Teaching notes and ideas
Name of resource:
Not my business
Age group(s)
Subject(s)
12 to 14, 15 to 16
English
Topic
Language Level
Poetry from other cultures
Beginner /Intermediate / Advanced
EAL Nexus
Description of resource
A series of PowerPoint presentations based on the poem ‘Not my business’ by Niyi
Osundare, with accompanying worksheets, visuals and activities.
 PowerPoint presentations: Background and context, Understanding the
poem, Structure of the poem, Language of the poem
 8 accompanying Word documents with a range of activities
 A set of flashcards with images to illustrate key words and phrases
(provided on PowerPoint)
 A set of flashcards for matching exercises on structure, context and imagery
(provided on PowerPoint)
Preparation needed
You will need:
 interactive white board or projector to use the PowerPoints electronically
 highlighters in 3 colours for each group of learners
You will need to:
 print out the two sets of flashcards (Cards for matching and Key words and
phrases) Cards are provided on PowerPoint, so print them out as handouts, either 2 to
a page for if you prefer larger cards (recommended for visuals) or 6 to a page for small
cards. In the ‘Cards for matching’ PowerPoint the cards relating to structure are pink,
those on context are orange and the cards relating to imagery are blue.
 print out all word documents. It is recommended that the ‘Text for annotation’ is
printed on A3 for learners to work collaboratively.
Curriculum objectives
 to understand and analyse the content of the poem and annotate it
accurately
 to comment on the language used by the poet and the structure of the poem
 to reflect on the main events and themes of the poem
Language / literacy objectives
Functions
Structures
 Describing
Present simple
This project and its actions were made possible due to co-financing by the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals
© British Council 2014
EAL Nexus
The structure of the poem: E.g. The poem has four
stanzas. The structure of each stanza is similar.
The first half of each stanza…..
 Asking and
answering questions
for information
 Suggesting
 Narrating
The effect of poetic devices:
. … uses … to show/convey that …
… creates an image of …
Past simple:
 .. was a dictator in
 When was the poet born? He was born in..
 What has he protested against? He has
protested…
 Conditionals: What would you do if....?
 If I …..I would…….
Present tense:
 The narrator remembers, a man is dragged, a
woman discovers…
Vocabulary
dictatorship, punishment
prison, riots, yam, jeep, violence,
brutality
arrested, tortured, killed, protested, beat, booted, dragged
poet, playwright, critic, professor
simile, metaphor, alliteration, personification, repetition, emotive language,
powerful imagery, rule of three.
This resource could be used:
 with the whole class
 as differentiation within class for beginner or intermediate EAL learners
 one to one or with a small group
Ideas for using the resource
What to do
 PowerPoint1 - Background and context: Start with the slide with all the
images and elicit vocabulary/ideas from learners e.g. jeep, yam, beat, hungry,
dragged, violence, there are some soldiers, they look angry etc.
 Discuss what a dictator / dictatorship is, and do the activity in pairs. A version
of the matching activity is also provided as a Word document if preferred. Give
background information about Nigeria and General Sani Abacha using the
PowerPoint.
 The poet: An information gap activity is provided with biographical information
about Niyi Osundare. In pairs, one learner has sheet A, the other sheet B.
This project and its actions were made possible due to co-financing by the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals
© British Council 2014
EAL Nexus
Learners ask each other questions to fill gaps on their sheet. No looking at
each other’s sheets till they finish! Answers are provided on the PowerPoint
when everyone has had a chance to exchange information.
 PowerPoint 2 - Understanding the poem: Give learners the text of the poem
so they can annotate it as you go along. Read the poem as a whole before you
start. The PowerPoint breaks it down into small chunks with questions to
discuss in pairs at each point. Beginner EAL learners could have access to the
‘key words and phrases’ flashcards to support understanding. Check
comprehension of more difficult vocabulary. Learners note down new words.
EAL learners can look words up in their first language if they want to.
 At the end of the first stanza (slide 7) there is an opportunity for a pair or group
discussion. An example is given (slide 8) to model sentence structure for the
discussion.
 The rest of the PowerPoint goes through the remaining 3 stanzas line by line.
Learners annotate their poem. Discussion questions are provided on the slides.
Learners could discuss in pairs or groups.
 PowerPoint 3 - Structure of the poem: This PowerPoint focuses on the
structure and the similarities between the first three stanzas. There is then a
table to complete (provided separately in the Word document called ‘What
happens’) for the learners to demonstrate their understanding of what happens
in each stanza. For beginner EAL learners use the set of pink matching cards
so they can match what happens to the relevant stanza. Answers are given on
the PowerPoint.
 PowerPoint 4 - Language of the poem: This PowerPoint is intended to
introduce the activities relating to the use of language and imagery in the
poem. Working in groups, learners annotate their copies of the poem,
underlining verbs, speech and poetic devices in three different colours.
 There is a matching exercise, matching poetic devices (repetition, alliteration
etc) to their definitions. This is provided as a Word document, and answers are
given on the PowerPoint. This can be done as a pair or group collaborative
activity.
 Slide 7 focuses on violent language in the poem, and is also provided as a
Word document This can be done as a pair or group collaborative activity.
 Slide 8 introduces an activity on the impact of different quotes from the poem.
related to life in Nigeria under General Sani Abacha’s dictatorship. Encourage
learners to use the table to make full sentences e.g. The poet uses the simile ‘
beat him soft like clay’ to show/convey that people were physically beaten. This
is also provided as a Word document, and answers are given on the
PowerPoint. This can be done as a pair or group collaborative activity.
This project and its actions were made possible due to co-financing by the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals
© British Council 2014
EAL Nexus
Beginner EAL learners can use the orange flash cards to help them complete
the table.
 Slide 11 introduces an activity to focus on imagery in the poem. Encourage use
of full sentences e.g. The use of the words ‘my savouring mouth’ creates a
powerful image of the poet eating with pleasure. This is also provided as a
Word document, and answers are given on the PowerPoint. This can be done
as a pair or group collaborative activity. Beginner EAL learners can use the
blue flash cards to help them complete the table.
Other ideas for making the best use of this resource
 Consider pairing one EAL learner to two English speakers, who can provide a
good model of spoken English and also can encourage their EAL peer to take
part actively in the discussions.
 If there are EAL learners who speak the same first language they can carry out
part of the discussions in that language. It can be a relief for learners to be able
to express themselves fully and they could take notes in their first language,
which they can refer to, or translate into English, at a later stage
 Encourage the EAL learners to use bilingual dictionaries translating the
keywords into their first language
 Visuals can be used to provoke further discussions about the situations described
in the poem
Possible extension activities
 The EAL learners can use the ‘What happens?’ slide activities for writing an
account of the situations presented in the poem
 After completing all the activities, EAL learners could write a Point Evidence
Explanation (PEE) paragraph about one of the main themes of the poem, e.g.
violence, and /or one about the narrator’s attitude throughout the poem and how
his state of mind changes.
This project and its actions were made possible due to co-financing by the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals
© British Council 2014