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Year 9 - English

Exploring 'Small Island' and the Windrush context

'Small Island'

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils explore the playtext adaptation of Andrea Levy's novel 'Small Island'. They first explore the transition from novel to stage, before reading the playtext in full and exploring key scenes in detail. They then plan and write an essay on the theme of 'hope' in the text.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to understand the experiences of Caribbean people in Britain and how Levy shows their stories.

Key Notes

  • Levy describes her parents' experiences of migration and the disparity between expectations and reality.
  • The term "Small Island" refers not just to the geographical space but also to the mindset of people living there.
  • The term 'Mother Country' is a powerful concept.
  • Levy wants to foreground the voices of those absent from history like the Caribbean soldiers who fought in WWII.
  • Levy has pride in her ancestry and believes that the Caribbean should be recognised, as part of Britain's history.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • empire: a group of states or countries ruled over by one leader e.g. a monarch
  • disparity: a lack of equality or devoid of similarities
  • assimilate: to become part of a group, country, society or culture
  • colonial: referring to colonialism, where a country establishes control over another country
  • ancestry: the origins of your family

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • That only people born in Britain were part of the British Army that fought in WWII.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

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

Levy describes her parents' experiences of migration and the disparity between expectations and reality. The term "Small Island" refers not just to the geographical space but also to the mindset of people living there.

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

a group of states or countries ruled over by one leader e.g. a monarch.

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: That only people born in Britain were part of the British Army that fought in WWII. Correction: The British Army contained a huge number of soldiers from different countries. For example, over two and a half million men from the Indian subcontinent volunteered for service, producing the largest volunteer army in history.

More Lessons In This Unit

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