Developing a personal response to an unseen poem
Unseen poetry
English
Unit:
This lesson includes additional materials which can be downloaded from the lesson page.
Use these materials in slides which contain the open book symbol.
Oak’s lessons are structured around learning cycles. These are indicated through colour in the slide deck:
Oak’s lesson structure
Useful links
Each learning cycle covers several phases:
Teacher Guidance
I can develop my personal response to an unseen poem.
Outcome
evocative
pertinent
relating directly to the subject being considered; relevant
bringing strong images, memories or feelings to mind
reframe
to change the way something is expressed or considered
personal
belonging to or affecting a particular person rather than anyone else
ambiguity
a situation in which something has more than one possible meaning
Keywords
Responding to an unseen poem
Developing your response
Developing a personal response to an unseen poem
Lesson outline
Responding to an unseen poem
A ‘personal response’ to a text is generally asking you to consider the effect the text has on you.
In order to start considering your response to an unseen poem, you might ask the following questions:
Explanation
Responding to an unseen poem
Today we’re going to be responding to Helen Dunmore’s ‘Next Door’. There is a copy of the poem in the additional materials.
Read the poem.
Discuss: what are your initial impressions of the poem? Do you like it?
Explanation
Responding to an unseen poem
Which of the following statements about Dunmore’s ‘Next Door’ are true?
Dunmore’s ‘Next Door’ depicts the relationship between neighbouring houses.
Dunmore’s ‘Next Door’ recounts an argument between neighbouring houses.
Dunmore’s ‘Next Door’ shows how neighbours help and care for each other.
Check
a
b
c
Responding to an unseen poem
Re-read Dunmore’s ‘Next Door’.
Answer the following questions to create a personal response:
Practice
Task A
Responding to an unseen poem
Consider Izzy’s response to the poem. How well does it align with your ideas?
Feedback
Task A
Responding to an unseen poem
Consider Sofia’s response to the poem. How well does it align with your ideas?
Feedback
Task A
Responding to an unseen poem
Developing your response
Developing a personal response to an unseen poem
Lesson outline
Developing your response
Now that we’ve gathered our initial response to the poem, let’s consider how to develop our personal response.
Let’s consider the first question: ‘how does the poem make you feel?’
We can reframe Izzy’s response to talk about the mood of the poem.
Discuss: can you think of a synonym for ‘sad’ that would develop Izzy’s response further?
The poem makes me feel sad.
The mood of the poem is sad.
The mood of the poem is poignant.
Explanation
Developing your response
Now let’s consider the second question: ‘is the theme or idea of the poem relevant to you?’
Discuss: how do you think you could reframe this to develop the response?
Discuss: how would you reframe Izzy’s idea about how it’s relevant?
Laura:
Maybe we could say it’s pertinent?
The poem makes me feel sad.
Yes - or we could say how it relates to wider idea of society or human nature?
I think the idea of “mirror[ing]” others is relevant to me.
The idea of seeing ourselves reflected in others speaks to wider ideas of human nature and society.
Explanation
Developing your response
Considering your emotional response to the poem relates to which of the following terms?
The tone of the poem.
The mood of the poem.
The theme of the poem.
Check
a
b
c
Developing your response
Let’s consider our third question: ‘are there any elements that you don’t understand?’
Discuss: how could we reframe the idea of not understanding?
Maybe we could talk about the ambiguity?
Yes - I could say that the concepts of reality in the poem are ambiguous.
Explanation
Developing your response
Let’s consider our fourth question: ‘which word(s) or phrases draw your attention?’
Discuss: how could we reframe this response?
Maybe we could talk about the word(s) being evocative?
Yes - or we could talk about them being powerful or engaging?
Explanation
Developing your response
You should try to come up with an interpretation of every aspect of the poem - even if you don’t understand.
You shouldn’t talk about what you don’t understand in an unseen poem.
You could talk about ideas that you don’t fully understand as being ambiguous and talk about how the ambiguity makes you feel.
True
False
Justify your answer
True or false?
Check
a
b
T
F
Developing your response
Now let’s develop your own response.
Reframe your personal response to answer the following questions:
Practice
Task B
Developing your response
Consider how Sofia has developed her response. How well does it align with your response?
Feedback
Task B
Developing a personal response to an unseen poem
Summary
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