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Year 11 - English

Comparing how poets present motherhood and maternal stereotypes in unseen poems

Unseen poetry

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils prepare for the unseen poetry in their Literature GCSE by reading poems, studying different poetry methods, and developing personal responses. They start by looking at ideas in single poems, before developing their comparative skills and writing comparisons of two unseen poems.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to conceptualise and explain a comparison of two unseen poems.

Key Notes

  • Comparing poems means we're finding the similarities and differences in how the texts approach certain ideas or themes.
  • You might imagine two poets are in conversation about an idea to help with your comparison.
  • Arguably, both Forster and Sheers demonstrate a shift in dynamic in mother/child relationships.
  • Arguably, both Forster and Sheers comment on maternal stereotypes within their poems.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • subtle: not very obvious or easy to notice
  • stereotype: a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing
  • subvert: to go against an idea or convention so that it might surprise or challenge the audience
  • conform: to behave according to a group's usual standards and expectations
  • maternal: of, relating to, belonging to or characteristic of a mother

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • That comparison involves spotting the differences between poems.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

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

Comparing poems means we're finding the similarities and differences in how the texts approach certain ideas or themes. You might imagine two poets are in conversation about an idea to help with your comparison.

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

not very obvious or easy to notice.

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: That comparison involves spotting the differences between poems. Correction: Arguably, the best comparisons are where there is an exploration of subtle differences within similarities.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 11 English guide library.