Young Birmingham Poets 2022 - Commonwealth Games Edition TEACHER'S HANDBOOK
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Young Birmingham
Poets 2022
Commonwealth
Games Edition
TEACHER'S HANDBOOK
© Christian Richters
Contents
Part 1: Introduction 4
Background and Research 4
Welcome to Young Birmingham Poets 2022 7
Our Cultural Partners 7
Our Poets and Artists 9
Project Structure 11
Links to the National Curriculum 12
Part 2: Memorable Experiences and Lesson Plans
The Library of Birmingham 13
Edgbaston Stadium 14
Birmingham Repertory Theatre 15
Commonwealth Games Walk 16
Lesson Plans 17
• Introduction 17
• Top Tips 17
• Overview 18
• Lesson 1: Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games 20
• Lesson 2: Editing and Performance 26
Suggested Model Poems 29
Teaching British Histories of Race, Migration and Empire 30
Poetry Starters 34
Performance Toolkit 35
Membership Information 37
Embedding a Whole-School Approach 38
YOUNG CITY POETS TEACHERS HANDBOOK 3
Part 1: Introduction Background and Research National Literacy Trust One person in six in the UK lives with poor literacy. This holds them back at every stage of their life. Lacking literacy skills undermines a person’s well-being and stops them making a full contribution to the economic and cultural life of our nation. The National Literacy Trust is a national charity dedicated to raising literacy levels in the UK. We work to improve the reading, writing, speaking and listening skills in the UK’s most disadvantaged communities. Our research and analysis make us the leading authority on literacy and drive our interventions. Because low literacy is intergenerational, we focus our work on families, pupils and children. As teachers, we instinctively know that pupils are more likely to produce their best work when they are engaged and there is a purpose for their writing. The purpose of this project is to provide enjoyable cultural experiences, which can be used as a stimulus for writing poetry. Cultural venues and heritage sites provide rich opportunities for creativity and learning. We have seen first hand that a trip to one of these venues provide pupils with something concrete to write about, inspires them to want to write and creates a positive link between the enjoyable experience and the writing they do as a result. This in turn has a positive impact on pupils' writing outcomes. Why Poetry? Poetry is enjoying a boom, particularly among young people (Nielsen BookScan, 2019). Its rise in popularity has been attributed in part to the ease with which it can be shared on social media and the success of ‘InstaPoets’. Over the last nine years, we have consistently found that students on free school meals are more likely to engage with poetry in their free time than their more affluent peers. Our research for National Poetry Day found that nearly half of pupils (46.1%) engage with poetry in their free time. The main reasons pupils choose to write poetry are that it makes them feel creative, gives them a sense of agency and because it is an outlet for self-expression. For the full research report search 'A thing that makes me happy' on the National Literacy trust website. Poetry is inherent in all forms of writing – words, ideas and communication are at its heart. So concentration on poetry benefits writing in all other areas of the curriculum. Teaching poetry is not so much about showing pupils how to be ‘good at’ poetry, but encouraging them towards a curiosity about poems and how they work, a willingness to play with language and a desire to communicate and perform ideas and discover and define their individual poetry style. The process of lively discussion, followed by collaborative and individual writing and performing tasks, enables pupils to engage with literacy on their own terms in a way that also meets national curriculum requirements for writing. 4
Young Poets: our three pillar approach
Based on existing research and evaluation of our own programmes, we have established a three pillar model
for writing. Every school participating in Young Poets is provided with support to use each of these to help
improve students’ engagement with poetry. Our three pillars are:
Memorable experiences
Teachers are excellent at teaching writing, but it can be difficult to find the ‘spark’ or inspiration which
motivates their students to want to write. School visits to galleries, museums and heritage sites help bring
learning to life for pupils, often providing new creative experiences and supporting them to become learners
outside the classroom.
Children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds are least likely to visit galleries, museums and heritage
sites1 and worryingly, school trips are in decline (DCMS 2016, ASCL 2018). However, EEF (2014; 2018)2 found
that writing approaches which use a memorable experience as the inspiration for writing helped children
who struggled with writing to make additional progress.
Working with a professional writer
There is an increasing amount of work being done to explore the potential impact of writer visits and the
most effective ways that professional writers can support learning. Most recently, we published a report
which demonstrated a positive relationship between children who reported working with a writer in school,
and increased levels of enjoyment and confidence in reading and writing, as well as being more likely to be
better at reading (Clark and Lant 2019).3 Evaluation of our poetry programmes in London and Bradford have
also demonstrated an increase in children’s engagement in poetry where they have had the chance to work
with a poet.
One reason for this could be that working with a writer provides young people with the opportunity to
experience ‘real’ writing.
“Writers articulate clearly their understanding of the writing process as messy and recursive... This contrasts
to children’s experiences of the writing process in school which is frequently routinised as a linear,
chronological process of plan, draft, revise and edit.” (Cremin, Myhill et al 2017)
In addition, anecdotal evidence suggests that meeting a writer can lead to students’ increased awareness of
writing as a job, which has the potential to build pupils’ aspirations for a creative career.
Real audience and purpose
It is well documented that providing a real audience and purpose for children’s writing increases their
motivation to write (ACE 2019).4 In an evaluation of an online self-publishing platform we found that, in
addition to increased motivation to write, young people felt more pride in writing they were creating for
publication in a book.
We continue to explore meaningful ways to provide a real audience and purpose for students’ writing that
do not have a disproportionate impact on teachers’ workload. Currently we provide opportunities to include
students’ work in published anthologies and for young people to perform their poems.
1 Deparment for Culture Media and Sport (2016), The Culture White Paper
2 Education Endowment Foundation (2019) Using self-regulation to improve writing
3 Clark and Lant (2019), The impact of writer visit on children and young people’s reading and writing engagment
4 ACE (2019) Using Quality Principles in work for, by and with Children and Young People
YOUNG CITY POETS TEACHERS HANDBOOK 5
Our latest research Our latest research found that the pandemic in 2020, its associated lockdowns and school closures have not only interrupted children and young people’s schooling but also appeared to have had a negative impact on their writing. While we cannot say with certainty that our findings are the direct result of the pandemic, the percentage of children and young people enjoying writing is the lowest we have seen in over a decade. Writing enjoyment declined over the past year in all children and young people regardless of background, but boys on free school meals showed a particularly pronounced decrease, where we saw a drop of 9.3 percentage points. As we look ahead to a period of processing and recovery, these findings indicate that creative writing will play an important role. Our programmes on enjoyment and positive behaviours around writing are more crucial than ever. Only 1 in 7 (15.2%) children and young people said in 2021 that they write something daily in their free time, which is the lowest daily writing rate we have recorded since we began asking the question in 2010. However, we also found that children and young people who write in their free time do so because it supports their creativity, allows them to express their thoughts and feelings, and supports their mental health. For the full research report search ‘Children and young people’s writing in 2021 and their reflections on writing during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020’. As we look ahead to a period of processing and recovery, these findings indicate that creative writing will play an important role. Our programmes on enjoyment and positive behaviours around writing are more crucial than ever. 6
Welcome to Young Birmingham Poets 2022
(Commonwealth Games Edition)
Over the last seven years, the National Literacy Trust has been running and developing a poetry programme
that supports the most disadvantaged children to enjoy and improve their writing. We are very grateful to our
partners at Audible who enable us to work with some of the most iconic cultural venues in Birmingham and a
wonderful group of local professional poets and artists to improve children’s attitudes to writing.
Our Cultural Partners
Edgbaston Stadium
Edgbaston Stadium is the home to the Warwickshire County Cricket Club, Birmingham Bears and the
Birmingham Phoenix. Warwickshire County Cricket Club was formed in 1882. The club was nomadic until
1885 when Calthorpe Estates offered a ‘12-acre meadow of rough grazing land’. In 1886 Edgbaston Cricket
Ground opened its gates to spectators for WCC’s first home game against Marylebone Cricket Club and the
rest was history.
Over many years and multiple redevelopments Edgbaston Stadium has hosted some of crickets most historic
moments, including: the first Ashes Test Match, Britain’s first floodlit day-night cricket match and five Cricket
World Cup matches including the semi-final.
Edgbaston is considered to be one of England’s leading cricket grounds. Edgbaston has a reputation for the
best atmosphere in England. In addition to hosting cricket, Edgbaston is also one of the leading conference
and event venues in Birmingham.
Library of Birmingham
The Library of Birmingham is the largest public library in Europe. With its landmark building, studio theatre,
exhibition gallery and world-class collections, the library is a unique cultural venue that attracts thousands
of visitors every day. The environment is very busy, catering for customers from across the world, in this large
vibrant city.
Services that customers and visitors can expect include, the Children’s Library with activities and events
engaging families in a variety of ways. A music library catering for tastes across the whole world, from
folk songs to symphonies. The music library also holds a large CD and DVD collection, and a range of
performance sets for even the largest orchestra!
Our Archives & Collections department collects and preserves original, printed and digital records of
historical significance relating to the City of Birmingham, its people, businesses, institutions and societies.
They care for over 6,000 collections dating as far back as the 12th century!
Customers can spend the day sightseeing; starting with the stunning vista of the library from the main
foyer taking the eye over the whole ground floor and looking up through the Rotunda. Moving up onto the
Rotunda itself, which gives a nod to the Reading Rooms of the past. Moving up to the stunning outdoor
terrace on floor 3 and The Secret Garden on floor 7. Visitors can finish with the pinnacle that is the Skyline
View through floor to ceiling glass and the Shakespeare Memorial Room, never before open to the public to
enjoy until the Library of Birmingham opened in 2013.
YOUNG CITY POETS TEACHERS HANDBOOK 7
Birmingham Repertory Theatre You can find us performing live on our three stages here in Birmingham (The House, The Door and The Studio), in the West End, or touring globally. We might pop up on your doorstep in local streets, in schools and colleges, in shops, parks and city squares. We’re all about the live experience – whether you’re coming to see a show, taking part in a workshop, or dropping in for a coffee. We nurture artistic talent through new writing, directing, technical or casting programmes with young professionals and up-and-coming names. We also work with partners across the UK and internationally on new productions and community projects. While results can take years, we know it’s worth the wait as we believe diversity to be a strength in our society, with art and culture belonging to all. We are a theatre for everyone. Looking out over Centenary Square’s fountains, work on our public foyers will soon be completed making us even more accessible. With our allies at the spectacular Library of Birmingham, our neighbours at Symphony Hall, our new friends at the University of Birmingham Exchange plus the vast social and commercial whirl of Paradise and Brindleyplace, there’s never been a better time to visit. Our Partnership with the University of Birmingham This is the first National Literacy Trust Hub to be founded in partnership with a university. Research will therefore be integral to its work: the Birmingham Stories campaign will build on the findings of University of Birmingham researchers, who will in turn work closely with the National Literacy Trust to review and refine the Hub model. It will enlist the unique resources of the University of Birmingham, from student volunteers to widening access schemes, to boost the aspirations of people across the city. To find out more about the Birmingham Stories campaign, please visit birminghamstories.org.uk Birmingham Stories Birmingham Stories is a campaign run in partnership by the National Literacy Trust and the University of Birmingham. Together we are working to raise literacy levels and change the life stories of young people and adults across the city. We are working directly with communities, schools, businesses and cultural organisations to spread a love of storytelling across Birmingham, and equip young people and families with the literacy skills they need to succeed in life. As well as events in schools and communities, we are running a city-wide campaign to encourage reading for pleasure and inspire young people. About the University partnership This is the first National Literacy Trust Hub to be founded in partnership with a university. Research will therefore be integral to its work: the Birmingham Stories campaign will build on the findings of University of Birmingham researchers, who will in turn work closely with the National Literacy Trust to review and refine the Hub model. It will enlist the unique resources of the University of Birmingham, from student volunteers to widening access schemes, to boost the aspirations of people across the city. To find out more about the Birmingham Stories campaign, please visit birminghamstories.org.uk 8
Our Poets and Artists
Jasmine Gardosi
Jasmine Gardosi is a multiple slam champion, Birmingham Poet Laureate
finalist and winner of the Out-Spoken Prize for Poetry.
She uses audience participation, beatboxing and music to explore themes of
identity, self-expression, LGBTQ issues and mental health. A previous BBC Arts
Young Creative and Poet in Residence for the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust,
she is a current Writer in Residence at the Brontë Parsonage Museum, and
runs school and community workshops around the UK.
Her debut pamphlet ‘Hurtz’ is published by Verve Poetry Press and her brand-
new music and poetry show exploring gender identity, ’Dancing to Music You
Hate’, premiered at the Warwick Arts Centre in October 2021.
Nafeesa Hamid
Nafeesa Hamid is a British Pakistani poet and playwright based in
Birmingham. She has been writing and performing at nights around the UK.
She has featured at Outspoken (London), Poetry is Dead Good (Nottingham),
Find the Right Words (Leicester) and Hit The Ode (Birmingham).
She was invited to perform at TedxBrum 2016 (Power of us). Nafeesa has
also performed at Cheltenham and Manchester Literature Festivals as part
of The Things I Would Tell You: British Muslim Women Write, a recent (2017)
anthology publication by Saqi Books, edited by Sabrina Mahfouz.
She is an alumni of Mouthy Poets and Derby Theatre Graduate Associate
Artists. Nafeesa also runs Twisted Tongues, an open-mic only poetry night at
The Station in Kings Heath.
Jamie Thrasivoulou
Jamie Thrasivoulou is an award-winning writer, poet, and educator. He is also
the official poet for Derby County Football Club. In 2018 he was a winner of
the Culture Matters: Bread & Roses award. In 2019 he won the Saboteur award
for Best Spoken Word Artist in the UK. His debut collection The Best of A Bad
Situation was published by Sillouette Press in 2017, His second collection Our
Man, was published by Burning Eye in 2019. Jamie was also a member of the
winning team in both the UNISLAM and Hammer & Tongues National slam
poetry finals in 2019. He has performed all over the UK in venues such as the
Royal Albert Hall, and the 100 Club, appearing alongside writers such as Linton
Kwesi Johnson, and Helen Mort. In the past he’s has been commissioned by
Apples & Snakes, National Poetry Day, The BBC, and many others. His work has
appeared on BBC Arts, ITV, BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio 3, TalkSport,
and BBC Introducing.
YOUNG CITY POETS TEACHERS HANDBOOK 9
Lexia Tomlinson
Lexia Tomlinson is a versatile actress, voice artist, writer, poet and performer
she has appeared in many theatre productions, radio plays.
You may have seen her in The RSC's promotional trailer for King Jon as
Blanche, Aderonke in You Will Not Break Us on stage at The Birmingham
Repertory Theatre. You may also have heard her in The BBC radio play
Jesus Piece as Nadia or Mother's Tongue a short poetic film, which she
narrates or caught her playing Sandra in her debut feature film Teriyaan
Meriyaan Hera Pheriyaan for Guru Kirpa Films.
She is a unique actress who mines any text given to find all the nuances
and clues a writer has left to help create truly unforgettable characters. She
trained at Birmingham Metropolitian Academy of Performing Arts graduating with a Distinction*
in Performing Arts, First Act Workshops; which she credits for her fearless attitude towards
improvising and devising and is an alumni of The National Youth Theatre of Great Britain.
Maryam Wahid
Maryam Wahid is an artist who uses photography to convey her identity as a
British Pakistani Muslim woman. Through her deeply rooted family history and the
mass integration of South Asian migrants within the UK, her photographs explore
womanhood, memory, migration and the notion of home and belonging.
Since graduating with a BA in Photography in 2018 she has won many prestigious
awards, these include accolades from Format Festival, Photoworks and The Magenta
Foundation. She was recently awarded ‘Portrait of Britain 2021’ by British Journal of
Photography for her photograph, ‘Halima Jabeen in her front garden’.
In 2020, she featured on BBC’s Great British Photography Challenge programme
with Rankin. Wahid’s work has been commissioned by The Guardian, The Financial
Times, Wellcome Collection, The Telegraph and Digital Photographer Magazine.
More recently, she was the lead artist for the Creative Connections project by the National Portrait Gallery
and Herbert Art Gallery and Museum.
She was also invited to be on the selection panel for a prestigious competition held by the National Portrait
Gallery spearheaded by The Duchess of Cambridge for the project, Hold Still (2020), an ambitious community
project that created a unique collective portrait of the UK during lockdown. Alongside this, she has judged
art competitions for Photoworks and The New Art Gallery Walsall.
Currently, her new work Zaibunnisa is being premiered at The Midlands Arts Centre which includes
photographs, moving images and writing. Zaibunnisa, meaning ‘the beauty of women’ refers to Wahid’s
mother’s birth name prior to emigrating from Pakistan to the UK in 1982 for an arranged marriage. The
photographs tell the story of Wahid and her mother’s journey to Lahore in 2019, Wahid’s first-ever trip to
Pakistan and her mother’s first visit in twenty years. The artist documented their time spent together during
this journey of discovery as her mother reconnected with old friends and family. They spent time exploring
her family home, where Wahid reimagined what her life could have been, had she lived there. The artist
felt a deep, spiritual connection to the house and particularly to her maternal family whom she never
met. The work addresses themes of loss, memory, displacement, identity and migration whilst importantly
counterbalancing a celebratory future and the positive married life that the artist’s parents made for
themselves in Birmingham.
10Project Structure
Teacher Session
Training session delivered by the National Literacy Trust which will focus on:
• The latest research on poetry engagement
• Using a cultural visit to inspire writing
• How to embed the visit into learning back in the classroom
• Working with a professional poet
Pre-Visit Activities
For full details see part two of this Handbook.
Free Class tour of a Cultural Venue in Birmingham and free poet workshop
This This handbook (part 2) provides a brief overview of the tour your class will receive at the venue you visit.
The tour will be followed by a fully subsidised poetry workshop with a professional poet.
You will need to agree a date for your class visit with the Project Manager at National Literacy Trust.
Please note that if you were assigned to the Rep Theatre the project structure could be slightly different. You
should already have received full info from the Project Manager.
Poetry in the Classroom
We ask that you spend a minimum of two lessons (including the pre-visit activities) working on original
poems based on the visit.
You can find lesson plans for the sessions and a suggested scheme of work: in part two of this Handbook.
Performance and Publishing Celebration of pupils’ writing through:
• Performance event for pupils and parents
• Publication of an anthology of pupils’ writing via Kindle Direct Publishing
YOUNG CITY POETS TEACHERS HANDBOOK 11Links to the National Curriculum
Upper Key Stage 2
Writing
• Plan their writing: identifying the audience for and purpose of the writing and using other similar
writing as models for their own; noting and developing initial ideas, drawing on reading and research
where necessary.
• Draft and write by: selecting appropriate vocabulary, understanding how such choices can change and
enhance meaning.
• Evaluate and edit by: assessing the effectiveness of their own and others’ writing; proposing changes
to vocabulary, grammar and punctuation to enhance effects and clarify meaning; perform their own
compositions, using appropriate intonation, volume, and movement so that meaning is clear.
Spoken language
• Extend confidence, enjoyment and mastery of language through performance.
Key Stage 3
Writing
• Write accurately, fluently, effectively and at length for pleasure and information through: writing for
a wide range of purposes and audiences (including poetry); applying their growing knowledge of
vocabulary, grammar and text structure to their writing.
• Plan, draft, edit and proofread through: considering how their writing reflects the audiences and
purposes for which it was intended; amending the vocabulary, grammar and structure of their writing
to improve its coherence and overall effectiveness.
Spoken language
• Speak confidently and effectively, including through: performing poetry in order to generate languages
and discuss language use and meaning, using role, intonation, tone, volume, mood, silence, stillness
and action to add impact.
Taken from: Statutory guidance, National curriculum in England: English programmes of study (2014), DFE.
12Part 2: Memorable Experiences
and Lesson Plans
THE LIBRARY OF BIRMINGHAM
Stimulus: Activities (one day):
Exhibition From City of Empire to City of Diversity • Guided tour of From City of Empire to City
of Diversity with photographer Maryam
About The Dyche Collection: Wahid. This tour includes a workshop and
photography activities.
The Dyche Collection, acquired by Birmingham
Central Library in 1990, relates to two professional • Break (this could be lunch depending on the
portrait studios established and run by Ernest Dyche time booked).
(1887- 1973). A self-taught photographer, Dyche • Poetry workshop inspired by the exhibition
opened his first premises, The Palace Studio, at 32 led by poet Nafeesa Hamid.
Coventry Road, Bordesley Green around 1910. The
studio was situat- ed close to the Bordesley Palace
Theatre, and Dyche developed a specialised trade
in theatrical portraiture, producing photographs of
the music hall and variety turns who performed on
the Birmingham stage. He also produced individual,
group, family and wedding portraits for those
attending his studio.
YOUNG CITY POETS TEACHERS HANDBOOK 13EDGBASTON STADIUM
Stimulus: Activities (one day):
Edgbaston Stadium • Guided tour of the stadium.
• Break (this could be lunch depending on the
About the stadium: time booked).
Your students will visit one of the world’s most • Poetry workshop inspired by the tour led by
famous cricket stadiums and see behind the scenes poet Jamie Thrasivoulou.
of one of Birmingham’s great sporting venues.
England love playing here and fans from across the
world love to visit. The electric atmosphere is what
makes this historic stadium a favourite not matter
for a Test match or Finals Day.
Edgbaston stadium will host the Women’s T20
Cricket debuting at the 2022 Commonwealth Games
as the first T20 International played by women. This
will be the first time both the T20 format and the
women’s game feature at a Commonwealth Games.
14BIRMINGHAM REPERTORY THEATRE
Stimulus: village is plunged into uproar. While the women
vie for this stranger’s attention, the men plot his
Playboy of the West Indies downfall. Will events conspire to unmask his wild
tales of derring-do?
About the play:
Based on the Irish Classic The Playboy Of The Activities (three sessions on three
Western World, Mustapha Matura’s hilarious different days):
reinvention Playboy Of The West Indies has been • A trip to the theatre to see Playboy of the
delighting audiences and critics alike world-wide West Indies.
for over 35 years.
• A follow up writing workshop inspired by the
Now in this world premiere production the classic play led by the Rep learning team.
play has been transformed into a glorious new
musical with a toe-tapping, finger-snapping score • An editing and performance workshop with
firmly rooted in the Caribbean. In Peggy’s rum bar one of our professional poets.
in sleepy Mayaro village, a mysterious stranger
stumbles in out of the darkness.
With a voice like honey he tantalises the women
and unnerves the men with a terrible story. As he
weaves his magic spell on Peggy, her forthcoming
nuptials to Stanley are thrown into doubt, and the
YOUNG CITY POETS TEACHERS HANDBOOK 15COMMONWEALTH GAMES WALK
Stimulus:
Birmingham
Activities (one day):
• Actress, voice artist, writer, poet, performer
and educator Lexia Tomlinson will lead a
learning poetry walk around Birmingham
city centre, inspired by the Commonwealth
Games.
• Break at the University of Birmingham (this
could be lunch depending on the time
booked).
• Follow up poetry workshop inspired by
the walk.
16Lesson Plans
Introduction
This resource has been created to support learning for pupils in Years 5 to 9 who are participating in the Young
Birmingham Poets project. It is intended to help pupils plan, write, edit and perform the poems they create
following a class visit to a cultural venue in Birmingham.
Please note that there are two project structures depending on your allocated cultural venue. You can find an
overview for both structures below.
The lessons support the intended outcomes of the project by providing ideas for lessons and activities that will
support pupils in writing a complete poem in readiness for publication and/or performance to an audience.
The lessons and activities included are suggestions that can be adapted to suit the needs and interests of
your class. The resource explores generating ideas, writing poetry, editing, and performance. A list of suggested
model poems has also been included as part of this resource; teachers should use these examples throughout
the unit of work. The list is not exhaustive and teachers might like to use further examples.
Top tips
• Take part in the writing activities alongside your class and share your efforts. It is important to model
the process of writing poetry, and understanding your own approach to creativity will enable you to
better support the creative process of your pupils.
• Create a poetry display or ‘working wall’ for the Young Poets project. Use this as a space to display
stimulus material, model poems, artwork by the students, and any ideas and poetry written by the pupils.
• Provide pupils with a separate notebook or folder to use as their poetry journal (rather than using
their English/Literacy books). This will provide a space that allows pupils to be ‘messy’ when collecting
ideas and re-drafting and some pupils are more likely to engage with the process in a book that will
not be marked.
YOUNG CITY POETS TEACHERS HANDBOOK 17Overview: Library of Birmingham, Edgbaston
Stadium, Commonwealth Games Walk
Activity Objectives Resources
Pre-Visit: Birmingham • I can reflect on Birmingham’s rich Lesson 1 Plan
Commonwealth Games cultural and ethnic diversity
2022
• I know what the Commonwealth is
• I understand what the
Commonwealth stands for today
Visit to Cultural Venue and Ideas, Inspiration Gathering and first A summary of the
Poet Workshop draft composition Activities at the
Cultural Venues
• I can demonstrate my knowledge of
provided in part
the cultural venue through poetry
2 of this Handbook.
• I can write a poem that conveys a
message to my readers
Post-Visit: Editing and • I can explore the impact of Lesson 2 Plan
Performance language choices on a reader
• I can use intonation, volume and
body language to convey meaning
Poetry Festival and I can complete an original poem Performance Toolkit
Anthology Publication in readiness for publication and/or
performance to an audience.
18Overview: The Birmingham Repertory Theatre
Activity Objectives Resources
Pre-Visit: Birmingham • I can reflect on Birmingham’s rich Lesson 1 Plan
Commonwealth Games cultural and ethnic diversity
2022
• I know what the Commonwealth is
• I understand what the
Commonwealth stands for today
Visit to Cultural Venue Ideas, Inspiration Gathering A summary of the
Activities at the Cultural
Venues provided in part
2 of this Handbook.
Rep Workshop in School • I can demonstrate my knowledge No resources required.
of the cultural venue through
This workshop will be
poetry
led by a member of the
• I can write a poem that conveys a Rep learning team.
message to my readers
Post-Visit: Editing and • I can explore the impact of No Resources required.
Performance language choices on a reader
This workshop will be
• I can use intonation, volume and led by a professional
body language to convey meaning poet.
Poetry Festival and I can complete an original poem Performance Toolkit
Anthology Publication in readiness for publication and/or
performance to an audience.
YOUNG CITY POETS TEACHERS HANDBOOK 19Lesson 1: Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games
(per-visit)
Stimulus: You will need:
Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games • Lesson 1 PowerPoint deck (provided)
• Internet and YouTube Access
Learning Objectives:
• Colourful sheets of paper
• I can reflect on Birmingham’s rich cultural
• Post-It Notes
and ethnic diversity
• Copies of Give the Ball to the Poet
• I know what the Commonwealth is
Create a ‘working wall’ for this project to display
• I understand what the Commonwealth
stimulus material, model poems, artwork by the
stands for today
students and any ideas and poetry written by the
students.
20Warm Up-Word Ping-Pong (5 minutes)
You will need:
• Slide 1
• 1 sheet of colourful paper for each pair
• A timer set to 3 minutes
Arrange students into pairs and hand out a sheet of paper to each pair.
Set the timer to three minutes.
Students need to write as many words as they can think of related to the word ‘British’ (use slide 1).
The sheet must go back and forward between students as soon as they have written their word. They can
only write one word at a time and pass the paper on to their partners. Students cannot help others or talk to
each other during the game.
When the time is up, the pair with the most words wins the game.
Create a section titled ‘British’ on your ‘working wall’ and include the colourful sheets from this warm-up
exercise with all the words related to ‘British’.
Introduction-The British (serving 60 millions) (7 minutes)
Watch the performance of Benjamin Zephaniah's poem The British (serving 60 millions) (1:50 min) following
the link on slide 2 (youtube.com/watch?v=dZ1yYOAwvvo)
Discuss as a group:
• What is the poet trying to tell us through this poem?
• What metaphors does the poet use?
• Do students agree with the description of Britain in the poem?
• Do the lists of words from the previous exercise reflect the description in the poem?
Can students share any relevant words with the group?
Remind students that Birmingham is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the UK.
You may want to include notes from this discussion on your ‘working wall’.
• What are the great things about living in such a diverse city?
• Do they know who was the first person in their family to live in Birmingham? Where did they
originally come from and why did they move to Birmingham?
Wrap Up the discussion by reading the final stanza of Zephaniah’s poem as a group trying to fill in the blanks
using slide 4 (go to slide 5 for the complete version):
Note: All the ingredients are equally important. Treating one ingredient better than
another will leave a bitter unpleasant taste.
Warning: An unequal spread of justice will damage the people and cause pain. Give justice and equality to all.
You may want to add the stanzas to your ‘working wall’.
YOUNG CITY POETS TEACHERS HANDBOOK 21What is the Commonwealth? (5 minutes)
Ask students if they know how did the UK become so diverse? (Display photographs on slides 6)
After the massive destruction wreaked by World War II, the UK was rebuilding itself and there were severe
labour shortages. Immigration was one solution to this problem and a 1948 Act gave Commonwealth citizens
free entry to Britain.
The docking of the Empire Windrush passenger ship at Tilbury from Jamaica on 22 June 1948, marked the
start of the postwar immigration boom.
Many hundreds of thousands came from India, Pakistan and the West Indies to Britain through the 1950s,
not just for short-term work, but settling for good and now form a central part of British society.
Immigration has continued and widened ever since, resulting in the rich ethnic and cultural diversity
of our cities.
(Adapted from bl.uk/learning/timeline)
Ask students if they know what the Commonwealth is? Can they attempt a definition?
Watch ‘What is the Commonwealth?’ following the link on slide 7
youtube.com/watch?v=aWsvHuuV-qE) (2:14 min)
The Commonwealth Today (3 minutes)
Using the notes on slide 8 reiterate that the Commonwealth countries share certain beliefs, or principles.
In 1971 they issued a statement of these principles.
All Commonwealth countries declared their support to:
• international peace and understanding
• liberty of the individual
• equal rights for all citizens
• and the removal of poverty, ignorance, and disease
Create a Commonwealth section on your ‘working wall’ and include the Commonwealth principles.
The Commonwealth Flag is a supranational flag first adopted on 26 March 1976.
Supranational: involving more than one country, or having power or authority that is greater than that of a
single country.
The design consists of a blue field displaying the symbol of a golden globe bordered by golden spears making
up the letter ‘C’. The spears do not represent the number of member countries but symbolise the many facets of
Commonwealth cooperation around the world.
(Adapted from: flaginstitute.org/wp)
• Ask students what they think of the flag?
• Does it make them think of the Commonwealth principles?
• Would they have designed it differently perhaps?
Using the notes on slide 9, reiterate that every four years the Commonwealth Games are held to unite the
Commonwealth countries through sport.
22The Games have evolved dramatically since its beginnings in 1930 (Hamilton, Canada) and have grown
from featuring:
• 11 countries and 400 athletes
• to 6,600 athletes from across 72 countries
(Adapted from: birmingham2022.com/about-us)
Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022 (5 minutes)
Ask students if they know when the next Games are taking place (click on slide 10 to reveal the dates).
Following the link on slide 10 watch ‘Birmingham 2022: The Countdown Begins’ (2:36 min)
(youtube.com/watch?v=XGbCAC9DEEQ)
Ask students if they know anyone working at the 2022 Birmingham Games, or participating as athletes,
volunteers or artists?
Let students know that the Commonwealth Games are often referred to as the ‘Friendly Games’ because the
event is renowned for inspiring athletes to compete in the spirit of friendship and fair play.
The Games are underpinned by three core values. Ask students to try and guess the core values using the
images on slide 11.
Create a ‘Commonwealth Games’ section on your ‘working wall’ and add any good attempts.
(Answers on slide 12: humanity, equality and destiny)
Guess the Sport (5 minutes)
Split students in teams and set a timer to 1 minute (slides 13 and 14).
Ask students to spend 60 seconds writing down as many sports featured in the Commonwealth Games as
possible. You can reveal the answers by clicking on slides 13 and 14.
When the time is up, the pair with the most sports wins the game. Take away points for any sports not featured
in the Games.
Aquatics Judo
Athletics Hockey
Badminton Netball
Basketball Rugby 7s
Beach Volleyball Squash
Bowls Table tennis
Boxing Triathlon
Cricket (women's) Weightlifting
Cycling Wrestling
Gymnastics
Ask students if they practice any of the sports featured at the Games? Do they know anyone who practices
any of the sports?
YOUNG CITY POETS TEACHERS HANDBOOK 23A Relay of Words (8 minutes)
The Queen's Baton Relay is similar to the Olympic Torch Relay, which travels around the world symbolically
uniting the five continents prior to the Olympic Games.
Use slide 15 to outline that the Queen's Baton will visit 72 nations and territories around the Commonwealth
on a 294-day long journey.
The Baton carries a message from the Head of the Commonwealth.
The Birmingham 2022 Baton has been designed by artist Laura Nyahuye born in Zimbabwe and living in
Coventry (pictured on the top right).
It is a high-tech Baton and is home to a camera, a heart-rate monitor, atmospheric sensors and LED lighting.
The Baton is entwined with unique components and displays connectivity to represent the power of
collaboration.
A mechanised chamber beneath the brass leaf plaque holds this year’s message to be read out at the
Birmingham 2022 opening ceremony.
Hand out post-it notes to students and set the timer to 3 minutes.
Ask students to write a message to travel around with the Baton (slide 16).
• If you could write a message to 72 countries and regions of the Commonwealth, what would that
message be?
Create an ‘Our Message to the Commonwealth’ section on your ‘working wall’ and ask students to stick their
messages to the wall when the time is up.
The Relaytionship—an unexpected group poem performance (15 minutes)
This year Birmingham poet Amerah Saleh was asked to write a poem inspired by the Commonwealth Games
to travel along with the Baton.
Watch the poem The Relaytionship, by Amerah Saleh (2:48).
youtu.be/qfMn-E6AhPI
The poem by Amerah Saleh asked us to think about what home and incredible means to us.
• What does home mean to you?
• What does incredible mean to you?
By asking these questions, the poet handed the Baton to us! Continue the Relay of Words (slide 18):
Set the time to 2 minutes and hand out post-it notes to students.
Ask students to choose one of the questions asked by Amerah Saleh and write their answer on the post-it
note choosing between these two starters:
• To me, home is…
• To me, incredible is…
24When the time is up, ask students to pass their post-it note to the student to their right.
You can now stage an unexpected group poem performance by asking each student (in sequence) to read the
post-it note they were given aloud.
There should be little to no pause between each reading.
Stick the post-it notes to the ‘working wall’ under a new section titled ‘What home and incredible mean to me’.
You could type all the post-it notes to create a Relaytionship group poem to include on your ‘working wall’.
Bonus Activity:
You can participate to the Relay of Words by filling this form as a class or getting the students to fill the form
individually: makeitwm.com/relaytionship
The words will be added to the poem and used to create a unique piece of ‘hyper hybrid art’ by West Midlands-
based audio-visual artist, Tommy Xiao Ji.
Wrap Up (5 minutes)
By the end of this lesson, you should have an unexpected Relaytionship group poem and a ‘working wall’ with
the following sections:
• British
• The Commonwealth Principles
• The Commonwealth Games
• Our Message to the Commonwealth
• What home and incredible mean to me
Let students know that this will be their ‘working wall’ for the duration of the project and that they can add
drawings, thoughts, photographs, and newspaper cuttings to it. They should use their wall as inspiration for
their writing.
Spend some time at the end to introduce students to the venue they will be visiting. To do this, refer to the
brief summaries for each venue/activity in the following section of this Handbook.
Prepare students with the idea that very much like poet Amerah Saleh, they are going to write a poem inspired
by their experience and their thoughts around the Commonwealth Games!
Extension:
Hand out copies of Give the Ball to the Poet to students, or print out a copy of slide 19 for each student to
take home.
Ask students to read the poem Modern Poetry by Barbra Zencraft (page 50 of Give the Ball to the Poet) in
preparation for their visit and poetry workshop.
YOUNG CITY POETS TEACHERS HANDBOOK 25Lesson 2: Editing and Performance (post-visit)
This lesson is designed to guide the completion You will need:
of a final draft in readiness for publication and/or
performance to an audience. • Lesson 2 PowerPoint deck (provided)
• Students’s first drafts (composed at the
A first draft will be composed at the cultural venue
cultural venue during the poet workshop)
under the guidance of one of our professional poets.
• Model poem
Learning objectives: • Highlighters
• I can explore the impact of language choices • Sentence strips/scrap paper/sticky notes
on a reader. • Refer to the ‘Performance Toolkit’ in this
• I can use intonation, volume and body Handbook
language to convey meaning • Internet Connection and access to You Tube
• The poetry slam toolkit has useful tips for
preparing a poetry performance:
literacytrust.org.uk/resources/write-poetry-
slam
26Starter:
Display a line from one of the model poems or a poem that is well-liked by the class and ask pupils
to re-write and edit it to change its effect.
You can use slide 2 which has been left blank for this.
For example:
• Create a sense of fun
• Create an impression of loss
• Create a sense of awe
• Create an impression of fear
Use slide 1 to display this example:
Original:
“My heart aches, and a drowsy numbness pains
My sense, as though of hemlock* I had drunk…”
*poisonous plant
New:
“My heart giggles, and excitable butterflies tickle
My sense, as though of cherry soda I had drunk…”
Share some of these. What words did they edit?
Discussion activity:
Ask pupils to write out a line from their draft poem on a sentence strip. Collect these up then hand them
out randomly amongst the class. Have pupils conduct a close analysis of the quote they have been given.
Alternatively, use a quote from a model poem you have been using in class.
Flag that it is important not to be critical, but instead explore the language and structural choices
and their effect.
Provide the following questions as prompts for discussion:
• What do you think the line is about?
• Are there any noticeable words?
• How does the line look on the page?
• How does the line sound when you read it aloud?
• What images does the poet create? How?
• Talk about any poetic techniques used.
• What do you think the mood of the line is?
• Who is speaking? To whom?
• Why do you think the poet has written the poem?
• What does the line make you think or feel? Why?
• What do you expect the lines before and after to be about?
• Edit the nouns and verbs to change the effect of the line.
YOUNG CITY POETS TEACHERS HANDBOOK 27Ask some pupils to feed back about their allocated quote. Pupils should be able to recognise the importance of
the choices they make in their poems.
Editing activity:
Pupils should edit their poems. Encourage them to pay close attention to their language choices and
structure and the effect they want to have on the reader.
The ‘Ooooh’ game:
Ask students to choose one of the following scenarios to communicate to their partner. They must not tell their
partner which one they have chosen, and they can only say ‘Oooooh’.
1. Your worst enemy has just walked in
2. You are sorry about something
3. You are in love with your partner
4. You urgently need help
5. You’ve overheard something you shouldn’t have
Ask some partners to share their examples and as a class guess which one they are trying to communicate.
Discuss how they achieved this. How can they replicate this in their poetry performance?
You could ask students to repeat the task to communicate a line or message from their own poems.
Discussion activity:
Teachers should model a ‘bad’ reading of a poem and ask students to evaluate this performance.
Now share a video of a good poetry performance. You may want to use one of the following examples. Links are
provides on slides 3 and 4.
• Chocolate Cake – Michael Rosen
• Last Poet Standing – Joelle Taylor
• Rong Radio Station – Benjamin Zephaniah
• Comet (from Moon Juice) – Kate Wakeling (show pupils the printed version with its instructions too).
Ask pupils to compare this performance with the earlier example. As a class, write a list of ‘top tips’ for
performing poetry. You could demonstrate how to mark up a poem for performance using your own poem.
Performing activity:
Students should mark up and rehearse their performance of their own poem in pairs. Each partner should
provide constructive feedback.
It may be useful to remind them of the ‘top tips’ and more good performance techniques. See ‘Performance
Toolkit’ in this Handbook.
Extension:
Ask pupils to use a range of techniques to help them learn their poems by heart, such as working in pairs to
read and recall, or by attaching a gesture or specific performance technique to each line.
Think of a song or piece of music that might accompany your performance (you could even create your own).
28Suggested model poems
Some of the poems suggested as models for this unit of work appear in Give the Ball to the Poet. Copies of this
book have been provided as part of the project.
The Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE) developed a learning sequence based on this anthology for
Year 7 and Year 8 pupils, which is freely downloadable here:
clpe.org.uk/system/files/2021-06/Give%20the%20Ball%20to%20the%20Poet%20Poetryline%20TS.pdf
The Centre for Literacy in Primary Education describes the anthology as follows:
A celebration of Caribbean culture and environment is threaded throughout this vibrant anthology alongside
the anger and sorrow begotten of the interdependent history of migration, slavery and exploitation between the
Caribbean and Britain. This collection was shortlisted for the 2015 CLPE Poetry Award. This wonderful collection does
not shy away from addressing provocative issues or language. It will be important for teachers to read the whole
anthology before introducing it to children in order to decide how best to introduce the more controversial poems.
For ease of reference, the sport-themed titles in the anthology are listed below but you can find many
compelling model poems on further Commonwealth-related topics in this collection:
To an Interviewer (for Usain Bolt), Mervyn Morris
Quick Ball Man, James Berry
Sir Garfield, John Agard
To Learie, Eric Roach
JoJo Johnson (Chant for a Cricket Hero), Linda M. Deane
Song for Lara, Jean Binta Breeze
Give the Ball to the Poet (for Angus Calder), John Agard
How’s Dat, Benjamin Zephaniah
Keeping Wicket, Valerie Bloom
The Crown Prince of Pelters (for Keshorn Walcott), Christian Campbell
Patrick, Anthony Joseph
Good Sport, Valerie Bloom
YOUNG CITY POETS TEACHERS HANDBOOK 29Teaching the whole Commonwealth story The origins of the Commonwealth are complex and, as educators, we have a responsibility to share the whole story with our pupils. We know this can lead to challenging conversations in the classroom so we have put together a directory of resources in this handbook to support you. For further reading on this topic we recommend the Lit in Colour report by Penguin Random House and the Runnymede Trust. Teaching British Histories of Race, Migration and Empire Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 Resources Highlights: Teaching Migration, Belonging, and Empire in Secondary Schools A report by TIDE and the Runnymede Trust exploring why teaching migration, belonging, and empire matters; what is currently available and what is missing on the curriculum; the barriers faced by teachers in grappling with sensitive topics and recommendations for change. tideproject.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/TIDE-Runnymede-Teaching-Migration_Report_July-2019.pdf Global Dimension: the World in your Classroom Teaching resources to bring global connection, conversation, and compassion to your classroom: globaldimension.org.uk The Campaign! Make an Impact model follows a simple three step plan. The process engages young people with inspiring campaigns from the past, provides examples of campaign strategies and supports active involvement in planning and delivering their own campaign: tes.com/teaching-resource/campaign-make-an- impact-12275653 Equalityteach links and downloads to resources and guidance to support with tackling racism and educating young people on race and racism: equaliteach.co.uk/education/classroom-resources/reject-racism Lit in Colour teaching resources—Penguin As part of our commitment to support teachers and school librarians to celebrate and teach more books by writers of colour, we’ll be releasing a range of free resources over time, for all age groups. These resources will be aimed both at the English literature and language curriculum, and also to support reading for pleasure and extracurricular activity. https://www.penguin.co.uk/campaigns/lit-in-colour/teaching-resources.html The Black Curriculum is a social enterprise founded in 2019 by young people to address the lack of Black British history in the UK Curriculum for all 8-16 year olds. Free education resources for Key Stages 2-3 are available on request: theblackcurriculum.com/downloads 30
Institute of Historical Research and the Runnymede Trust
This collection of links to resources for teachers on British histories of race, migration and empire is
a collaboration between the Institute of Historical Research (School of advanced Study University of
London) and the Runnymede Trust as part of an effort to increase the presence of Black history, histories of
colonialism and of migration in the UK history curricula.
history.ac.uk/library/collections/teaching-british-histories-race-migration-and-empire#key-stage-2-7-11-
year-olds
Windrush Foundation. Lesson Plans for Studying the Empire Windrush and Caribbean migration
by the Windrush Foundation: windrushfoundation.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/
WindrushFoundationEduPack2018_R10R4.pdf
Our Migration Story, The Making of Britain
This website presents the often untold stories of the generations of migrants who came to and shaped the
British Isles. While it is primarily designed to support teachers and students studying migration to Britain, its
aim is to be a useful resource for anyone interested in Britain’s migration history.
ourmigrationstory.org.uk
Making Histories is a collection of family histories and migration stories documented by young people:
makinghistories.org.uk
South Asian Heritage Month School Resourcessouthasianheritage.org.uk
Primary: telford.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/18312/south_asian_heritage_month_primary_resource_
pack.pdf
Secondary: telford.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/18313/south_asian_heritage_month_secondary_
resource_pack.pdf
Partition Education Group partitioneducationgroup.wordpress.com/resources
‘Never set eyes on the land’ is an arts project by Nutkhut exploring the partition of India through a public
engagement programme across London in 2018. This is a toolkit designed for KS2 and KS3 teachers
to accompany British Values, English, History and Drama-based activities: nutkhut.co.uk/wp-content/
uploads/2018/02/AC01_NH_NSEOTL_learningToolkit-_WEB.pdf
Child of the Divide – A resource pack for teachers, students and researchers based on the award-winning
‘Child of the Divide’ play by Bhuchar Boulevard, in association with Big Imaginations, Partition History
Project and Polka Theatre. It focuses primarily on creative, practical drama activities and literacy exercises
that support the development of language and communication: partitioneducationgroup.files.wordpress.
com/2020/06/bc932-childofthedivideeducationpack_uktour2017.pdf
YOUNG CITY POETS TEACHERS HANDBOOK 31The Bangla Stories teaching resource pack has been designed for teachers, youth workers and any other professionals interested in young people growing up in Britain. The lesson plans are for KS3 students (11-14 years), though they can be used with older students: banglastories.org/for-teachers.html Colourful Heritage is an organisation dedicated to capturing, celebrating and inspiring others in the history of the immense contribution of South Asian migrants and Muslims to Scotland over the past century. Explore the key features of this unique story in this resource pack, consisting of 5 units specially designed for Primary 6 and 7. Richly illustrated and complete with case studies, suggested lesson plans, discussion points and options for further reading, they each provide a self-contained learning unit, and a fantastic opportunity to teach children about a lesser-studied element of Scottish culture: colourfulheritage.com/projects/ schools/#pack Fighting SUS’s learning resources on the ‘Sus’ law (section 4 of the Vagrancy Act of 1824) and how it was used to persecute Black and Asian in the 1970s and 80s. fightingsus.on-the-record.org.uk/learn Hackney Museum and Hackney Archives (Hackney Heritage) work closely with local teachers to develop learning resources exploring local history and migration. In some cases, the activities are primarily targeted at KS2 pupils, but the resources can be adapted for other learners in a range of formal and informal settings: hackney-museum.hackney.gov.uk/resources-for-teachers African Kingdoms.co.uk is a one-stop website with a suite of resources for teachers planning to teach West African history. It is aimed at British teachers from Key Stage 2 through to Key Stage 5, but many of the materials will also be of use to teachers from other countries teaching these topics even according to different syllabi: africankingdoms.co.uk blackhistory4schools is the leading website in the UK dedicated to the promotion of Black and Asian British history in schools. Since its inception in 2006 more than 120,000 people have used the website. The resources are freely available and cover topics ranging from the Romans to the Windrush. The blackhistoryblog features regular insights into the teaching of multicultural history, endorsements and recommendations: blackhistory4schools.com At Facing History and Ourselves, we believe the bigotry and hate that we witness today are the legacy of brutal injustices of the past. Facing our collective history and how it informs our attitudes and behaviors allows us to choose a world of equity and justice. Facing History’s resources address racism, antisemitism, and prejudice at pivotal moments in history; we help students connect choices made in the past to those they will confront in their own lives: facinghistory.org/resource-library Supporting those teaching and learning about Transatlantic Slavery: understandingslavery.com A critical history of the British Empire: tes.com/teaching-resource/a-critical-history-of-the-british- empire-11405086 32
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