A Passage to Africa - EDEXCEL iGCSE English Language

Lesson Summary: A Passage to Africa

This lesson delves into George Alagiah’s extract from A Passage to Africa, exploring the impact of war and famine in Somalia. Students engage in analysing how Alagiah uses language to depict suffering, as well as the ethical and emotional dilemmas journalists face when reporting on such crises. Through a blend of group discussions, guided readings, and writing tasks, students will develop a deeper understanding of the passage and Alagiah’s message.

Lesson Objectives:

• Understand the context and purpose of Alagiah’s narrative as a journalist’s account.
• Analyse how language techniques (e.g., metaphors, sensory imagery) are used to convey suffering.
• Discuss and reflect on the ethical challenges of journalism in conflict zones.

Activities:

• Group discussions on media representation of humanitarian crises and the role of journalists.
• Guided reading with a focus on identifying key language devices and their effects.
• Analytical writing tasks using structured approaches like PEE (Point, Evidence, Explanation) or PETAL (Point, Evidence, Technique, Analysis, Link) to respond to a question about Alagiah’s use of language.

Skills Developed:

• Critical analysis of non-fiction texts and understanding the ethical dimensions of journalism.
• Empathy and cultural awareness through exploration of real-world humanitarian issues.
• Structured analytical writing, focusing on language effects and textual evidence.