These are 20 lessons to teach the 20 Voices anthology texts for Paper 1 of the Edexcel Language and Literature A Level. Each lesson is designed to be taught over a double period, so this is essentially 40 lessons! There is context for each text/writer, and tasks to examine genre/audience/purpose, tone, text conventions, and other features more specific to the text. The second text of each genre is also encouraged to be compared with the first (i.e. so you compare both articles in the final articles lesson) The research might require students to go online - perhaps on phone or laptop. Enjoy!

8 lessons introducing key language theorists on the topics of power, gender, and technology. Covers: Ideology (Althusser) Instrumental and Influential Power (Fairclough) Sapir-Whorf Marked and unmarked terms Holmes and metaphors Trudgill, Tannen, Lakoff, Zimmerman and West The influence of technology, from the printing press, to phones, to social media

This is four lessons (in one document) which helps students understand Postmodernism, and applies this in detail to the ‘Historical Notes’ section of The Handmaid’s Tale. First, students look at 3 poems to explore Victorian, Modernist, and Postmodern themes. They also look at how painting styles have changed over the centuries to less realistic and more abstract forms. They also consider the relative reliability of different ways of researching the past. The Historical Notes is then broken up into 6 sections, with specific questions linking to Postmodernism for each section. Finally, other theories (such as Marxism and Feminism) are used to analyse the text through different lenses. See my complete SoW on The Handmaid’s Tale for more useful lessons!

10 lessons focused on spoken language in different forms, including an introduction to accent and dialect. I’ve also included an anthology of texts to analyse (including other non-fiction texts) such as interviews and speeches. Aimed at OCR’s A Level Paper 1 but relevant to a variety of courses.

10 lessons focusing on different non-fiction texts, including their conventions and key features of language (lesson numbers can be ignored and done in pretty much any order). I’ve also included my anthology of texts which has the non-fiction texts to analyse as well as other ones too. Planned for OCR Paper 1 Section A but applicable to all specs/non-fic analysis.

8 lessons, with accompanying activities, to revise comparisons between Frankenstein and The Handmaid’s Tale. Considers characters, themes, motifs, and wider context. Aimed at Edexcelfor Key Stage 5 English Literature but useful across all exam boards.

8 lessons which introduce students to the English Language A Level (aimed at OCR but easily adaptable/applicable accross exam boards) Recaps/introduces word classes and grammar terms, as well as the key theories or critical lenses of power, gender, and technology.

4 lessons which will introduce students to the main themes and ideas of Jane Eyre, as an introduction to Wide Sargasso Sea. The lessons are all in one document; they ‘look like’ 2 lessons, but were planned to be taught over 2 double periods, so there is enough content for 4 lessons. Also included is a worksheet for students to fill in, relevant extracts from Jane Eyre, and wider interpretations of what Bertha could represent in Jane Eyre. Check out my full scheme of work for Wide Sargasso Sea as well!

These are 3 lessons covering the critical articles provided in the Edexcel critical anthology. They can be used after Twelfth Night has been read to develop analysis and evaluation of the play. PLEASE NOTE: The relevant critical essays are provided by Edexcel; they are not part of these resources as I do not own them. They can be accessed by logging into the Edexcel website.

A full scheme of work to teach Twelfth Night, covering every scene and key context. Planned to coincide with the wonderful 2012 Globe production starring Mark Rylance, Johnny Flynn, and Stephen Fry. The slides consist of a clear title, main task, and extension task, and have a variety of tasks in each lesson - engaging starters, discussion, group work, quote finding, extract analysis, and evaluative plenaries.

6 lessons to revise “Language Change” for A Level English Language. Includes the recapping of key terms and context, some articles for wider reading, and the relevant texts to analyse and compare.

6 lessons, with accompanying activities, to revise the poetry of John Donne. Considers characters, themes, motifs, and wider context with reference to past exam questions. Aimed at Edexcel for Key Stage 5 English Literature but useful across all exam boards.

A Scheme of Work to teach Dickens’ Hard Times. Designed to be compared to McEwan’s Atonement but easily adapted for other purposes.

This document provides a timeline of some key novels written over the last 300 years, with their titles, what makes them significant, and how novel writing as a whole has changed and developed. The idea is for students to be able to see the novels that they are studying in context - what other novels were written at the time, and how are they similar or different to what came before and after? This is not a lesson as such but a starting point for further research, discussion, and evalution.

A lesson analysing the scene where Dr Faustus makes his pact with the devil and summons Mephistophilis. It provides some context about the life of Christopher Marlowe, and breaks down the scene with questions to help analysis. There are questions aimed at discussing the lesson over Microsoft Teams which can easily be used in a regular classroom setting. Also included is the part of the scene focused on, with a summary and glossary. There is a slide making links to The Picture of Dorian Gray which can be easily adapted or removed as desired!

An interactive lesson where students are encouraged to work online (such as on Onedrive or similar) to block out character movements in Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire. They also include other theatrical elements, such as music, props, and sound effects, so that they are considering the text as a play rather than just something written. Included in the lesson are images and a stage diagram to get the students started. Useful for English or drama students.