D O N O T G O G E N T L E I N T O T H A T G O O D N I G H T

B B C D Y L A N T H O M A S R E S O U R C E S

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For full details visit bbc.co.uk/dylanthomas

The table on the next page lists a few highlights,

and suggestions of how to use them.

T homas’ poetry is often studied across both Key Stage 3 and 4. In

Key Stage 3, most schools tend to focus on more character-driven poems like Hunchback in the Park. In fact, the focus here seems to be on Thomas’ A Child’s Christmas in Wales. As part of the Cwricwlwm Cymreig within Key Stage 3, some schools will look at key biographical details about Dylan Thomas.

At Key Stage 4, the WJEC use an anthology of poems which all students of GCSE English Literature must study. Within this anthology, typically students will analyse 15 poems, though these will be from a prescribed ‘thematic’ list issued by the examining board and changed on an annual basis. The Dylan

Thomas poems included in the anthology are:

The Hunchback in the Park

Refusal to mourn the death by fire of a child in London

Do not go gentle into that good night

I Have Longed to Move Away

These poems would be studied in conjunction with a Shakespeare play and focus on a particular theme. Students would closely study the poems, but would not necessarily need to have looked at Dylan Thomas in context, or the background to the poem.

At A level, Dylan Thomas’ Selected Poems are no longer a set text, and have not been included in the new draft WJEC specification for 2015

onwards. However, schools can choose to study Thomas’ poetry as part of their current LT3 coursework assignment, which is an extended essay comparing one work of prose alongside poetry and one other text (of the candidates’ choosing).

The Dylan Thomas season of TV and radio programmes in the spring of 2014 has left a legacy of video and audio clips online. Described by Christopher Shaw, Head of English at Ysgol Gyfun Bryn Tawe, as a “treasury of resources”, the rich variety of clips to be found on bbc.co.uk/dylanthomas can be used to support teaching and learning, and inspire a new generation of students.

B B C D Y L A N T H O M A S

R E S O U R C E S

Dylan Thomas in the English

curriculum (in Wales)

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W E B S I T E / R E S O U R C E

Why is Dylan Thomas so popular in America?

Do you have to listen to Dylan Thomas?

Could you be a poet?

How did Dylan Thomas help Britain’s Wartime propaganda?

U S E F U L N E S S / R E L E V A N C E

A BBC iWonder guide presented by Matthew Rhys, looking at Dylan Thomas’ popularity in America.

Extremely useful contextual understanding of Thomas as a poet. This would be particularly useful to A level students who have chosen to study Thomas’ poetry, as it highlights the contextual influences. The transcriptions provided with the clip (Jimmy Carter et al) would be useful for study at GCSE when introducing Thomas’ poetry to highlight his success as a poet.

A BBC iWonder guide presented by Gillian Clarke. Sections 1, 2 and 3 would clearly be valuable for the study of Under Milk Wood as they offer a discussion of its dramatic appeal. Sections 4 and 5 might be used with a very able GCSE group or at A level in a discussion of what makes effective poetry.

A BBC iWonder guide presented by Benjamin Zephaniah, encouraging us all to find our inner poetic voices and write creatively.

Sections 1 and 2 here are excellent as a stimulus for creative writing and could easily be used with Key Stage 3, GCSE or A level group. Sections 3 and 4 are particularly useful as starter activities in a class to inspire pupils to produce their own examples of poetry. This section is particularly practical and would be useful if included in sections on creative writing.

A BBC iWonder guide presented by poet and broadcaster Ifor ap Glyn.

Sections 1, 2, 3 and 6 are very useful in providing background to Refusal to Mourn which is a key poem for study at GCSE, as candidates can explore the theme of loss. Overall, the section might prove more useful for A level students who have chosen to study Thomas’ poetry and are looking for contextual influences, or alternatively perhaps for History students when researching the impact of World War II in Wales.

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U S E F U L N E S S / R E L E V A N C E

A BBC iWonder guide presented by poet and broadcaster Owen Sheers. Section 1 provides useful background for the study of the play, though it is no longer part of the GCSE English curriculum.

Sections 2 and 3 are excellent as an introduction to poetry analysis and discussion of poetic techniques. The transcript is particularly helpful for this purpose and would be ideal for GCSE students. Section 4 would be an excellent ‘extension’ for GCSE students as it is more demanding in terms of its subject knowledge. The interactivity of section 5 is an effective recap of the information previously presented.

A BBC iWonder guide presented by actor Richard Harrington. This section is useful for A level students who need some contextual understanding of Dylan Thomas

This is an excellent resource, particularly the illustrations to accompany Thomas’ poems. Such visual stimuli could be used with all Key Stages to stimulate discussion or as pre-reading activities. Andrew Davies’ commentary on the challenges of A Poet in New York would be very worthwhile for a GCSE or A level class studying Thomas’ poetry. In addition to this, Zephaniah’s discussion of the Poet on the Estate project could be used with a Key Stage 3 or GCSE class being introduced to Thomas’ poetry or as an introduction to the study of poetry.

The clip would be ideal for A level students with an interest in studying Thomas’ poetry and sections linked to key poems on the GCSE syllabus could also be adapted for study at Key Stage 4.

The clips about Under Milk Wood and Dylan Thomas: My First Encounter, would be useful at GCSE, even as an introduction to the play, or the work of Thomas. This microsite would be an excellent resource for any group studying the play. The illustrations by Peter Blake could be used in conjunction with studying the play.

W E B S I T E / R E S O U R C E

Under Milk Wood: How did Dylan make us ‘love the words’?

Was Dylan Thomas a grafter or a drunk?

Dylan Thomas Season brochure

Dylan Thomas: A Poet’s Guide (Owen Sheers)

Under Milk Wood

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W E B S I T E / R E S O U R C E

A Poet in New York

A Poet on the Estate

U S E F U L N E S S / R E L E V A N C E

The link to the interview with Andrew Marr is particularly useful for GCSE or A level students wanting some key contextual information on Dylan Thomas. The film can be used as a stimulus for studying the man behind the poetry for a GCSE class, and as an insight into contextual influences for an A level class.

The additional ‘behind the scenes’ short films also provide an insight into the man behind the myth using interviews with Griff Rhys Jones (Executive Producer), Andrew Davies (writer), Aisling Walsh (director), and Hannah Ellis (DylanThomas’ granddaughter). Clips from the film itself add impact to the interviews.

For the TV series, Benjamin Zephaniah challenged a Swansea community to rewrite scenes from Under Milk Wood based on their own lives.

The clip from Episode 1 would be useful at Key Stage 3 level as an introduction to the poetry of Dylan Thomas and to show how poetry is relevant. Zephaniah’s reading of Do Not Go Gentle would be very useful as this interpretation could stimulate discussion on the poem (which is part of the GCSE English Literature curriculum). The clip on the plasterer would be particularly useful in challenging GCSE pupils’ preconceptions of poetry.

All of the clips from Episode 3 would be excellent stimuli for a Key Stage 3 or GCSE class new to Dylan Thomas or just new to poetry.

The BBC iWonder guide presented by Zephaniah can be used to inspire creative writing. His approach is warm and engaging and could even inspire hard to reach students.

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W E B S I T E / R E S O U R C E

Dylan Thomas: from the archive

Dylan Thomas: Season Exclusives

Dylan Thomas: about the man

Radio 3 Dylan Thomas Collection

Interview with Jimmy Carter

U S E F U L N E S S / R E L E V A N C E

There is a wealth of resources here worth exploring, all from the BBC archive. As teachers, it is always great to see or hear a performance of literature, as candidates are always looking at different interpretations of texts. Therefore, Anthony Hopkins and John Cale’s interpretations of Do Not Go Gentle are particularly useful.

Thomas’ reading of Hunchback in the Park is also excellent, as sometimes students can benefit from hearing the poem, prior to actually reading and analysing. The newsreel Funeral of a Poet is particularly useful when exploring the theme of loss.

A collection of exclusive short films and interviews based on reactions to Dylan Thomas’ work and influence.

The clip ‘What would Dylan Thomas be writing about today?’ is useful for Key Stage 3 and 4 students in terms of discussing the subject matter of poetry. The animations are an excellent way of introducing poetry and could be used with classes from Key Stage 3 to A level.

An informative written biography which provides a useful contextual background suitable for GCSE and A level students.

Scroll down to find the Radio 3 collection on this page.This site is particularly fruitful for A level, even undergraduates studying the poetry of Dylan Thomas.

The former US President is filmed being interviewed for Radio Wales, and he reveals why he thinks Dylan Thomas is the greatest poet of the 20th century. An excellent resource, again perhaps best targeted at A level students.