Barry Kavanagh (Tohoku University)
Banksy’s artwork continues to draw worldwide attention for its bold imagery, ironic humour, and socially charged themes. His pieces often comment on war, inequality, technology, surveillance, and the contradictions of modern life. Because these themes are both global and contemporary, they resonate strongly with university students and offer valuable opportunities for meaningful classroom discussion. Building on my previous January 2024 post that introduced Banksy as a topic for cultural discussion, I have recently designed a more focused set of lessons on two key academic language skills: making inferences and understanding connotative meaning. These are central to developing students’ analytical abilities and preparing them for more advanced reading and writing tasks in English.
The lesson begins with students analysing four well-known Banksy works: Girl with a Balloon, Love Is in the Air, What Are You Looking At?, and Mobile Phone Lovers. Students first share their immediate reactions, whether they find the artworks inspiring, confusing, unsettling, or beautiful. Many students have seen these images online, yet few have attempted to explain the messages behind them. By encouraging students to consider what Banksy might be trying to express, the activity naturally leads them into inference-making. They examine visual clues, think about current social issues, and connect what they see with their prior knowledge. For example, Mobile Phone Lovers often sparks conversation about the role of technology in relationships, while Love Is in the Air triggers discussions about violence, protest, and the symbolism of replacing a weapon with flowers. Students are encouraged to support their interpretations with evidence from the images, which helps them move beyond simple description toward more thoughtful inferences. After this visual analysis, the lesson shifts to language. At this point, I introduce students to the idea that words carry different layers of meaning.
Words have denotative and connotative meanings. The denotative meaning is the direct, literal definition, the basic sense found in a dictionary. Connotative meaning, on the other hand, includes the feelings, associations, and emotional or cultural implications that people attach to a word. These connotations shape how language is interpreted and influence the tone of writing or speech. Understanding this distinction is crucial for students as they begin to evaluate and express opinions in English.
Students then work with a list of adjectives grouped into positive, neutral, and negative connotations. They use words like inspiring, intriguing, contemporary, chaotic, repulsive, and dull to describe the four artworks and explain their choices. This activity not only expands their vocabulary but also deepens their ability to recognise how subtle shifts in wording can change the impact of an opinion. Banksy’s artwork is particularly well suited to this task because it evokes such diverse reactions—some students find it deeply meaningful, while others find it confusing or even childish. These contrasting interpretations make connotation work engaging and authentic.
The next stage of the lesson involves reading two short passages presenting opposing viewpoints about Banksy. One passage praises his work for being expressive, socially relevant, and thought-provoking; the other criticises it as superficial, gimmicky, or overly sensational. Students answer comprehension questions designed to help them identify how each writer uses connotative vocabulary to influence the reader’s perception. Analysing these passages highlights the subtle ways language communicates attitude and bias.
Finally, students reflect on which passage they agree with and explain why. They must apply both inference-making and connotative vocabulary as they discuss their own judgments of Banksy’s work. This final step encourages students to articulate their viewpoints clearly and confidently, aligning with MEXT’s emphasis on developing internationally minded graduates who can think critically and express themselves effectively in English.
Overall, Banksy’s visually striking and socially relevant artwork provides a rich, motivating context for developing key academic language skills. With carefully structured scaffolding, students can engage deeply with both language and contemporary issues, ultimately enhancing their analytical, expressive, and communicative abilities.