Study Hub

Study Guides

This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.

Back to Study HubBrowse Year 6 English Guides

Year 6 - English

Identity and characterisation in 'No Country'

'No Country' and 'Frizzy': graphic novels exploring identity and belonging

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils read and explore two fictional graphic novel texts, 'No Country' and 'Frizzy'. They discuss the context of both graphic novels. Finally, pupils explore the visual, narrative and contextual elements of specific scenes and discuss the key themes within each text.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to explore characterisation in a graphic novel.

Key Notes

  • Characterisation is the way an author and illustrator develop the personalities and traits of the characters in a story.
  • Readers can tell lots about characters through their appearance, dialogue, their actions and how they are depicted.
  • Pages with no text can be called wordless (these can also be referred to as 'silent').
  • Having explored the characters in greater detail, readers can make predictions about what might happen next.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • characterisation: the way an author describes and develops the personalities and traits of the characters in a story
  • character traits: the special qualities that make a character in a story unique and interesting
  • body language: the way people communicate their thoughts, feelings, and emotions through their movements and gestures without using words
  • prediction: an educated guess, based on evidence in the text or prior knowledge

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Pupils may find thinking and speaking in role as the father or Beatrice challenging.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

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

Characterisation is the way an author and illustrator develop the personalities and traits of the characters in a story. Readers can tell lots about characters through their appearance, dialogue, their actions and how they are depicted.

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

the way an author describes and develops the personalities and traits of the characters in a story.

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: Pupils may find thinking and speaking in role as the father or Beatrice challenging. Correction: Drama activities, such as 'thought tapping' or 'hot seating' may be useful to provide pupils with examples of thoughts and speech.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 6 English guide library.