I am an experienced English teacher and Literacy Coordinator. All of my resources are organised, engaging, ready to teach and designed to save you - the teacher - your valuable time!
Please have a look at all of my resources - at least 20% of which are free.
I am an experienced English teacher and Literacy Coordinator. All of my resources are organised, engaging, ready to teach and designed to save you - the teacher - your valuable time!
Please have a look at all of my resources - at least 20% of which are free.
A detailed knowledge organiser to introduce students to poetic techniques and structures. It includes the following sections:
Influential poets
Poetic structures
Poetic techniques
Poet laureate
This knowledge organiser can be used for designing schemes of work, revision mats for students or giving them self-quizzing homework.
Please leave a review and check out the LikeAnExpert shop.
Marking templates to have on hand when giving students feedback on work for Language Paper 1 for CIE 0500.
I keep a stack printed out so that every time the students take an example question, they can stick these into their books for quick, clear and efficient marking.
More Freebies:
A free lesson giving an overview of CIE 0500 Language Paper One here.
A free lesson giving an overview of CIE 0500 Language Paper Two here.
Free scheme of work overview for teaching the CIE 0500 syllabus here.
If you find this lesson helpful, have a look at my CIE 0500 Language Paper 1 bundle here or the Language Paper 2 bundle here. If you’re interested in both, there is a combined bundle here which is cheaper than buying them separately.
Please leave a review as I value all the feedback I receive, and have a look at other resources available in my shop. **
A detailed lesson to give students an overview of CIE 0500 Language Paper 1. This presentation breaks down what is in each question (giving examples from the specimen paper and adapted examples from past papers) and what knowledge and skills are requires. Students are prompted to consider how to time themselves effectively in this paper.
This resource contains a ready-to-teach powerpoint with printing and teaching instructions.
Learning Objective: Understand the format and types of questions on language paper 1.
**Learning Outcomes: **
Students will understand the purpose, length and question types of Language Paper 1.
Student will understand which learning objectives they are being assessed on in Language Paper 1.
Lesson Outline:
Do it now: Think-pair-share what do you already know about papers 1 and 2.
Starter: Detailed overview of paper 1 with key vocabulary shared and teacher questioning to check for understanding.
Task one: How should you divide your time?
Task two: Consolidation of paper 1 overview with students summarizing what the paper covers and assesses.
Plenary: If a friend was stressed about this exam, what would your top three pieces of advice to them be?
More Freebies:
A free lesson giving an overview of CIE 0500 Language Paper Two here.
Free marking templates for CIE 0500 here.
If you find this lesson helpful, have a look at my CIE 0500 Language Paper 1 bundle here or the Language Paper 2 bundle here. If you’re interested in both, there is a combined bundle here which is cheaper than buying them separately.
Please leave a review as I value all the feedback I receive, and have a look at other resources available in my shop. **
A detailed lesson to give students an overview of CIE 0500 language paper 2 - directed writing and composition. The paper gives an overview of what assessment objectives are covered in the exam and ideas of what the questions look like. Students will critically consider how to organise their timing in th exam.
Learning Objective: Understand the format and types of questions on language paper 2
Learning Outcomes:
Students will understand the types of questions and mark scheme for Language Paper 2.
Students will consider how to allocate their time in this exam to ensure they have enough time to plan their answers and check their SPAG.
Lesson Overview:
Do it now: Think pair share – what are the differences between paper 1 and paper 2?
Starter: Overview of the two papers.
Task one: Timings for the exam.
Task two: Consolidation quiz (on scrap paper or mini whiteboards)
Task three: Fit the key information on a postcard.
Reflection: Personally, which do you think you will find more challenging – section A or section B? Why? What can you do to help you to prepare?
More Freebies:
A free lesson giving an overview of CIE 0500 Language Paper One here.
Free marking templates for CIE 0500 here.
If you find this lesson helpful, have a look at my CIE 0500 Language Paper 1 bundle here or the Language Paper 2 bundle here. If you’re interested in both, there is a combined bundle here which is cheaper than buying them separately.
Please leave a review as I value all the feedback I receive, and have a look at other resources available in my shop. **
24 question cards for students to use as prompts for book club discussion. I keep a laminated set with me and then students take it in turns to draw cards and answer the question. They make for great discussion!
Engaging and ready to teach one hour lesson (ppt and worksheet) to introduce students to ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ by John Boyne. This lesson requires students to infer what themes they think the novel will cover and then guides them through independent analysis of some key quotes by Bruno at the start of the novel. This lesson is easy to differentiate for different abilities.
This resource includes a Powerpoint presentation and a worksheet.
Students have the opportunity to practise inference considering connotations of words, and they also practise analysis by zooming in on specific quotes from chapter 1. This lesson is easy to differentiate for different abilities.
Learning Objective: Develop inference skills to make predictions about The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.
Learning Outcomes:
Bronze: Infer basic details about Bruno.
Silver: Add creative details to your inferences.
Gold: Independently choose a quote from the text from which you can infer details about Bruno.
Lesson Overview:
Do It Now: What can you infer from the title?
Starter: Mind map based on front covers.
Activity 1: Think – pair – share based on the inferences they have made.
Activity 2: Reading and response with worksheet
Peer assessment
Plenary: How would you describe Bruno in 3 words?
More Freebies:
Two pre-reading lessons to introduce students to the context of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is available for free here.
A scheme of work for teaching the entire novel is available for free here.
If you find this lesson useful, please consider purchasing this ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ Bundle or have a look at other resources available in my shop.
A free worksheet for use in class or for homework to extend analysis of act 1 scene 7 of Macbeth (Lady Macbeth persuading Macbeth to kill Duncan).
This worksheet outlines some of the persuasive devices that Lady Macbeth uses (rhetorical questions, direct mode of address, emotive language, flattery and hyperbole) to persuade Macbeth and then gives students the choice between five tasks in which they have to apply these techniques to their own persuasive speech-writing.
This would be suitable for any age group studying Macbeth.
A complete scheme of work with activities to cover every chapter of ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’. The unit starts by introducing students to the context of the Holocaust, Auschwitz and Nazi Germany. It then moves on to covering reading, writing and oracy skills whilst moving through the novel.
This is designed for key stage 3. Key vocabulary per lesson and assessment ideas are also included alongside learning objectives and differentiated learning outcomes.
Peer assessment
Plenary: What do you think made Bruno feel “cold and unsafe” in the new house?
More Freebies:
Two pre-reading lessons to introduce students to the context of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is available for free here.
A lesson on chapter 1 of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is available for free here.
If you find this scheme of work useful, please consider purchasing this ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ Bundle or have a look at other resources available in my shop. .
Leave a review and choose any other resource of up to the same value for free from my shop.
A detailed and engaging homework menu to be used alongside teaching Macbeth. This menu structures homework tasks, but also gives students creative freedom to pursue their own interests.
I tend to set one homework per fortnight to ensure that students have sufficient time to produce something of high quality. The deadlines can be set by the teacher to allow more or less time for certain tasks. This has worked exceptionally well with my classes who produced some outstanding homework.
It is provided as a pdf for easy printing.
Please have a look at some of the other resources in my LikeAnExpert shop.
Worksheet for use in class or homework to prompt students to write a description of household objects. It is included as a word doc and pdf for easy printing and editing.
A detailed booklet to prompt students to create their own mini anthology of poetry. This would be suitable for key stage 3 but could easily be adapted for older or younger students.
It is included as a word document (for editing) and as a pdf (for easy printing and safe formatting).
It includes grading criteria.
Please see the accompanying scheme of learning which teaches all the techniques mentioned (similes, metaphors, personification, sibilance and assonance etc).
For other English, PSHE and Media activities, see my Like An Expert shop.
A scheme of work to introduce students to the entire syllabus of CIE 0500 IGCSE English Language. These lessons work well both to introduce the course or as revision before exams.
This scheme of work has 12 lessons and involves 2 assessments for papers 1 and 2. All of the resources required to teach this scheme of work are available in my shop and a number of them can be downloaded for free as I have listed below.
Freebies:
A free lesson giving an overview of CIE 0500 Language Paper One here.
A free lesson giving an overview of CIE 0500 Language Paper Two here.
Free marking templates for CIE 0500 here. #
If you find this scheme of work helpful, have a look at my CIE 0500 Language Paper 1 bundle here or the Language Paper 2 bundle here. If you’re interested in both, there is a combined bundle here which is cheaper than buying them separately.
Please leave a review as I value all the feedback I receive, and have a look at other resources available in my shop.
A detailed homework/online learning resource for students to learn about the context of Of Mice and Men. Students work through four sources (videos and articles) and then answer questions on them. The answers are provided as a separate PDF.
The four contextual topics covered are:
John Steinbeck
The Great Depression
Racism
The American Dream
I have an Of Mice and Men resources bundle available here. . I have a whole range of Of Mice and Men revision resources available in the shop and a range of revision videos on my YouTube channel (this is linked to in my shop).
Leave a review and choose any other resource, of up to the same value, for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.
A detailed knowledge organiser to introduce students to the knowledge needed to study WW1 poetry. It includes the following sections:
Influential poets
Poetic forms
Famous poems
Key words
Poetic techniques
This knowledge organiser can be used for designing schemes of work, revision mats for students or giving them self-quizzing homework.
Please leave a review and check out the LikeAnExpert shop.
A simple start of year activity that requires students to write an acrostic poem to describe themselves. This worksheet is very versatile and could be used as a lesson or homework activity in an English or PSHE lesson. It could be used for key stages 2 or 3.
It is included as a pdf for easy printing and as a word document in case you would like to edit it.
For other English, PSHE and Media activities, see my Like An Expert shop.
This is a simple match up exercise containing key literary terms that students need to know to study Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. I use it as a starter revision exercise or I also set it as homework to have students use it to create flashcards for revision.
I have included one page of it in colour and one in black and white.
Many of these terms are included on the Romeo and Juliet Knowledge Organiser.
Please leave a review - I value all the feedback I receive - and have a look at the other free and cheap resources from the LikeAnExpert shop.
A simple match-up activity with 16 poetic terms and their definitions. I keep a couple of sets laminated and use them for speed matching; over time my students have shown a real improvement.
If you find this resource helpful, please leave a review and have a look at other resources available in my shop.
Two engaging and ready to teach lessons to introduce students to context to prepare them to study the main themes in ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ by John Boyne.
Lesson overviews, printing instructions and worksheets are all included.
This resource includes a Powerpoint presentation for 2 one-hour lessons (although in the past I have spread this over more lessons if required). For research, students can either use devices to access the Internet, but if this is not available I have included a pdf document which includes 16 sources that students can use for their research in class.
The topics included in this lesson are:
Auschwitz
The Jewish ghettos
The Final Solution
Hitler and anti-Semitism
The night of broken glass
LESSON ONE Learning Objective: Identify strong sources of information to complete research about the Holocaust.
Learning Outcomes:
Bronze: Identify a reliable source of information about my topic.
Silver: Write down my research in my own words.
Gold: Find multiple reliable sources of information.
Teaching activities:
Do it now: Students complete first column of KWL grid about the Holocaust
Starter: Think, pair, share: discussion of what makes a reliable source.
Activity 1: How do we take effective notes?
Activity 2: Research and completing scaffolding notes sheet.
Peer assessment
Plenary: Students complete the L section of their KWL grid.
LESSON TWO Learning Objective: Identify the most important points in your research and present these to your classmates.
Learning Outcomes:
Bronze: Identify the key vocabulary in the research I have completed.
Silver: Take brief and clear notes on other topics of information.
Gold: Make links between different knowledge and ideas.
Teaching activities:
Do it now: Recall – what are reliable and unreliable sources of information?
Starter: Review and summarise your research from last lesson.
Activity 1: Use your research to create an informative poster with only 10 words on it.
Activity 2: Carousel activity for students to share their information with each other.
Plenary: Highlight the three most important facts that you learned this lesson.
More Freebies:
A lesson on chapter 1 of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is available for free here.
A scheme of work for teaching the entire novel is available for free here.
If you find this lesson useful, please consider purchasing this ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ Bundle or have a look at other resources available in my shop.
A simple poster for reference to the four assessment objectives for the current Edexcel IGCSE English Literature course. I have included it as a pdf (without text titles) for easy printing, or as a PPT file so that you can add your own text choices.
A detailed and engaging one hour lesson to introduce the play version of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (play by Simon Stephens) for Edexcel English Literature IGCSE 4ET1. This lesson introduces students to the assessment objectives for the Edexcel Pearson IGCSE as well as exploring the background and context of autism and sensory overload as a way to understand the character of Christopher.
This resource contains:
A full PPT with teacher instructions included.
A KWL grid.
A handout for the ‘do it now’/bellwork activity.
If you find this resource helpful, please leave a review and have a look at other resources available in my shop.