, arguably, Nagra uses imagery to convey the conflict between the unconventional wife and the more traditional parents.

It's been great to teach you in today's lesson, and I look forward to teaching you in another lesson in this Love and Relationships Poetry sequence.

Thank you very much and goodbye.