an intense longing or desire for something

feeling accepted and comfortable in a particular group or place

a person who follows Calvinism, a type of Christianity that believes God controls everything

a feeling of belonging to a particular culture or group

feeling like you belong to more than one culture; mixing different traditions and experiences

Understanding the poem ‘In Wales, wanting to be Italian’ by Imtiaz Dharker

English

In 'Edexcel Belonging Poetry continued', pupils used a range of reading skills to aid the supported decoding of challenging poems. In 'Unseen Poetry', pupils use these reading skills to decode texts with independence. 

In 'Edexcel Belonging Poetry', pupils compared the language, form and structure of a variety of poems connected by the themes of culture and belonging. In 'Edexcel Belonging Poetry continued', pupils work on making more nuanced comparisons, focusing on the three final poems: *Kumukanda*, *In Wales, wanting to be Italian* and *Us*.

Poetry anthology: continued study

Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

What does it mean to 'yearn' for something?

feeling disconnected from one's cultural background

identifying strongly with only one cultural tradition

 identifying strongly with multiple cultural influences and experiences 

believing in the superiority of one's own culture

A famous fashion designer lives there and everyone is so cool and well-dressed.

Why does the speaker of 'In Wales, wanting be Italian' wish they were born Zanzibar? 

they want to escape the rules and responsibilities of their current life

they are happy with their life but wish they had a different parents

they wish they could start their life again

they may feel as though they don't 'fit in' and want to feel like they belong

Why may teenagers fantasise about growing up in another culture?

They may be inspired by what they see on social media, films and TV.

They have believed propaganda written by that country.

They have imagined the place in their dreams.

Why might someone romanticise what life would be like in another country?

she moved to the UK before her first birthday

her poetry often explores ideas related to identity and belonging

she identifies as both Muslim and Christian

before writing, she worked as a tour guide

Which of these pieces of contextual information about Imtiaz Dharker is not true?

to leave your own country to live in another

to explore different cultures and traditions

to return to your home country after living abroad

to dream or imagine something that might not happen

What does it mean to fantasise about something?

to make something seem better or more attractive than it really is

What does it mean to 'romanticise' something?

They are fully independent and self-sufficient.

They have a stable and unchanging lifestyle.

They no longer need guidance from adults.

They are moving from childhood to adulthood.

Why could someone's teenage years be viewed as a period of transition?

Which of the following are second person pronouns?

feeling connected and accepted within a group or community

owning a lot of possessions and acquiring lots of money

travelling to different countries and experiencening cultures

being alone and independent, not needing to have others around you

What does it mean to have a sense of 'belonging'?

Content guidance

Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Adult supervision recommended

Starter Quiz