This resource provides comprehensive guidance for tackling GCSE, English Language (AQA) - Paper 1, Question 5, which focuses on descriptive and narrative writing.
Inside, you’ll find three engaging picture-based tasks designed to inspire creative responses, complete with detailed, extended model answers that demonstrates effective use of language techniques. The resource emphasizes the importance of literary devices, sensory detail, and structure to craft vivid descriptions.
Key features include:
Literary Device Breakdown: Explore how similes, metaphors, personification, and other techniques can enrich your writing.
Sensory Language Focus: Learn to incorporate sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste to create immersive scenes.
Model Answers: Analyze high-level responses that exemplify how to develop atmosphere, character, and setting.
Independent Writing Activities: Three additional picture prompts are provided to assess student responses after completing the unit.
An additional checklist is provided to assess the successful features of writing. A short play is also included in which students reflect on the process of developing successful description.
This resource is ideal for students seeking to refine their creative writing skills for the final exam, ensuring that their descriptions captivate the examiner from start to finish.
These resources are tailored to support teachers preparing students for the AQA, GCSE English Language exam, with a particular focus on Paper 2. They are suitable for students with additional needs such as dyslexia and autism because they include scaffolds to write their response. This is an effective way to prepare students to write answers independently.
As well as a practice paper, the unit provides writing scaffolds, model paragraphs and structured responses, to help students develop their skills in analyzing texts and constructing well-developed answers.
The two extracts are about experiences of avalanches, one in the 1800s and another contemporary.
The materials guide students through understanding how writers use language, structure, and setting to create meaning, with specific emphasis on autobiographical texts.
Additionally, for the writing section the resources offer detailed sentence frames and writing prompts, making them suitable for students who may benefit from extra support in breaking down tasks and building confidence in their writing.
The package includes sample responses to key exam questions using the scaffolds. These resources are perfect for helping students with additional needs master the skills required for creative reading and writing in the AQA curriculum.
These resources are tailored to support teachers preparing students for the AQA, GCSE English Language exam, with a particular focus on Paper 1. They are suitable for students with additional needs such as dyslexia and autism because they include scaffolds to write their response. This is an effective way to prepare students to write answers independently.
As well as a practice paper, the unit provides writing scaffolds, model paragraphs and structured responses, to help students develop their skills in analyzing texts and constructing well-developed answers.
The materials guide students through understanding how writers use language, structure, and setting to create meaning, with specific emphasis on psychological fiction.
Additionally, for the writing section the resources offer detailed sentence frames and writing prompts, making them suitable for students who may benefit from extra support in breaking down tasks and building confidence in their writing.
The package includes sample responses to key exam questions using the scaffolds. These resources are perfect for helping students with additional needs master the skills required for creative reading and writing in the AQA curriculum
This resource is designed to support teachers preparing students for the AQA, GCSE, English Literature exam, specifically focusing on the opening of Romeo and Juliet, Act 3, Scene 1. The resource offers comprehensive tools to help students analyse key themes, such as conflict, honor, and fate, while providing structured guidance to tackle extract-based questions.
The Unit Contains:
Two Practice Question Prompt: These questions focus on the theme of conflict in the play.
Model Answer: One model answer is provided to show the structure of a successful response. The paragraphs include sub-headings to show the stage of writing.
PEEL-based Plan: A step-by-step guide that helps students structure their responses to extract questions, incorporating close textual analysis and linking themes from the extract to the play as a whole.
Additional Resources to Support Lower Ability
Novel-Style Rewrite of Act 3, Scene 1: To make Shakespeare’s language more accessible, the opening of this pivotal scene has been re-imagined as a prose narrative. This helps students grasp the underlying emotions, character motivations, and tension in the scene.
Glossary of difficult vocabulary: A detailed breakdown of challenging terms from the extract, such as “consort,” “minstrels,” and “villain,” allowing students to fully understand Shakespeare’s language.
Why Use This Resource?
Accessibility: The novel-style rewrite and glossary make the text approachable for students of varying abilities, particularly those who may struggle with Shakespearean language.
Exam-focused: The model essays and PEEL structure help students develop exam-ready responses, teaching them to analyze language, character, and theme systematically.
Contextual Depth: The resource encourages students to reflect on historical context, linking Shakespeare’s themes to Elizabethan beliefs about honour, fate, and conflict.
This resource will equip your students with the tools to confidently engage with Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet in preparation for the AQA, GCSE exam.
Enhance your teaching of the AQA, English Language, Paper One with this resource pack designed to support educators in delivering engaging and effective lessons. This unit includes an in-depth analysis guide for the extract question a descriptive writing and narrative writing enhancement guide/model.
The practice paper and model texts are tailored to help students navigate the complexities of the extract, equipping them with the skills needed to excel in their exams.
It explicitly shows how to analyse language techniques and structural devices to respond to a text called, ‘Beneath the Silence’. It also develops critical thinking skills for the evaluation question.
The writing section provides a picture prompt and narrative question along with model responses. To assist struggling writers and readers, key vocabulary and phrases are provided before reading the texts.
Along with this, there is an ‘Adjectives for Setting’ vocabulary list to provide students with vocabulary to evaluate the language used to portray setting.
The unit is an effective tool to support students for GCSE, AQA, Paper One!
This dyslexia friendly, Year 6 SATS resource is designed to help students with additional needs familiarise themselves with the SATS Reading Paper. It contains three texts along with activities to help students read and understand the type of texts they will encounter in the exam.
Key Features:
Spelling and Vocabulary Development: Students will learn to spell complex words through a syllable-based color-coding system, making challenging vocabulary accessible and memorable. This approach not only improves spelling but also boosts pronunciation and fluency.
Meaning Exploration: Each text is accompanied by a vocabulary section, encouraging students to tick unfamiliar words and engage in dictionary skills or discussions with peers and adults. This deepens their understanding of language and fosters a love for words.
Fluency Practice: With timed reading exercises, students can track their reading speed and accuracy, promoting fluency and confidence. Multiple readings encourage improvement, allowing students to see their progress over time.
Engaging Texts: Featuring three captivating extracts - The Majestic Blue Whale, Against the Ramp, and Whispers of the Hive - students will be immersed in diverse topics that inspire curiosity and discussion. These texts are designed to resonate with students, sparking their imagination and enhancing comprehension skills.
SATS Style Questions: Prepare your students for assessments with shorter questions that mimic the SATS format. Students can collaborate in pairs to tackle comprehension questions, reinforcing their understanding while building teamwork skills.
An additional SATS tips text is provided to share with the students prior to the exam.
Equip your students with the tools they need to excel in reading while fostering a passion for literature. Our resource is not just a tool; it’s a pathway to building lifelong learners who are confident in their reading abilities.
This comprehensive resource on Chapter One is designed to help GCSE English Literature teachers guide students through the key themes, characters, and plot of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - Chapter One using drama and discussion activities. It is particularly suited to students who find reading challenging.
What’s Included:
Speaking and Listening Tasks: Students explore essential themes like duality, reputation, and social responsibility through targeted speaking and listening questions. These activities encourage discussion, helping students to articulate their thoughts on Victorian values, morality, and the nature of evil as portrayed in Jekyll and Hyde.
Drama Activities and Play-Script: A play-script based on Chapter 1, The Story of the Door, allows students to perform key scenes. This hands-on approach deepens their understanding of the novella by actively engaging with the characters and narrative. Role-playing the interactions between Mr. Utterson, Mr. Hyde, and Mr. Enfield provides insight into the novel’s tension and atmosphere.
Character Analysis and Themes: Through activities like tableau, role on the wall, and conscience alley, students explore characters’ psychological depth and internal conflicts, while also reflecting on important themes such as secrecy, urban isolation, and morality.
Monologue Writing and Performance: Students write internal monologues from the perspectives of major characters like Mr. Utterson, Mr. Enfield, or Mr. Hyde. This writing exercise encourages students to delve into character motivations, moral dilemmas, and thematic concerns, followed by a performance to bring these reflections to life.
Glossary and Key Vocabulary: A glossary of challenging words from the text ensures that students can engage with the language and understand the novella’s more complex vocabulary, facilitating deeper comprehension. A reading activity is included to improve fluency and pronunciation when reading passages from Chapter One.
Learning Outcomes:
Deep Understanding of Themes: Students will develop a nuanced understanding of the novel’s themes, such as duality, reputation, and evil.
Character Insight: Through drama and monologue writing, students will gain a deeper emotional and intellectual connection to the characters.
Speaking, Listening, and Writing Skills: These activities promote critical thinking, discussion, and extended writing, preparing students for GCSE exam success.
This resource offers an interactive and creative way for students to explore Jekyll and Hyde, making complex themes and characters accessible through drama and collaborative learning.
This booklet is designed to improve the use of verbs for analysing language - it is aimed at GCSE students with additional needs such as dyslexia. Students will leanr how to use verbs such as amplifies, suggests, conveys and connotes to write about an extract or picture prompt. In total twenty-nine verbs are presented which can be used to analyse language and structure.
For students who struggle with reading fluency and spelling, it contains an activity to copy the targeted verb using colour coded syllables. This will aid visual memory and help to remember how to write the targeted verbs and use in their writing.
This is followed by definitions and examples of each verb used in context.
There is a picture prompt and an extract prompt which students have to use to practise their own use of the verbs.
Finally, a separate, gap fill activity is provided to deepen their understanding of the verbs and how they can be used.
For students with additional needs such as dyslexia, ADHD and autism, targeted and explicit language work is required to help develop academic language use. The booklet will improve students’ use of language to analyse the language used in an extract!
Aimed at students who struggle to write GCSE, English Literature essays, this short unit provides an essay scaffold and model essay on the importance of setting in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.
An essay prompt and extract, taken from Chapter Eight, is provided which focuses on a description of Victorian London. The question requires comparison with the wider novella.
To support students with this task, an essay scaffold is included. It provides paragraph and sentence openers to help structure their ideas and analysis.
After writing their own response, students read a model essay based on this scaffold. They can compare their own work with this piece of writing.
To assist with vocabulary, students can use an adjective sheet to write sentences about Victorian London.
The resource is invaluable in demonstrating the features of a successful essay and will give them the confidence to write their own response!
This comprehensive guide is designed to help GCSE students excel in both the reading and descriptive writing sections of AQA, English Language Paper 1. It provides clear, practical strategies for approaching each type of question, with step-by-step advice and model responses tailored to exam requirements.
Reading Section:
Extract and Practice Questions: The extract is taken from a psychological narrative set in the the mid 20th Century. Typical AQA questions are provided to assess comprehension.
In-Depth Question Guidance: Detailed advice on how to respond to each question type, from basic information retrieval to deeper analysis and evaluation.
Model Answers: Example responses to show students how to structure answers, use subject-specific vocabulary, and apply evaluative language.
Exam Skills: Strategies to help students identify key information, understand how to interpret language and structure, and analyze the writer’s techniques effectively.
Descriptive Writing Section:
Practice questions: A picture prompt and story writing task is provided.
Exam-Specific Tips: Tailored advice for AQA, Paper 1.
Model Descriptive Paragraphs: High-quality example paragraphs that demonstrate effective use of descriptive techniques and language choices.
An additional resource which contains a template on how to use adjective sentence openers in descriptive or narrative writing is provided. This will help students write engaging, creative writing pieces. Also, there is a selected literary terms word search.
Perfect For:
Teachers seeking comprehensive resources for teaching both reading and descriptive writing skills
Students aiming to improve their understanding of reading comprehension and creative writing techniques
Tutors looking to support students with exam preparation for AQA, English Language, Paper 1
This guide will help students build confidence in their reading and writing skills, offering structured guidance and practical tools for exam success.
Metaphors in Shakespeare’s texts can be difficult for students to understand. This unit explains some of the key metaphors used in Macbeth and prepares students for their GCSE, English Literature exam.
The unit includes a booklet to explain the key metaphors in depth and provides context to the quotations. To help students with additional needs, vocabulary lists are provided. The student can use these to identify meaning, and learn how to read/spell them.
There is a key quotation list provided separately. Students can use this to learn them by rote.
Finally, there is an assessment section using a short extract that includes one of the metaphors. This is accompanied with a marking rubric and sample answer.
This GCSE, English Language, writing unit is based on an persuasive task about why they should choose a charity fund raiser. It contains a model answer, a spelling activity, a speaking and listening task and a grammar component.
The unit has been successfully used to raise the attainment of students who struggle to move into the Grade 4 and 5 bracket.
Once the student has completed the tasks there are two independent writing activities to assess the understanding of the components of GCSE, persuasive writing.
It is ideal for SENCOs, teachers and English language coordinators. It offers excellent value and the unit should provide three to four lessons of content.
The bundle includes a range of GCSE, English Language Writing materials. It includes model answers, spelling activities, key vocabulary, engaging images, plans, independent writing activities and marking rubrics.
Although aimed at the AQA writing papers, the bundle will support all the GCSE exam boards. It includes materials to support:
descriptive writing
persuasive/argumentative writing
creative writing
Each unit is structured in an easy to follow format based on model texts. They are useful for students with additional needs who need explicit language support to achieve a higher grade in their GCSE, English Language writing.
They have been proven to raise attainment because of the strategies used, namely grammar in context and modeling.
The value for money bundle offers weeks of writing support and is beneficial for teachers, English coordinators, teaching assistants and SENDCOs!
This is an invaluable resource for SEN students who are studying Macbeth for GCSE English Literature.
Using techniques aimed at students with speech and language issues, the picture book provides prompts for students to engage with the text.
The pictures capture the visual and symbolic elements of the play and can be used to discuss key themes and language presented in Act One of the GCSE text.
Each picture is imaginative and visually striking which will engage students who struggle with Shakespearean language and do not enjoy the play. The pictures are accompanied with a caption aimed to scaffold their response to the play and lead them to using more literary and academic language.
At the end of the picture section, there are some ideas how to use questions to gain more understanding and how to develop language.
This resource is ideal for students with additional needs such as dyslexia, ADHD and AS. It can be used as a way to begin a lesson or to support students who require small group or individual support. SENCOs, Teaching Assistants and teachers who support students with additional needs will benefit from the resource. It will help them succeed in responding to Macbeth and improve their performance in the English Literature, GCSE exam.
These booklets support GCSE, English Language teachers in delivering sessions on how to write PEEL paragraphs for the GCSE, English Language Exam: Fiction. It can be used for all English Language exam boards. There are two booklets - content detailed below.
*Responding to Conflict in GCSE, Fictional Texts *
This booklet provides GCSE English Language teachers with a structured resource for teaching students how to analyze and respond to conflict in fictional texts. Through carefully crafted short extracts, students are introduced to the PEEL (Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link) method, enabling them to develop clear, focused, and detailed responses to exam-style questions.
The booklet includes:
Three short fictional extracts showcasing different types of conflict: sibling arguments, teacher-student confrontations, and relationship disagreements.
Exam-style questions designed to guide students in identifying and analyzing language techniques.
Model PEEL responses for each extract, providing clear examples of how to structure answers effectively.
Extension exercises encouraging deeper engagement with themes of conflict, tension, and emotional dynamics.
This resource is perfect for teachers looking to improve students’ ability to interpret language, explore character relationships, and construct coherent analytical paragraphs.
Exploring Psychological Narratives with PEEL
This booklet focuses on developing students’ analytical writing skills through psychological narratives. Designed to engage students with complex emotional and mental themes, it includes extracts and exercises aligned with GCSE English Language exam criteria.
Key features include:
Short, rich extracts that explore anxiety, unease, and suspense, giving students an opportunity to analyze subtle language techniques.
Exam-style comprehension questions targeting skills such as interpreting metaphor, personification, and sensory imagery.
A model PEEL paragraph for each extract, showcasing how to structure responses to achieve higher marks.
Step-by-step guidance on writing effective topic sentences, selecting precise evidence, and linking ideas back to the question.
This booklet provides GCSE English Language teachers with a versatile tool to challenge students’ critical thinking and help them refine their analytical writing!
This A Christmas Carol resource is designed to help GCSE, English Literature teachers guide students in analyzing the theme of redemption in Charles Dickens’ novella. An extract from Stave Two is provided alongside the question: ‘How does Dickens present the theme of redemption in this extract and in the novella as a whole?’ This allows students to focus their analysis on specific text examples while linking back to the novella’s broader themes.
Tailored for both classroom learning and independent study, the resource includes:
Model Essay Response - A detailed and well-structured exemplar response that explores how Dickens presents redemption through vivid imagery, symbolism, and character development. The essay addresses the novella as a whole, focusing on the role of each Spirit in Scrooge’s transformation.
Key Vocabulary and Analytical Phrases - A curated list of phrases such as “transformative power of redemption,” “motif of light as a symbol of enlightenment,” and “systemic inequalities of Victorian England.” This vocabulary aids students in developing high-quality responses.
Storyboard summaries of Stave Two to provide visual and contextual support for the extract. Ideal for paired discussions and comprehension.
Independent Extract Tasks - Another extract is provided to assess students’ understanding of text analysis and thematic understanding.
This resource equips students with the tools to critically evaluate the text while ensuring they meet assessment objectives. Perfect for building analytical skills and boosting confidence for exam responses.
This Christmas Quiz is aimed at GCSE, English Literature students studying the novella, A Christmas Carol. It includes a Key Quotation Quiz, A general A Christmas Carol Quiz and an additional word search.
The key quotation quiz involves identifying the person who said the quotation in each stave of the novella. The student has to achieve five in a row, one from each Stave, to achieve redemption. A board and tokens is provided.
The general quiz includes easy - medium -difficult questions. The first to collect 15 marks wins. There are a variety of question types such as true - false, multiple choice and gap fill.
An additional key themes word search is provided.
All quizzes have answers provided.
The booklet provides an extract and model answer with key vocabulary which is colour coded so that students can practice reading and spelling. It also provides the colour code to enable teachers to write further key vocabulary for their student to practice.
The booklet starts with an extract from Act 2, Scene 2. Difficult words are coded to practice fluency.
Then there is a model paragraph with a key word list.
The rest of the essay is provided for students to read.
Finally, students have opportunity to write a response for themselves.
The booklet is an excellent template for teachers to use to make further resources!
This GCSE, Vocabulary course focuses on the academic words needed to succeed in the GSCE, English Language course. It is suitable for GCSE students, often with a good verbal ability, who struggle to express their language using formal language.
There is a section focused on targeted words from the Academic Word List. It contains speaking and listening activities, gap fill tasks and an explanation of the body language and facial expression linked with some of the words. This should aid narrative writing.
It also contains graphic organisers to analyse key meanings and story examples to help learn key words.
There is an assessment to help understand if students have grasped the key vocabulary.
Also included are a reading and wordsearch activity and discussion questions.
Finally, there are two units to explore how to write about vocabulary in a GCSE examination.
I have also added a free vocabulary unit - Reading Response - Analysing Situations! This will provide you with a list of words to analyse situations.
The course is excellent for English coordinators, SENCOs and TAs who want to run targeted groups for students who are verbally strong but struggle to use academic language. Since vocabulary is a key component of comprehension and writing, the course has proved successful in helping underachieving GCSE English Language students succeed!
The booklet is aimed at students who struggle to learn phonic sounds and read or write these sounds incorrectly within a word, It offers a unique visual approach in which students draw the word so that they can memorise the key spelling pattern.
This particular unit focuses on the long AI sound. After drawing the words, there is a visual sentence activity and an opportunity to write a sentence by using a photographic prompt.
The approach used in the booklet has been very successful in supporting students with dyslexic or other memory based difficulties.