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Year 7

Analysing 'Search for My Tongue'

I can analyse the imagery in 'Search for My Tongue' and link this with the theme of pride.

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New
New
Year 7

Analysing 'Search for My Tongue'

I can analyse the imagery in 'Search for My Tongue' and link this with the theme of pride.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. 'Search for My Tongue' shows the importance of language in shaping our identity.
  2. Initially, Bhatt fears she has lost her mother tongue, Gujarati, after immigrating to America.
  3. Bhatt then finds her mother tongue again, writing the second stanza in Gujarati.
  4. Bhatt ends the poem showing great pride in her ability to still speak her mother tongue.
  5. Bhatt uses plant imagery in the poem to reflect the power of one's native language.

Common misconception

Students may misconceive what the phrase "my tongue" means initially.

Explain the figurative language involved in the phrase "my tongue" and the link to language.

Keywords

  • Belonging - feeling happy or comfortable as part of a group

  • Immigrant - a person who has come to a different country to live there permanently

  • Pride - a feeling of pleasure or satisfaction because of something you have achieved, possess or are part of

If any of your students are multi-lingual, encourage them to talk about their personal connections to the poem when reading it.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You will need a copy of 'Search for My Tongue' by Sujata Bhatt for this lesson.

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is imagery?
comparing one thing to another using the words 'like' or 'as'
Correct answer: the use of words or figurative language to create vivid pictures
when two words begin with the same sound
Q2.
What does to 'rot' mean?
to flourish
to get stronger
Correct answer: to decay and break down
Q3.
The phrase 'mother tongue' refers to ...
the organ inside your mouth.
Correct answer: your native language.
the language your family speaks.
Q4.
What connects all of the following words: 'bud', 'grow', 'blossom', 'root'?
food
Correct answer: plants
domestic life
Q5.
Which word means 'speaking more than one language'?
monolingual
Correct answer: multilingual
literate
Q6.
What does 'immigration' mean?
to move to another country temporarily
to flee a country
Correct answer: to move to a different country permanently

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is interesting about the second stanza in 'Search for My Tongue'?
it is set in the past
it is written in sentence fragments
Correct answer: it is written in Gujarati
Q2.
What does the image of the mother tongue rotting in 'Search for My Tongue' suggest?
the mother tongue is strong
the mother tongue is fighting to come back
Correct answer: the mother tongue is no longer valued
Q3.
What imagery is used throughout 'Search for My Tongue'?
auditory
bestial
Correct answer: plant
Q4.
What feeling is present in the first stanza of 'Search for My Tongue'?
pride
Correct answer: fear
jealousy
Q5.
How does Bhatt show pride in her identity and heritage in 'Search for My Tongue'?
Correct answer: she writes in her mother tongue
Correct answer: she talks of her mother tongue blossoming
she writes two stanzas in English
she describes her country vividly using sensory language
Q6.
The image of the mother tongue blossoming in 'Search for My Tongue' could reflect ...
how the mother tongue is no longer useful
how the mother tongue outgrows Bhatt
Correct answer: how Bhatt experiences rebirth after reclaiming her identity through language