1. Year 10 Poetry Collection
Lesson 6 – ‘Half Caste’ by John Agard

2. Learning Objective
To understand how Agard harnesses anger and humour to satirical effect and to assert racial identity in his poem ‘Half Caste’.
Outcomes:
You MUST annotate your poem independently with as much info as possible. You will need this for your revision next year.
Anything you miss, it is your responsibility to catch up/complete Flipped Learning

3. Read and listen First impressions? What is it about? Repeated ideas?
Tone? Message?
Words – specific/interesting/unusual?
Alliteration or other devices?
Rhyme and rhythm?
Structure?

4. Glossary
offensive term to denote a person whose parents are of different races Caribbean expletive meaning ‘my arse’
half-caste
ah rass

5. Exploring the poem… Listen to recordings and video of Agard.
Answer following questions:
Why do you think Agard uses phonetic spelling and Caribbean speech rhythms and dialect words in this poem?
Using the copy of the poem on Worksheet B6.1, ask students to use different coloured highlighters to mark a) any words written with non-standard spelling; b) any words that would usually be written with a capital letter; c) Caribbean dialect words/phrases; d) any lines that seem exaggeratedly standard English; e) any repeated phrases that lend a Caribbean rhythm to the performance.
Why does Agard mix standard and non-standard spellings and word usage?
What tone does Agard adopt in this reading?
What is the overall effect of the poem?

6. Answers… Answer following questions:
Why do you think Agard uses phonetic spelling and Caribbean speech rhythms and dialect words in this poem? (non-standard usage reflects his own identity and culture and rejects conventions of English poetry; intended for performance so doesn’t need orthodox spellings, capital letters or punctuation, just line break indicators).
Using the copy of the poem on Worksheet B6.1, ask students to use different coloured highlighters to mark a) any words written with non-standard spelling (just one instance in the case of repeated words like yuself); b) any words that would usually be written with a capital letter; c) Caribbean dialect words/phrases; d) any lines that seem exaggeratedly standard English; e) any repeated phrases that lend a Caribbean rhythm to the performance.
Why does Agard mix standard and non-standard spellings and word usage? (to reflect his mixed heritage and accentuate the ‘wholeness’ of his cultural background in rejecting the ‘half-caste’ taunt).
What tone does Agard adopt in this reading? (challenging, aggressive, confrontational, angry, but also humorous, sarcastic, witty, sardonic – the perfect combination for effective satire) .
What is the overall effect of the poem? (direct commands, addressing the reader as yu, shocks us into realising the unacceptable implications of words we use possibly without thinking; asserts individual’s right to be respected as a whole human being; demands others be more open-minded).

7. Things to think about:
Imagery and comparisons – why compared to Picasso, Tchaikovsky and English weather?
Repetition of ‘half’ – why? Impact of this?
Puns/jokes? Where? Why?
Poem’s humour?
Poem’s anger?
Poem’s physical gesture/references?
Which is most powerful?

8. Consolidation
How does Agard use vivid imagery and amusing comparisons in his poem to focus the reader’s mind on his message about racial identity?
Two paragraphs, please.

9. Peer assessment Are they using correct terminology?
Are they using appropriate quotations?
References to language, structure and form?
GCSE Mark Scheme for Paper 2 Section B 
Level 1
Identification of language, form and structure is minimal.
Little evidence of relevant subject terminology.
Level 2
There is some comment on the language, form and structure of the text.
Limited use of relevant subject terminology to support examples given.
Level 3
The response shows an understanding of a range of language, form and structure features and links these to their effect on the reader.
Relevant subject terminology is used to support examples given.
Level 4
Analysis of language, form and structure features and their effect on the reader is sustained.
Relevant subject terminology is used accurately and appropriately to develop ideas.
Level 5
The response is a cohesive evaluation of the interrelationship of language, form and structure and their effect on the reader.
Relevant subject terminology is integrated and precise.