Melissa Victoria is a former English teacher with over 15 years' experience in a variety of secondary school settings, including comprehensive and grammar schools. She provides English resources mainly for high-ability students studying for GCSE and A level (AQA).
Melissa Victoria has an MA in English from the University of Birmingham, UK.
Melissa Victoria is a former English teacher with over 15 years' experience in a variety of secondary school settings, including comprehensive and grammar schools. She provides English resources mainly for high-ability students studying for GCSE and A level (AQA).
Melissa Victoria has an MA in English from the University of Birmingham, UK.
A 30-page guide for high-ability students aiming for the new GCSE English Literature grades of 7, 8 and 9. Offered in Publisher as a fully-adaptable resource, and as a PDF.
The guide can be used as revision, or as a starting point for a teacher developing a scheme of work. It will help those new to teaching and/or the play in teaching ‘Much Ado about Nothing’ at a high level, especially with regards to conceptualisation and characters as constructs (needed for top band).
The guide offers detailed discussion on four major themes: marriage, love, deception and transformation.
It also outlines significant moments of major characterisation (Benedick, Beatrice, Hero, Claudio, Leonato, Don John and Don Pedro) in a conceptualised way, considering the significance of character development across the play as a whole, and links with significant themes.
There is also room for students to write in key quotations alongside each change in characterisation.
There are further detailed reflections on the significance of Dogberry and the Watch, Margaret and ‘Green World’ .
Finally there are several extracts from across the play with examination-style questions. Whilst the latter questions are geared towards the new AQA English Literature, the booklet is useful for any high-level study of Much Ado about Nothing.
All notes are written by me, and my studying of the play with a high-level GCSE class.
Best wishes,
Englbee x
A fully-adaptable PowerPoint of Shakespeare’s Richard II for A level English Literature B, Paper 1A Literary genres, Aspects of Tragedy, Part C
These are my notes used with a mid/high A level class. Each scene of Richard II has an individual slide covering the following:
structural points, language choices, thematic points. The first two points are significant in making sure students cover ‘the ways in which…’ Shakespeare explores themes. There is also reference to the dramatic tragedy genre as appropriate with thoughts and comments on peripeteia, anagnorisis and catharsis on some slides
At the beginning of the PowerPoint there are two additional slides: 1) contextual ideas that students should research prior to reading in order to understand kingship 2) an outline of some dramatic methods within the play to continue to explore the significance of ‘the ways in which…’ the play is constructed / crafted.
The PowerPoint might be used in the following ways: as a starting point for you as a teacher new to the play; as a starting point for pupils to read through prior to their own group reading; as a basis for initial ‘teacher-talk’ followed by class discussion (a group could take an area each to build upon - structure, language, theme); as support for independent study of a scene outside of class time; as a starting point for revision.
The PowerPoint is fully-adaptable for you to add your own ideas or insert additional slides as needed. Ideas are not definitive, but rather act as a thorough spring-board for further discussion and exploration of Shakespeare’s method and themes.
An introduction to Tragedy as a dramatic genre can be found at my shop here:
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/dramatic-tragedy-genre-an-introduction-12019491
I hope you find this useful.
Best wishes,
Englbee x
These are high-level revision sheets (PDF) of AQA Love and Relationship Poems for students aiming for levels, 6/7-9 in the new GCSE Literature Paper 2
The revision sheet is laid out in sections with minimal graphics to allow effective revision of ideas and method.
Ideas are written in a brief format rather than being too text/colour heavy to aid key learning and memory
The method focus is rooted in structure and form as well as language choices in order to hit higher band criteria. Only a few choices for each as AQA stresses depth as opposed to breadth to achieve top grades.
There are suggested links to other poems and evaluative questions to consider in a potential essay conclusion.
The sheet is not definitive, and students should have a much deep knowledge of the poem from class studies; however, it will help as an aid for themes and methods regarding the second, unprinted poem in the examination in which they will need to draw on their memory.
15 high-level poetry lessons here with comprehensive teacher notes. https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/love-and-relationships-poetry-aqa-12180822
Best wishes,
Englbee x
A fully-adaptable PowerPoint on the Initial Characterisation of the Inspector in Act 1 of an Inspector Calls for mid-to-higher level groups.
Prior to the lesson, students will need to have read from the Inspector’s entrance and the subsequent interrogation of Birling’s involvement with Eva before using the resource.
The resource makes use of skills such as questioning the text and making links between the characterisation of Birling and the Inspector as foils. The focus is on the language of the characters and significantly, the contrasting stage directions.
Includes:
LOs and skills
The significance of the bell ring and what Birling is saying at that point
Priestley’s characterisation of the Inspector in the stage directions as a contrast to Birling and the family
Significance of the Inspector’s name
Significance of the Inspector’s news (about a young woman)
Significance of the Inspector’s methodology
Significance of the contrasting stage directions in how Birling and the Inspector should deliver their lines.
A reflection on Birling and the Inspector as foils in terms of beliefs and values
A plenary slide in which to reflect on learning and skills from the lesson
Under most slides there are indicative answers in the notes section for teachers to help them. Students will likely come up with other valid answers so these are only a guide.
Best wishes,
Englbee x
A fully-adaptable PowerPoint on the significance of the ending An Inspector Calls for mid-to-higher level groups.
Prior to the lesson, students will need to have read to the end of the play
Includes:
LOs and skills
Gerald’s debunking of the Inspector and is signifiance
The differences in attitude between the older and younger generation after the first inspector leaves
The significance of Eva Smith as a symbolic character
The significance of the ringing of a second bell, the second Inspector and Birling’s continued lack of character development
Under most slides there are indicative answers in the notes section for teachers to help them. Students will likely come up with other valid answers so these are only a guide.
Best wishes,
Englbee x
Four fully-adaptable PowerPoints on the simple past, past continuous, past perfect and past perfect continuous tenses. Suitable for high-ability KS3, mid-to high ability KS4, and intermediate ESOL. Suitable for home-learning.
The PowerPoints introduce the student to different ways of using each of the four past tenses.
Includes:
*a brief recap of pronoun/verb agreement, plus the use of past participles, the verb ‘to have’, the verb ‘to be’ , and the forming of gerunds
*an explanation of how the tenses are used with examples
*challenge exercise one which all students should complete to show they understand how to form the tenses
*extra challenge exercises which students can work through, or choose from, to show different uses and understanding of the tenses
*sample answers after each exercise
Teachers can choose to teach all or some of the functions of the tenses, dipping in or out, or selecting as necessary.
Could be used as a series of starter activities or as longer grammar lessons. Could also be set remotely for home-learning as independent study exercises.
The PowerPoints are not definitive, but offer a clear approach to understanding the different uses of the four past tenses.
Best wishes,
Englbee x
A Bundle of popular high-level Much Ado about Nothing GCSE resources. In this bundle, you will find:
*An introduction to Dramatic Comedy PowerPoint
*A Much Ado about Nothing high-level booklet
*Much Ado about Nothing character revision posters
*Three Much Ado about Nothing high-level essays with notes on how they fulfil AQA’s ‘extract to whole’ criteria
*A high-ability Much Ado about Nothing Knowledge Organiser covering conceptual characterisation, context, themes and dramatic method
Best wishes,
Englbee x
A fully-adaptable PowerPoint on Sheila’s involvement with Eva Smith in Act One of An Inspector Calls. The resource is suitable for a mid-high level group studying the text for GCSE Literature.
The resource contains:
LOs/Skills slide
A quick exploration of the Inspector’s sardonic language and why Priestley uses this method to characterise him (might be done prior to lesson as a homework; could be done as a separate lesson prior to the ‘Sheila’ lesson; answer slide could be given as handout if pushed for time)
A slide to briefly note down Sheila’s involvement with Eva Smith
A slide to explore Sheila’s characterisation and role in the play at this point
An exemplar answer slide to previous
An exploration of the play’s structure and its symbolic significance (parts making the whole)
A plenary in which students reflect on Sheila’s role and the skills of noticing, analysing and making links made today to further understand Priestley’s methods.
As well as answer slides, other slides have teacher notes underneath with sample ideas and answers.
Best wishes,
Englbee x
A fully-adaptable PowerPoint which explores the changes in Sheila and Eric from the start of the play for mid-high level GCSE groups.
Resource includes:
LOs and outcomes
A prompt slide to read pp.57-61 with focus question
A blank table to complete comparing language choices from Act 1 and Act 3
A completed table of ideas with a prompt question
A short sample response exploring the changes in Sheila and Eric, and their juxtaposition to Gerald in Act 3.
A plenary slide
Best wishes,
Englbee x
12 adaptable PowerPoints on ‘An Inspector Calls’ for GCSE mid-high ability groups.
Each PowerPoint offers a step-by-step exploration of a scene section with colourful slides and interesting tasks. For most tasks there is either an ‘answer slide’ to check work against or comprehensive ideas in the teacher notes to aid the teacher in conducting class discussion as feedback. The PowerPoints cover both thematic ideas and Priestley’s method/use of devices in detail.
Used with Year 11 grammar school classes; tried and tested.
Best wishes,
Englbee x
A fully-adaptable PowerPoint which explores ‘Climbing My Grandfather’ in preparation for the AQA Literature Examination
The PowerPoint and accompanying teacher notes are aimed at high-level GCSE candidates aiming for grades 6-9
The resource contains the following:
AQA Assessment objectives for the poetry anthology examination paper
Warm-up activity
A brief biography of Andrew Waterhouse
A link to an audio of a reading of the poem
A link to a copy of the poem (due to copyright; you can easily copy and paste into PowerPoint)
A list of high-level terminology for this particular poem as required for higher grades
A pyramid of questions which moves from knowledge to evaluation as a way of stretching students’ thinking
A student sheet which can be printed off or projected onto the board to record ideas whilst working through questions
A short plenary
Followed by:
Teacher notes -three slides containing ideas for understanding the poem and its methods at a high level which you should likely read before the lesson as preparation for discussion and teaching. How much you ‘teacher-lead’ using these notes, or how much you use them to aid independent learning is up to you. Notes are not definitive, but offer good-grounding in understanding Waterhouse’s use of method in the poem, with detail on structure and form as well as language in order to reach higher grades (e.g. Use of extended metaphor, mountaineering lexis, narrative verse etc.)
NEW: THREE PAGE LESSON PLAN ON HOW TO USE EACH SLIDE INCLUDING KEY QUESTIONS, LEARNING AND OUTCOMES
The lesson presumes that some previous learning has taken place on what language, form and structure mean, and that students have a good level of understanding of what questions they should ask of poems in order to explore them (e.g. when was it written? how might that influence language choices? is there a specific form? what relevance is the form? how is the poem’s narrative structured? Is there a clear structure? etc.)
Kind regards,
Englbee x
A fully-adaptable PowerPoint which explores ‘Eden Rock’ in preparation for the AQA Literature Examination
The PowerPoint and accompanying teacher notes are aimed at high-level GCSE candidates aiming for grades 6-9
The resource contains the following:
AQA Assessment objectives for the poetry anthology examination paper
Warm-up activity
A brief biography of Charles Causley
A link to an audio of a reading of the poem
A link to a copy of the poem (due to copyright; you can easily copy and paste into PowerPoint)
A list of high-level terminology for this particular poem as required for higher grades
A pyramid of questions which moves from knowledge to evaluation as a way of stretching students’ thinking
A student sheet which can be printed off or projected onto the board to record ideas whilst working through questions
A short plenary
Followed by:
Teacher notes -three slides containing ideas for understanding the poem and its methods at a high level which you should likely read before the lesson as preparation for discussion and teaching. How much you ‘teacher-lead’ using these notes, or how much you use them to aid independent learning is up to you. Notes are not definitive, but offer good-grounding in understanding Causley’s use of method in the poem, with detail on structure and form as well as language in order to reach higher grades (e.g. Use of juxtaposition; symbolism, half-rhyme etc…)
NEW: THREE PAGE LESSON PLAN ON HOW TO USE EACH SLIDE INCLUDING KEY QUESTIONS, LEARNING AND OUTCOMES
The lesson presumes that some previous learning has taken place on what language, form and structure mean, and that students have a good level of understanding of what questions they should ask of poems in order to explore them (e.g. when was it written? how might that influence language choices? is there a specific form? what relevance is the form? how is the poem’s narrative structured? Is there a clear structure? etc.)
Kind regards,
Englbee x
15 fully-adaptable PowerPoints covering each of the Love and Relationship poems in the AQA English Literature GCSE Poetry Anthology. Suitable for those students aiming for grades 7-9.
Each PowerPoint contains:
AQA Assessment objectives for the poetry anthology examination paper
A brief biography of the poet
A link to an audio reading of the poems and a listening task before reading
A list of high-level terminology for each poem as required for higher grades, and as a ‘way-in’ to the poems
A pyramid of critical questions which moves from knowledge to evaluation as a way of stretching higher students’ thinking, rather than you simply offering didactic teaching/leading questions
A copy, or link to a copy of the poem (due to copyright of some poems; you can easily copy and paste into PowerPoint)
A student sheet which can be printed off or projected onto the board as a structure to record ideas whilst working through critical questions
A short plenary
Followed by:
Teacher notes -two/three slides containing ideas for understanding each poem and its methods at a high level which you should likely read before the lesson as preparation for discussion and teaching.
How much you ‘teacher-lead’ using these notes, or whether you use them to aid independent learning is up to you. Notes are not definitive, but offer good-grounding in understanding poets’ use of method in the poems, with detail on structure and form as well as language in order to reach higher grades.
NEW: THREE PAGE LESSON PLAN ON HOW TO USE EACH SLIDE INCLUDING KEY QUESTIONS, LEARNING AND OUTCOMES
The lessons presume that some previous learning has taken place on what language, form and structure mean, and that students have a good level of understanding of what questions they should ask of poems in order to explore them (e.g. when was it written? how might that influence language choices? is there a specific form? what relevance is the form? how is the poem’s narrative structured and why? etc.)
You can find revision posters for your students nearer exam time here https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/love-and-relationships-revision-12183742
Kind regards,
Englbee x
A fully-adaptable PowerPoint which explores ‘Letters From Yorkshire’ in preparation for the AQA Literature Examination
The PowerPoint and accompanying teacher notes are aimed at high-level GCSE candidates aiming for grades 6-9
The resource contains the following:
AQA Assessment objectives for the poetry anthology examination paper
Warm-up activity
A brief biography of Maura Dooley
A link to an audio of a reading of the poem
A link to a copy of the poem (due to copyright; you can easily copy and paste into PowerPoint)
A list of high-level terminology for this particular poem as required for higher grades
A pyramid of questions which moves from knowledge to evaluation as a way of stretching students’ thinking
A student sheet which can be printed off or projected onto the board to record ideas whilst working through questions
A short plenary
Followed by:
Teacher notes -two slides containing ideas for understanding the poem and its methods at a high level which you should likely read before the lesson as preparation for discussion and teaching. How much you ‘teacher-lead’ using these notes, or how much you use them to aid independent learning is up to you. Notes are not definitive, but offer good-grounding in understanding Dooley’s use of method in the poem, with detail on structure and form as well as language in order to reach higher grades (e.g. juxtaposition, enjambment, communication as metaphor, pronoun shifts etc.)
NEW: THREE PAGE LESSON PLAN ON HOW TO USE EACH SLIDE INCLUDING KEY QUESTIONS, LEARNING AND OUTCOMES
The lesson presumes that some previous learning has taken place on what language, form and structure mean, and that students have a good level of understanding of what questions they should ask of poems in order to explore them (e.g. when was it written? how might that influence language choices? is there a specific form? what relevance is the form? how is the poem’s narrative structured? Is there a clear structure? etc.)
Kind regards,
Englbee x
A free poster for your classroom wall with key character descriptions and quotations for Benedick from Shakespeare’s ‘Much Ado about Nothing’. Could also be printed A4 for students to glue into books. Might also be useful to upload onto school intranet for revision purposes. Especially useful with lower ability students, and also those who find revising and note-making difficult for GCSE English Literature.
Other ‘Much Ado about Nothing’ Posters can be found as a here for a small sum.
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/much-ado-about-nothing-posters-12020347
Best wishes,
Englbee x
A fully-adaptable PowerPoint which offers an introduction to the study of dramatic comedy as a genre (most likely useful with the study of Shakespeare). The lesson offers visual and practical tasks for pupils to work through in order to explore and begin to understand the concept of comedy as a genre. The activities should take one lesson, but may take two. There is also an opportunity for pupils to apply their learning to an extract from Shakespeare’s ‘Much ado About Nothing’ at the end.
This PowerPoint will be most useful with higher-level GCSE students aiming for grades 7,8 and 9 in their study of Shakespeare’s ‘Much Ado about Nothing’, enabling them to explore method and genre as they read, which will help in their reaching higher levels in the examination. Could be adapted for aspiring grade 6 students.
The PowerPoint might also be used as a starting point for A Level English Literature students although further reading and research will be necessary. It will certainly aid less able A Level students who benefit from visual and practical tasks, and discussion (I have used a version of this PowerPoint as a starting point with an AS group for coursework under an old spec).
Best wishes,
Englbee x
Twenty-Eight PowerPoints exploring each scene of ‘Macbeth’ for mid-high level GCSE Engish Literature classes.
The PowerPoints contain exploration of themes: Gender & Identity; Appearance and Reality; Children; Ambition, Fate & Freewill; Guilt; and Kingship
There is also exploration of Genre, Shakespeare’s Method and Context.
This includes:
Dramatic Tragedy Genre:
Tragic Hero; Tragic Villain(s); Tragic Victim(s); Perpeteia; Anagnorisis; Rising & Falling Action; Catharisis; Endings; Hubris; Hamartia; Overreaching; Limits of Humanity
Shakespeare’s Method:
Shakespeare’s use of Language inc. Phantasmagoria, Equivocation & Lexical Fields/Motifs; Structure; Stagecraft; Dramatic Irony; Characterisation & Foils; Men of Thought/Men of Action; and Setting
Context:
Medieval/Shakespearean/Jacobean Gender Expectations; The Role of Medieval Kings; Elizabethan Great Chain of Being; The Divine Right of Kings; The Body Politic & The Body Natural; Regicide & Sacrilege; Witchcraft; Elizabeth I & James I (VI); Medieval Children; Fathers & Sons; Jacobean Male Friendships; Ontological Death; Insanity; some of Sigmund Freud’s ideas on Macbeth/Lady Macbeth
The above is not exhaustive. PowerPoints are also not definitive. There will be other analysis and interpretations that can be applied alongside as the teacher wishes.
The teacher can choose to focus on some, or all of the slides, as the class requires.
Underneath most slides are teacher notes to aid with class teaching. These can be shared with students as and when the teacher sees fit.
Best wishes,
Englbee x
A fully-adaptable 15-slide PowerPoint on The Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom and Simon Armitage’s appointment.
The PowerPoint contains:
A history of the role of Poet Laureate
The role itself
Payment
How the role has changed over time
Famous past Poets Laureate
Differing opinions of the role
A biography of Simon Armitage
Simon Armitage’s reactions to becoming PL and his ambitions for the role.
Many slides contain thought-bubbles which could be used with a class if needed to further discussion.
The PowerPoint could be used:
As an introduction to Armitage’s Poetry at GCSE
For KS3 classes in the summer term as an introduction to poetry
In PSHE exploring the role of poetry in wider society
In an assembly exploring poetry/society
Where copyright infringement is not an issue, I have included pictures of poets. Where copyright would be violated, I have given links to pictures and news stories. You can of course adapt the PowerPoint for yourself and include the images on slides.
Best wishes,
Englbee x
A fully-adaptable PowerPoint for the opening of An Inspector Calls before the Inspector arrives aimed at higher-level groups.
Prior reading up until the stage-direction ‘We hear the sharp ring of a front door bell’ will need to have occurred before the PowerPoint is used.
The PowerPoint contains:
LOs followed by a slide outlining the four key themes in this section: Privilege, Class Struggle, Snobbery and Self-Serving Idealism. Foreshadowing and Dramatic Irony are also introduced and will need to be explored by the teacher.
A table in which students are asked to consider key character language and place the language under either Privilege, Class Struggle, Snobbery or Self-Serving Idealism. This can be done either as a cut-and-paste activity or on the computer as a drag and drop. The slide could be printing out and students could write answers in also if the two above options are not available
A completed slide of the above task for the teacher to talk through/take feedback etc.
Further discussion of Foreshadowing and Dramatic Irony
A table in which students explore key language from the opening act and decide whether it is an example of foreshadowing or dramatic irony. They then need to give an insightful comment as to what the device is demonstrating/why it is an example of such a device. There are two differentiated slides here. The harder one asks the students to identify who said the line before analysing it, and there are no hint questions. The other identifies the speaker and asks ‘Withholding of further information or contextual events the audience would have knowledge about?’ as a guide for students to explore which of the two devices the language is an example of
The next slide gives example ‘insightful comments’ which students can check against their own or add to during a class discussion / feedback.
The final slide is a reminder of their LOs and some questions to explore the skills they used in the lesson to analyse the play today.
Best wishes,
Englbee x
A high-level analysis of the Inspector’s Final Speech in the play, An Inspector Calls. The analysis is 600 words long approximately. Offered as both an adaptable Word doc. and PDF.
The short essay offers a high degree of close analysis of language and method as well as conceptualised interpretations in order to hit those top levels (7-9).
Useful for any high-ability class studying A Inspector Calls.
Best wishes,
Englbee x
