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.
Seven PowerPoints exploring Act 1,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; and Kingship
There is also exploration of Genre, Shakespeare’s Method and Context
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.
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 on the pasy perfect continuous tense. Suitable for high-ability KS3, mid-to high ability KS4, and intermediate ESOL. Suitable for home-learning.
The PowerPoint introduces the student to different ways of using the past perfect continuous tense: continuing past actions in the past now completed; questions; verbs that cannot be used in the past perfect continuous tense
Includes:
*a brief recap of pronoun/verb (‘to have’) agreement (always ‘had’ in this instance), the use of ‘been’ , and the forming of gerunds
*an explanation of how the past perfect continuous tense is used with examples. Discussion of how when not to use the past perfect continuous.
*challenge exercise one which all students should complete to show they
understand how to form the past perfect continuous
*challenge exercises two and three which students can work through, or choose from to show different uses and understanding of the past perfect continuous tense
*sample answers after each exercise
Teachers can choose to teach all or some of the functions of the past perfect continuous tense, dipping in or out, or selecting as necessary.
Could be used as a series of starter activities or as a longer grammar lesson. Could also be set remotely for home-learning as an independent study exercise
The PowerPoint is not definitive, but offers a clear approach to understanding the different uses of the past perfect continuous tense.
Best wishes,
Englbee x
A fully-adaptable PowerPoint on simple past tense verbs. Suitable for high-ability KS3, mid-to high ability KS4, and intermediate ESOL. Suitable for home-learning.
The PowerPoint introduces the student to the infinitive verb form and explores conjugation for simple past tense.
Includes:
*an explanation of the infinitive verb
*three differentiated challenge exercises: conjugating verbs; conjugating phrasal verbs; free-writing activity using simple past tense verbs. All include with answers/sample answer (less able might choose challenge one, with increasingly able choosing challenges two and three OR students could work from challenges one to three)
Could be used as a series of starter activities or as a longer grammar lesson. Could also be set remotely for home-learning as an independent study exercise
The PowerPoint is not definitive, but offers a clear approach to understanding how to conjugate the infinitive into the simple past tense.
Best wishes,
Englbee x
A fully-adaptable PowerPoint on the present perfect continuous tense. Suitable for high-ability KS3, mid-to high ability KS4, and intermediate ESOL. Suitable for home-learning.
The PowerPoint introduces the student to different ways of using the present perfect continuous tense: past actions continuing now or relevant now; questions; verbs that cannot be used in the present perfect continuous tense
Includes:
*a brief recap of pronoun/verb (‘to have’) agreement, the use of ‘been’ , and the forming of gerunds
*an explanation of how the present perfect continuous tense is used with examples. Discussion of how when not to use the present perfect continuous.
*challenge exercise one which all students should complete to show they
understand how to form the present perfect continuous
*challenge exercises two and three which students can work through, or choose from to show different uses and understanding of the present perfect continuous tense
*sample answers after each exercise
Teachers can choose to teach all or some of the functions of the present perfect continuous tense , dipping in or out, or selecting as necessary.
Could be used as a series of starter activities or as a longer grammar lesson. Could also be set remotely for home-learning as an independent study exercise
The PowerPoint is not definitive, but offers a clear approach to understanding the different uses of the present perfect continuous tense.
Best wishes,
Englbee x
A fully-adaptable PowerPoint on the present continuous tense. Suitable for high-ability KS3, mid-to high ability KS4, and intermediate ESOL. Suitable for home-learning.
The PowerPoint introduces the student to six different ways of using the present continuous tense: basic sentence; actions happening now; actions happening in the near future; planned future actions; questions; repeated events
Includes:
*a brief recap of pronoun/verb (‘to be’) agreement and the forming of gerunds
*an explanation of each use of the present continuous, with an example
*challenge exercise one which all students should complete to show they
understand how to form the present continuous
*challenge exercises two-six which students can work through, or choose from to show different uses of the present continuous tense
*sample answers after each exercise
Teachers can choose to teach all or some of the functions of the present continuous tense , dipping in or out, or selecting as necessary.
Could be used as a series of starter activities or as a longer grammar lesson. Could also be set remotely for home-learning as an independent study exercise
The PowerPoint is not definitive, but offers a clear approach to understanding the different uses of the present continuous.
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 graphic organiser (PDF) for high-ability GCSE English Literature pupils studying Macbeth. AQA, OCR, Edexcel etc.
Are you tired of PowerPoint lessons? Looking for a way for pupils to work more independently whilst keeping organised notes? Then a graphic organiser might work for you and your class.
The graphic organiser is 60 pages long. It has been designed to be printed off back-to-back. Every scene in the play has two dedicated pages which will work best if the booklet is stapled, treasury-tagged or bound so that both pages for the scene can be viewed at the same time as an open booklet. There is a white edge alongside each page to allow for securing. (Please see preview for more details)
Each scene contains the following:
A synopsis
Page one - Three themes (from a selection of six) with high-level exploratory questions with room for note-making
Page two -A question on each of the following as related to the scene: dramatic tragedy genre, Shakespeare’s method, and context, with room for note-making.
At the start of the booklet there is a glossary of characterisations and structural devices related to the dramatic tragedy genre
At the back of the booklet, there is an extra page for note-making.
Other ways to use this booklet:
Print off a teacher copy and photocopy the scenes you wish to focus on in detail only
Page one for classroom teaching with page two for homework, or vice versa
Group work with pupils completing different parts of the booklet followed by whole class feedback
Individual, silent work
For when you’re absent and you need to set structured cover for a lesson
For that long-term absent, but bright pupil who needs a structured approach to catching up
For those able students who are great at discussion, but cannot organise their notes in their exercise books
Focused, active revision
Best wishes,
Englbee x
A fully-adapatble PowerPoint for mid-high GCSE English Literature students on Gerald’s involvement with Eva/Daisy and Sheila’s developing character.
Slides include:
LOs and Outcomes
A prompt slide to read Gerald’s involvement with focus questions
Pictures to explore Gerald’s involvement with Eva
A discussion slide on women and class with ideas in notes for teacher to explore with class
Sheila’s speech to Gerald
A slide with key language highlighted on Shelia’s speech
A sample written response to analyse Sheila’s characterisation which can be used partially or wholly for modelling or revision/notes
A reflective actvity as a plenary
Best wishes,
Englbee.
A PowerPoint exploring Act 5, Scene Four of ‘Macbeth’ for mid-high level GCSE Engish Literature classes.
The PowerPoint contains exploration of themes: Ambition, Fate & Freewill; and Kingship; Gender & Identity;
Genre, Shakespeare’s Method and Context are also explored: Form & Genre; Significance of Structure; Setting
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.
Best wishes,
Englbee x
Looking for a high-level example of a persuasive speech to show to your level 7+ GCSE group? Or looking to inspire Year 9 as they lead up to the English GCSE? This speech contains a number of devices for you to explore with your class in order to consider what a strong piece of writing might look like on English Language paper 2.
At the end, you will find a section for pupils to complete against the AQA mark scheme (not provided) for writing on language paper 2 in order to justify the marks given for the piece of writing.
Don’t waste your precious time writing your own high-level piece. Use this.
There are four more high-level answers here for you: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/advise-argue-persuade-explain-gcse-high-level-model-writing-answers-english-language-paper-2-11914737
Best wishes,
Englbee
Nine GCSE revision posters for Shakespeare’s ‘Much Ado about Nothing’.
These posters would be useful to display in classrooms, but may find an even better purpose as revision tools.
Pupils can struggle to distil and make notes on Shakespeare; these posters offer key themes and ideas on each character with up to three relevent quotations (and references) for each.
Something to give to less-able pupils to take away and revise from. For more able, a starting point towards further revision.
Could be displayed as A3 or made into an A4 booklet.
Your free Benedick poster can be found here: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/much-ado-about-nothing-benedick-poster-free-
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
A fully-adaptable PowerPoint which explores ‘The Farmer’s Bride’ in preparation for the AQA Literature Examination
The PowerPoint and accompanying teacher notes are aimed at high-level GCSE candidates aiming for grades 7, 8 & 9
The resource contains the following:
AQA Assessment objectives for the poetry anthology examination paper
Warm-up activity
A brief biography of Charlotte Mew
A link to an audio of a reading of the poem
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 copy of the poem
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 Mew’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. Subversion of the pastoral, significance of the ending, use of irregular couplets, natural imagery 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.)
Best wishes,
Englbee x
This is high-level revision sheet of Lord Byron’s ‘When We Two Parted’ for students aiming for grades 6-9 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 Winter Swans 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.
Please note the preview shows only a small section of the revision sheet.
Kind regards,
Englbee x
A fully-adaptable PowerPoint which offers an introduction to the study of dramatic tragedy as a genre. As well as some didactic commentary, the lesson offers visual and practical tasks for pupils to work through in order to explore and begin to understand the concept of tragedy 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 ‘Macbeth’ 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 ‘Macbeth’ or 'Julius Caesar’ (‘Romeo and Juliet’ differs somewhat from traditional dramatic tragedy conventions, but some aspects may be useful), 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 AQA A Level English Literature students studying ‘King Lear’, ‘Othello’, or ‘Richard II’, or any of the other dramatic tragedies, although further reading and research will be necessary. It will certainly aid less-able A Level students who need a starting point and benefit from visual and practical tasks, and discussion.
Link to a similar PowerPoint on Dramatic Comedy here: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/dramatic-comedy-genre-an-introduction-11922680
A comprehensive scheme of work on Much Ado about Nothing for high-ability GCSE groups aiming for grades 6-9. There are 17 PowerPoints, one for each scene.
Each PowerPoint has discussion, analysis and exploration of at least three themes with very detailed notes under each slide for teachers.
There are further slides on each PowerPoint on Dramatic Comedy Genre; Shakespeare’s Method; and Context. Again, there are comprehensive notes relating to these areas so that you can teach with confidence.
You will find the following…
Themes:
Love and War
Gender and Identity
Appearance and Reality (Constructive, Destructive & Self-Deception)
Private Desire and Social Approval
Legitimate and Illegitimate Behaviours
Theatre of War and Domestic Sphere
Miscommunication
Transformation
Dramatic Comedy Genre:
Metadrama
Metalanguage
Significance of Structure
Pairs and Parallels
Antithesis
Low Comedy
Comedy Endings
Shakespeare’s Method:
Characterisation and conceptualisation
Significance of Structure
Significance of language inc. imagery, symbolism, classical references,
self- reflexive language, malapropism, poetry, and prose
Shakespeare’s use of stagecraft
Shakespeare’s drawing attention to theatre as artifice
Context:
Women, identity, sexual behaviour within the 16th Century
The importance of reputation
Ontological death
Patriarchal Hegemony
Elizabethan Fashion/Significance of Clothing
The social significance of marriage in the 16th Century
Chivalric Love
Renaissance Humanism
The role of the Church within the play and the 16th Century
The importance of legitimacy and the ‘problem’ of illegitimacy
16th Century ‘Police Force’ (The Watch)
Hierarchical structure of society
It’s hard work finding quality GCSE model writing answers for AQA English Language Paper 2, and even harder work writing them yourself, especially at a high level.
Here, you will find a high-level model answer: a leaflet to advise with a clear point-of-view. The topic is homework.
Pupils are asked to reflect on the significance of style and genre at the end as a self-reflection exercise.
Please note the preview shows only a section of the sheet.
Best wishes,
Englbee x