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Year 11 - English

The value of education to Enid in Winsome Pinnock's 'Leave Taking'

Leave Taking: the power of education

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils do a deep dive into the role of education in 'Leave Taking'. They first look at how education is presented, and how Viv and Del experience it differently. They then think about what Pinnock might be communicating about education, before preparing and writing an essay about it.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to explore the theme of education in Winsome Pinnock's 'Leave Taking', with a focus on the character of Enid.

Key Notes

  • Enid values education.
  • Enid believes education is a way to escape the rural poverty she experienced.
  • Enid believes that education can't be taken away from someone.
  • Pinnock says her parents received a colonialist education.
  • Pinnock uses the character of Brod to explore the narrow focus of the British education system in the 1980s.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • rural poverty: situations in which people who don't live in urban areas lack financial stability and necessities for day to day living
  • precarious: when something is unstable or insecure
  • Eurocentric: when there is a focus on European culture or history, ignoring or excluding cultures and history from the wider world
  • indoctrinate: when you make people believe something; a less formal synonym is to brainwash
  • colonisation: when a country establishes control over another country, exploiting it for economic gain

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Education is only ever a positive power.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

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

Enid values education. Enid believes education is a way to escape the rural poverty she experienced.

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

situations in which people who don't live in urban areas lack financial stability and necessities for day to day living.

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: Education is only ever a positive power. Correction: Consider Pinnock's words about her parents' generation and why and how education can be used as a tool of oppression.

More Lessons In This Unit

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