Poet Imtiaz Dharker describes the process of writing her poem 'The Right Word'.
Her commentary is illustrated with footage of urban scenes and her own performance of extracts from the poem.
This is from the series: Poets in Person
Teacher Notes
Can be used to explore the power of language to influence identity.
Students are given a variety of images of different people taken from magazines and newspapers.
Each pair receives an image and one partner composes a few lines of poetry portraying the subject in a sympathetic way eg a picture of a young unkempt teenager, is described as a homeless runaway fleeing an abusive home life.
The partner then writes about the image in a very negative way eg describing the teenager as a criminal or a waster of opportunity.
What conclusions about the power of 'The Right Word' can students draw?
Curriculum Notes
This clip will be relevant for teaching English Literature at KS3 and KS4/GCSE in England and Northern Ireland. Also English Language at KS3 and English Literature at GCSE in Wales.
This topic appears in OCR, Edexcel, AQA, WJEC in England and Wales and CCEA GCSE in Northern Ireland.
More from the series: Poets in Person
English Literature KS3 / GCSE: 'Checking Out Me History' by John Agard (analysis) video
Poet John Agard describes the process of writing his poem 'Checking Out Me History'.
English Literature KS3 / GCSE: 'Flag' by John Agard (analysis) video
John Agard discusses his poem 'Flag', the symbolism of flags and poetry writing.
English Literature KS3 / GCSE: 'Ghazal' by Mimi Khalvati (analysis) video
Mimi Khalvati reads and explores the writing of her poem 'Ghazal'.
English Literature KS3 / GCSE: 'Praise Song for My Mother' by Grace Nichols (analysis) video
Grace Nichols reads and explores the writing of her poem, 'Praise Song For My Mother'.
English Literature KS3 / GCSE: 'The Right Word' by Imtiaz Dharker (poem only) video
A performance of the poem 'The Right Word' by the poet, Imtiaz Dharker.
English Literature KS3 / GCSE: 'Ghazal' by Mimi Khalvati (poem only) video
A reading of 'Ghazal' by the author, Mimi Khalvati.
English Literature KS3 / GCSE: 'Singh Song' by Daljit Nagra (poem only) video
Daljit Nagra performs his poem 'Singh Song'.
English Literature KS3 / GCSE: 'Checking Out Me History' by John Agard (poem only) video
John Agard performs his poem 'Checking Out Me History'.
English Literature KS3 / GCSE: 'Flag' by John Agard (poem only) video
A performance of the poem 'Flag' by the poet, John Agard.
English Literature KS3 / GCSE: 'Praise Song for My Mother' by Grace Nichols (poem only) video
Grace Nichols performs her poem 'Praise Song for My Mother'.
English Literature KS3 / GCSE: 'Singh Song' by Daljit Nagra (analysis) video
Daljit Nagra explores and performs his poem 'Singh Song'.
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