Belonging
This unit examines the representation of belonging in literature, introducing core literary analysis tools to support close reading. The focus is on characterisation and setting as means of discussing a text’s theme with greater precision.
Linguistically, the unit emphasises reading comprehension alongside grammar and vocabulary development. Significant attention is given to the spoken word through read-aloud activities and authentic English via the podcast medium.
Texts
| Text | Author/Creator | Genre |
|---|---|---|
| The Decline of the West | Hanif Kureishi | Short story |
| After Caravaggio’s Sacrifice of Isaac | Rachel Cusk | Short story |
| S-Town, Episode | Brian Reed | Podcast |
| Dancing in the Kitchen | Carys Bray | Short story |
| Out of Control | Brian Patten | Poem |
| Two Men Arrive in a Village | Zadie Smith | Short story |
Key terms
→ Terms overview — Unit 2: Belonging
Core concepts: belonging, home, community, identity, alienation, exclusion, setting, characterisation, nostalgia, escapism
Analytical frameworks
- Bloom’s Taxonomy — used to generate and rank questions about texts at different cognitive levels (remember → understand → apply → analyse → evaluate → create)
- Broad and focused analysis — practised through S-Town and characterisation tasks
Lessons
| Date | Focus |
|---|---|
| 24-02 | Transition from Voice — intro to Belonging |
| 27-02 | The Decline of the West — vocabulary and grammar (perfektum/pluskvamperfektum) |
| 03-03 | The Decline of the West — Bloom’s Taxonomy — After Caravaggio |
| 06-03 | S-Town intro — Alabama, writing an email |
| 10-03 | S-Town — comprehension, broad analysis, language and dialect |
| 13-03 | Dancing in the Kitchen — memory and modal verbs |
| 24-03 | Poems — do-omskrivning and ordstilling |
| 27-03 | Two Men Arrive in a Village — borders intro |