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Year 10 - English

Winsome Pinnock on writing 'Leave Taking'

Leave Taking: a sense of belonging

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils start their exploration of Winsome Pinnock's play, 'Leave Taking'. They first learn about the play's context of 1980s Britain and the Windrush generation before then reading and exploring the full play. They finally explore themes and characters before working on essay writing.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to use Winsome Pinnock's comments to understand how her experiences and research shaped 'Leave Taking'.

Key Notes

  • Pinnock explains how her upbringing in London and Jamaican heritage shaped her ideas about identity and belonging.
  • Pinnock describes how her love of theatre and working with others at the Royal Court inspired her as a playwright.
  • Pinnock shows that writing a play involves research, observation, mentoring, and learning the craft.
  • Pinnock demonstrates that passion and authenticity in a play, whether classic or new, engage the audience.
  • 'Leave Taking' continues to be read and perhaps better understood decades later, showing the lasting impact of her work.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • playwright: the person who writes a play
  • intergenerational conflict: disagreements or misunderstandings between older and younger generations
  • legacy: the lasting impact or things a person leaves behind for others, even after they are gone
  • writer-in-residence: a writer invited to work at a theatre (or institution) to observe, create, and develop their work
  • precarious: not secure or safe; likely to change and uncertain

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • 'Leave Taking' was written about the Windrush scandal.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.

Pinnock explains how her upbringing in London and Jamaican heritage shaped her ideas about identity and belonging. Pinnock describes how her love of theatre and working with others at the Royal Court inspired her as a playwright.

2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'playwright'

the person who writes a play.

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: 'Leave Taking' was written about the Windrush scandal. Correction: Pinnock explains that she wrote 'Leave Taking' decades before the Windrush scandal, but some themes, like the precarious position of immigrants, happened to resonate with contemporary events when the play was revived.

More Lessons In This Unit

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