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Year 11
Edexcel

Comparing attitudes to identity and longing in the Edexcel Belonging anthology

I can explain similarities and differences between poets' viewpoints.

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New
New
Year 11
Edexcel

Comparing attitudes to identity and longing in the Edexcel Belonging anthology

I can explain similarities and differences between poets' viewpoints.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Chingonyi, Dharker and Kunial's poetry all appear to show a yearning for a sense of belonging.
  2. They also explore the links between belonging, dislocation and individual identity.
  3. Dharker's speaker yearns to escape her current life by becoming someone else who is more confident and 'cool'.
  4. Chingonyi's poem feels more reflective, considering how different life may have been if the speaker had not left Zambia.
  5. Kunial takes a philosophical approach to thinking about identity and belonging, exploring the fine line between them.

Common misconception

All three poems explore conflict and belonging related to cultural identity because all three poets have an intercultural identity.

All three poets have an intercultural identity and this is reflected in many of their poems. However here, only 'Kumukanda' explores these ideas directly. Dharker focuses on identity and growing up; Kunial explores belonging in a more abstract way.

Keywords

  • Tenuous - weak, slight, not strong or substantial

  • Intercultural identity - identity influenced by multiple cultures or ethnic backgrounds

  • Thematically - relating to the central ideas or messages in a poem

  • Yearning - deep longing or desire, often with an emotional intensity

  • Attitudes - beliefs or opinions towards something, typically influencing behaviour or decisions

You could print out some random lines from each poem and have students sort them for a starter activity. This will encourage them to associate each poem with its big ideas/messages and help them to engage with key quotes.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You will need a copy of 'Us' (Kunial), 'Kumukanda' (Chingonyi) and 'In Wales, wanting to be Italian' (Dharker) - all of which can be found in the Edexcel GCSE Poetry Anthology (Belonging cluster).

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of peer pressure or bullying

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 'longing'?
when you really hate something and wish never to see it again
Correct answer: when you really want something to happen
when you are scared of something happening again
when you feel sad because something happened without you
Q2.
What is context?
Correct answer: the background or circumstances that surround something
other texts that you think are similar to the one you're studying
the main idea or theme of a text
a list of key quotations from a text
Q3.
What are a poem's key themes?
its rhythmic structure and rhyme scheme
the historical and cultural background of the poet
Correct answer: the central ideas or messages it explores
the grammatical structure used in its lines
Q4.
What is cultural identity?
wishing you had been born in a different country
Correct answer: the beliefs, behaviours and values shared by a group of people
the physical characteristics of individuals within a cultural group
what other people think about a certain country or community
Q5.
Which of these poems describes the speaker's experiences moving from Zambia to the UK?
Correct answer: 'Kumukanda'
'In Wales, wanting to be Italian'
'Us'
Q6.
Which of these poems considers ideas of unity and togetherness in an abstract way?
'Kumukanda'
'In Wales, wanting to be Italian'
Correct answer: 'Us'

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What does 'tenuous' mean?
firm and secure
Correct answer: weak or not well supported
transparent or clear
loud and boisterous
Q2.
Which of these words is a synonym for 'yearning'?
despising
Correct answer: longing
belonging
defending
opposing
Q3.
When comparing two poems, we should lead by ...
comparing a key quotation from each poem.
comparing the wider context of each poem.
comparing how both poets use literary methods.
Correct answer: comparing both poets' attitudes towards certain key ideas/messages.
Q4.
Which poem from the Edexcel 'Belonging' anthology explores the fine line between division and togetherness?
'Kumukanda'
'In Wales, wanting to be Italian'
Correct answer: 'Us'
Q5.
In which poem does the speaker view belonging as a means of validation (through others acceptance of her)?
'Kumukanda'
Correct answer: 'In Wales, wanting to be Italian'
'Us'
Q6.
Why does the speaker's sense of belonging in 'Kumukanda' make him feel anxious?
he hates it in the UK and wants to return to Zambia
Correct answer: he worries he has become dislocated from his heritage
he knows he isn't accepted by people in the UK