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Year 5 - English

First impressions and engaging with 'The Listeners' by Walter de la Mare

'The Listeners': reading

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils read and respond to the poem, 'The Listeners' by Walter de la Mare. They learn about the poet and examine the structure and language in the poem. Finally, pupils explore the imagery used and the key themes from the poem.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to reflect on your first impressions of a poem.

Key Notes

  • The Listeners was written by Walter de la Mare in 1912
  • Walter de la Mare was born in April 1873 in England
  • The Listeners describes the actions of a Traveller who knocks on the door of a seemingly deserted home at night
  • Walter de la Mare's poetry tends to explore themes of imagination, childhood, and the mysterious or supernatural

Vocabulary To Learn

  • poet: A poet is a writer who uses verse to convey emotions.
  • poem: A poem is a piece of writing that uses creative and rhythmic language to express thoughts, feelings or ideas.
  • Walter de la Mare: Walter de la Mare is an English poet. His poetry often explores themes of imagination and fantasy.
  • supernatural: Supernatural beings include gods, giants, magic and other mystical, ancient elements.
  • stanza: A stanza is a group of lines within a poem, often separated by line breaks. Stanzas contribute to a poem's organisation and structure.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Pupils may be confused by some of the antiquated language. This might impact reading fluency.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

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

The Listeners was written by Walter de la Mare in 1912. Walter de la Mare was born in April 1873 in England.

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

A poet is a writer who uses verse to convey emotions.

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: Pupils may be confused by some of the antiquated language. This might impact reading fluency. Correction: Encourage pupils to use reading strategies to support them in their initial understanding of the poem.

More Lessons In This Unit

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