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Year 11 - English

Viv's relationship with the education system 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 describe Viv's character arc in 'Leave Taking', with a specific focus on the importance of Scene Two in terms of Viv's rejection of the education system.

Key Notes

  • Viv's relationship with the formal education system changes over the course of the play.
  • Arguably, Brod acts as a catalyst for Viv's questioning of what she is being taught in school.
  • Viv quotes from Shakespeare and Rupert Brooke in Scene Two.
  • Arguably, through Viv's quotations, Pinnock is asking us to consider the Eurocentric nature of Viv's schooling.
  • Viv's studying Black Studies at uni could suggest she will find the next step of her formal education more fulfilling.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • Eurocentric: when there is a focus on European culture or history, ignoring or excluding cultures and history from the wider world
  • informal education: the learning that occurs outside formal settings; a lifelong education in which you learn about yourself and the world
  • formal education: teaching and learning that happens in institutions and follows a particular curriculum
  • Rupert Brooke: an English poet (1887-1915) remembered particularly for his poetry about World War One
  • character arc: the way in which a character changes, transforms or develops over the course of a text

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Viv irrevocably rejects the formal education system.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

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

Viv's relationship with the formal education system changes over the course of the play. Arguably, Brod acts as a catalyst for Viv's questioning of what she is being taught in school.

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

when there is a focus on European culture or history, ignoring or excluding cultures and history from the wider world.

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: Viv irrevocably rejects the formal education system. Correction: Viv questions what she is learning and why, but stays within formal education, perhaps because of her chosen university course which may reflect her experiences and identity in a way that her schooling hasn't.

More Lessons In This Unit

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