Lesson 1

1. Look at the following images and consider what they all have in common…
2. In your book, write three words you associate with these images.
CHALLENGE: Explain how each of the images could link to the theme of ‘identity’
LOOK AT THE FOLLOWING PHRASES…
WHICH ONES HAVE YOU SEEN BEFORE?
IN WHAT CONTEXT HAVE THEY BEEN USED?
Can any of them be considered as offensive? Why might that be?

Mixed race
Dual heritage

Mixed heritage

Half- caste
Multi-cultural
 ‘Half Caste’
John Agard
Lesson objectives:
• To consider how cultural identity has an impact on poetry.
• To begin to understand the language used in the poem.
 John Agard: Context
How do you think his identity may have
affected his writing?

• Born in Guyana in the West Indies in 1949.

• Moved to England in 1997.

• He is of mixed race – his mother is Portuguese but born in Guyana and

his father is black.

• Worked as a touring lecturer promoting Caribbean culture in British

Researc
Schools. ‘dub po h what
e tr
apply t y’ is and
• Tours the country performing his poetry. his
underst to your
anding
this poe of
• Lives with partner and fellow Guyanese poet Grace Nichols in South m.
East England.
John Agard - Half Caste (video recording)
an mix a black key
Excuse me wid a white key
standing on one leg is a half-caste symphony?
I’m half-caste.
Explain yuself
Explain yuself wha yu mean
wha yu mean Ah listening to yu wid de keen
when yu say half-caste half of mih ear
yu mean when Picasso Ah looking at yu wid de keen
mix red an green half of mih eye
is a half-caste canvas? an when I’m introduced to yu
explain yuself I’m sure you’ll understand
wha yu mean why I offer yu half-a-hand
when yu say half-caste an when I sleep at night
yu mean when light an shadow I close half-a-eye
mix in de sky consequently when I dream
is a half-caste weather? I dream half-a-dream
well in dat case an when moon begin to glow
england weather I half-caste human being
nearly always half-caste cast half-a-shadow
in fact some o dem cloud but yu must come back tomorrow
half-caste till dem overcast wid de whole of yu eye
so spiteful dem don’t want de sun pass an de whole of yu ear
ah rass? an de whole of yu mind.
explain yuself
wha yu mean an I will tell yu
when yu say half-caste de other half
yu mean tchaikovsky of my story.
sit down at dah piano
Answer these questions in your book.

1. What do you think the poem is about? Which words /

phrases / techniques give you clues?

2. How does the poet’s use of voice contribute to your

understanding of the poem?

3. Select four quotations which you think show the theme of

‘identity’ and explain why.

4. An important message in this poem is social prejudice. This

poem is set in the 1970s and 80s when Agard was a school
boy – do you think people of mixed heritage still face similar
problems to those described by Agard in their lives today?
Make a copy of the poem on to your own doc and then
watch this clip of John Agard reading the poem

1. What do you think the poem is about? Which words /

phrases / techniques give you clues?

2. How does the poet’s use of voice contribute to your

understanding of the poem?

3. Select four quotations which you think show the theme of

‘identity’ and explain why.

4. An important message in this poem is social prejudice.

This poem is set in the 1970s and 80s when Agard was a
school boy – do you think people of mixed heritage still
face similar problems to those described by Agard in their
lives today?
John Agard - Half Caste
an mix a black key
Excuse me
wid a white key
standing on one leg
is a half-caste symphony?
I’m half-caste.
Explain yuself
Explain yuself
wha yu mean
wha yu mean
Ah listening to yu wid de keen
when yu say half-caste
half of mih ear
yu mean when Picasso
Ah looking at yu wid de keen
mix red an green
half of mih eye
is a half-caste canvas?
an when I’m introduced to yu
explain yuself
I’m sure you’ll understand
wha yu mean
why I offer yu half-a-hand
when yu say half-caste
an when I sleep at night
yu mean when light an shadow
I close half-a-eye
mix in de sky
consequently when I dream
is a half-caste weather?
I dream half-a-dream
well in dat case
an when moon begin to glow
england weather
I half-caste human being
nearly always half-caste
cast half-a-shadow
in fact some o dem cloud
but yu must come back tomorrow
half-caste till dem overcast
wid de whole of yu eye
so spiteful dem don’t want de sun pass
an de whole of yu ear
ah rass?
an de whole of yu mind.
explain yuself
wha yu mean
an I will tell yu
when yu say half-caste
de other half
yu mean tchaikovsky
of my story.
sit down at dah piano
 Look back at the images from the start of the lesson:
1. Underline the quotations in the poem which link to each of the following images.
2. Then, select two quotations and explain the message Agard was trying to convey by
highlighting the contrast in each quote – add annotations to your poem.
Lesson 2
Exploring Identity in ‘Half Caste’
Challenge 1: Highlight 3 examples Challenge 3:
of Non Standard English in the
poem. Can you explain what they
mean? Why do you think that Agard uses
dialect in his poem? Rank the
statements below. 1= most likely reason
Challenge 2: Complete challenge 1 4= least likely reason. Find one piece of
then, annotate these examples with evidence to justify your choices
the EFFECT that this dialect
creates.

A. To get across the fact that he is half West-Indian and that is

able to fit in with both societies (as he also uses Standard
English)
B. To make him sound more angry.
C. To intimidate the person he is speaking to.
D. To show that there is more to him than his appearance
alone.
John Agard - Half Caste
an mix a black key
Excuse me wid a white key
standing on one leg is a half-caste symphony?
I’m half-caste.
Explain yuself
Explain yuself wha yu mean
wha yu mean Ah listening to yu wid de keen
when yu say half-caste half of mih ear
yu mean when Picasso Ah looking at yu wid de keen
mix red an green half of mih eye
is a half-caste canvas? an when I’m introduced to yu
explain yuself I’m sure you’ll understand
wha yu mean why I offer yu half-a-hand
when yu say half-caste an when I sleep at night
yu mean when light an shadow I close half-a-eye
mix in de sky consequently when I dream
is a half-caste weather? I dream half-a-dream
well in dat case an when moon begin to glow
england weather I half-caste human being
nearly always half-caste cast half-a-shadow
in fact some o dem cloud but yu must come back tomorrow
half-caste till dem overcast wid de whole of yu eye
so spiteful dem don’t want de sun pass an de whole of yu ear
ah rass? an de whole of yu mind.
explain yuself
wha yu mean an I will tell yu
when yu say half-caste de other half
yu mean tchaikovsky of my story.
sit down at dah piano
Understanding the language

Standard English: formal, official, 'book-English.'

Dialect: Dialect refers to choices of vocabulary, grammar and

pronunciation made by people in different geographical regions
or social contexts.

Key information:
John Agard wrote his poem in a Caribbean dialect -'yu'
instead of 'you', for example, or 'dem' for 'them'.

• What is the poet trying to say through his use of dialect in the
poem?

• How are people judged on their dialect and accents? Put your
ideas in the chat!
CARIBBEAN DIALECT
Explain yuself
Wha yu mean
When yu say half-caste
Yu mean when picasso
Mix red an green
Is a half-caste canvas…
Ah listening to yu wid de keen
Half of mih ear

1. Can you say the lines in Standard English?

2. What effect does changing the Caribbean
dialect to Standard English have?
John Agard - Half Caste
an mix a black key
Excuse me wid a white key
standing on one leg is a half-caste symphony?
I’m half-caste.
Explain yuself
Explain yuself wha yu mean
wha yu mean Ah listening to yu wid de keen
when yu say half-caste half of mih ear In what other ways does
yu mean when Picasso Ah looking at yu wid de keen Agard use language to present
mix red an green half of mih eye the theme of identity?
is a half-caste canvas? an when I’m introduced to yu
explain yuself I’m sure you’ll understand
wha yu mean why I offer yu half-a-hand Does he use any traditional
when yu say half-caste an when I sleep at night poetic devices that we have
yu mean when light an shadow I close half-a-eye seen before?
mix in de sky consequently when I dream
is a half-caste weather? I dream half-a-dream
an when moon begin to glow
Find examples on your own
well in dat case
england weather I half-caste human being copy of the poem
nearly always half-caste cast half-a-shadow
in fact some o dem cloud but yu must come back tomorrow
half-caste till dem overcast wid de whole of yu eye
so spiteful dem don’t want de sun pass an de whole of yu ear
ah rass? an de whole of yu mind.
explain yuself
wha yu mean an I will tell yu
when yu say half-caste de other half
yu mean tchaikovsky of my story.
sit down at dah piano
Finally: What do you think is the main
message of this poem?
Add your ideas to our Padlet

Be prepared to justify your answer!

Lesson 3
Exploring Identity in ‘Half Caste’
Challenge 1:
Choose one of the poetic devices that we
identified last lesson and explain what it
makes you THINK, FEEL or IMAGINE
when you read it.

Challenge 2:
Draw an image to signify the message
that Agard is trying to convey through
his poem.

Challenge 3:
Explain what message you think Agard
is trying to convey to his readers by the
way he has laid out his poem on the
page.
John Agard - Half Caste
an mix a black key
Excuse me
wid a white key
standing on one leg
is a half-caste symphony?
I’m half-caste.
Explain yuself
Explain yuself
wha yu mean
wha yu mean
Ah listening to yu wid de keen
when yu say half-caste
half of mih ear
yu mean when Picasso
Ah looking at yu wid de keen
mix red an green
half of mih eye
is a half-caste canvas?
an when I’m introduced to yu
explain yuself
I’m sure you’ll understand
wha yu mean
why I offer yu half-a-hand
when yu say half-caste
an when I sleep at night
yu mean when light an shadow
I close half-a-eye
mix in de sky
consequently when I dream
is a half-caste weather?
I dream half-a-dream
well in dat case
an when moon begin to glow
england weather
I half-caste human being
nearly always half-caste
cast half-a-shadow
in fact some o dem cloud
but yu must come back tomorrow
half-caste till dem overcast
wid de whole of yu eye
so spiteful dem don’t want de sun pass
an de whole of yu ear
ah rass?
an de whole of yu mind.
explain yuself
wha yu mean
an I will tell yu
when yu say half-caste
de other half
yu mean tchaikovsky
of my story.
sit down at dah piano
How does Agard use language to present the theme
of identity in ‘Half Caste’?

What? How? Why?

“Explain yuself
wha yu mean
when yu say half-caste”

“yu mean tchaikovsky

sit down at dah piano
an mix a black key
wid a white key
is a half-caste symphony?”

“I will tell yu
de other half
of my story.”
On a post-it...

• Write down one thing you learnt this lesson and one thing you
would like to learn more about!