Development Education Workshop - Bristol - Sarah Willis

Sarah Willis taught at DEEDS, Bangalore, on SAI’s summer placement scheme. On her return, she brought her recent, vivid, experience and fresh knowledge of India to the pupils of Ashley Down Primary school in Bristol. The lesson came under 6b (less economically developed locality) and 3a (describing what a place is like) of the Geography Key Stage 2 curriculum. It followed-on from a morning assembly about the Indian festival of Diwali.

The initial brainstorm showed that pupils already had some knowledge of India and how it is different to the UK. Sarah was able to expand on knowledge raised. For example; Clothing and what people wear in India – Sarah dressed a girl in a saree and one in a salwa kamez which she had brought from India. Sarah used her own photographs to illustrate the different forms of transport in India, and what it was actually like being on a 48 hour train journey!

A True or False activity was introduced in order to make the pupils think more about life in India and its simalarities and differences to life in the UK. This unveiled some misconceptions, which Sarah or other pupils were able to put right. Pupils were amazed to learn that Bollywood produces make more films than Hollywood and they enjoyed listening to the soundtrack of the Hindi movie ‘ Lagan’. Others learnt that men don’t always wear trousers in India and it surprised them all to learn that India is thirteen and a half times bigger than England!

The pictures that the pupils drew illustrated the lesson had increased their understanding of the main features of India. In addition to this, as Sarah said, “Children with close links to India enjoyed a chance to shine”.