Language and Tone

Overview

In this lesson (Lesson 6 of 10), students explore how Anthony Browne’s The Arrival uses language choices to create tone and evoke emotion. They practise analysing short excerpts, then use sentence-level evidence to explain what the writer wants the reader to feel.

Learning intentions

• WALT examine the language and tone used in The Arrival (Part 1).
• Students will discuss how word choices and phrasing evoke emotion for the reader.
• Students will identify how tone changes mood within a short section of text.
• Students will use accurate vocabulary (e.g. synonyms/antonyms, formal vocabulary where appropriate) to justify their opinions.

Success criteria

• I can point to specific words or phrases in an excerpt and describe the tone they create.
• I can explain how the language evokes an emotion (e.g. fear, worry, hope) using evidence.
• I can compare two excerpts and say how the tone changes using cohesive links.
• I can rewrite or adapt a sentence to create a different tone, keeping meaning clear.

Curriculum links

• Vocabulary, grammar and punctuation: differences between vocabulary typical of informal speech and vocabulary appropriate for formal writing (e.g. find out → discover).
• Linking ideas across paragraphs using cohesive devices: repetition, grammatical connections, and ellipsis (e.g. “In contrast…”, “As a result…”).
• How words are related by meaning as synonyms and antonyms (e.g. show vs reveal; safe vs unsafe).
• Layout devices: using headings and structured notes (e.g. “Evidence / Tone / Emotion / Reason”).

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Starter: Mood word sort. Teacher displays 6–8 emotion words (e.g. worried, hopeful, tense, calm) and asks students to choose two that fit the opening mood of The Arrival. Students justify their picks with one phrase from their memory or from a displayed excerpt.

2. 5–15 min · Model reading and teacher think-aloud. Teacher reads a short selected Part 1 excerpt aloud (one paragraph or 6–8 lines), stopping to model tone talk: “The wording feels… because…” and identifying key phrases. Students highlight one evidence phrase and complete a class example: Evidence → Tone → Emotion → Explanation.

3. 15–30 min · Excerpt analysis in pairs (scaffolded). Teacher gives each pair two short excerpts from Part 1: one with a more tense/worrying tone and one with a calmer/reflective tone, plus an analysis frame with sentence stems and a word bank of formal vocabulary and cohesive links. Students annotate and decide: What is the tone? What emotion does it evoke? What language choice causes it?

4. 30–40 min · Whole-class evidence sharing (cohesion focus). Teacher calls on groups to share one piece of evidence each, adding a “linking device” requirement to responses (e.g. “In contrast…”, “As a consequence…” or repeating a key word). Students respond using the stems on the board and must include at least one cohesive link and one emotion word.

5. 40–52 min · Precision vocab: synonyms/antonyms swap. Teacher shows two sentences using plain/approximate wording from students’ answers, then demonstrates how choosing a stronger synonym changes tone (e.g. “looked” → “stared”; “safe” → “secure”). Students do a quick swap in their notes: choose one word, replace it with a synonym/antonym, and state how tone changes.

6. 52–60 min · Exit ticket: rewrite for tone. Teacher gives a single sentence from the excerpt (teacher-selected). Students rewrite it twice: once to increase fear/unease and once to suggest hope/calm. Students submit both versions and write one short justification sentence: which words changed the tone and what emotion that evokes.

Resources

• Printed excerpt cards (two short excerpts per pair, Part 1)
• Tone/emotion word bank (for display)
• Student “Evidence / Tone / Emotion / Reason” frame with sentence stems
• Synonym/antonym mini bank (e.g. ask/request, find out/discover, safe/unsafe where appropriate)
• Highlighters/annotation pens
• Sentence rewrite slips for exit ticket
• Timer and visual success criteria poster

Assessment

• Teacher observation during pair work: check for evidence-based tone statements and accurate emotion links.
• Use a quick check of annotations: students must underline a phrase and write an explanation in full sentences.
• Exit ticket review: look for (1) changed tone, (2) purposeful word choice, (3) clear justification using emotion vocabulary.

Differentiation

• Support: provide a reduced excerpt set (fewer lines) and a completed example frame; offer sentence starters such as “The language ‘…’ suggests… because…”.
• Support: highlight the “useful words” in one excerpt (e.g. adjectives/adverbs) to guide attention for students who need more structure.
• Support (EAL/SEN): allow response planning using key words first, then a sentence; provide a word bank for cohesive devices (“In contrast…”, “As a result…”).
• Challenge/extension: for students ready sooner, require a tone rewrite that maintains the original meaning while changing only tone, and add a second justification comparing two evidence points (tone A vs tone B). If ready, ask for a synonym/antonym choice that is not just “stronger” but also more precise.

Extension (optional)

• Advanced rewrite: rewrite a 4–6 sentence micro-passage from Part 1 using two different tones (e.g. anxious vs hopeful). Students must include at least two synonyms/antonyms and one ellipsis or contrast link to improve cohesion.