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English Literature KS3 / GCSE: 'Checking Out Me History' by John Agard (analysis)

Poet John Agard describes the process of writing his poem 'Checking Out Me History'.

He explores where the ideas behind the poem came from.

His commentary is illustrated with school scenes and his own performance of extracts from the poem.

This is from the 鶹Լ series, Poets in Person.

Teacher Notes

You could ask your students to consider how Agard 'carves out his identity'.

Which poetic techniques does he use? Ask your students to illustrate as many different techniques as possible, on a large sheet of plain paper, using quotes to support each technique identified.

Students could be given a list of poetry techniques used by Agard to stimulate their analysis (for example, rhyme, repetition, metaphor, Creole, lyricism).

Which technique do students consider to be most effective in conveying Agard's messages?

Curriculum Notes

This short film 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