Based on the GCSE, English Language, AQA Paper 1, Questions 2, 3 and 5, this unit supports students through model answers and suggested responses. The key GCSE, English Language reading text is from the Sci-Fi genre and the writing questions also cover this text type.
The unit is split into a reading and a writing section. The reading component contains a key reading text, a vocabulary task to aid understanding and suggested responses to questions 2 and 3. The second section contains a picture prompt question and a story writing task. A model response to each of these writing questions is also provided.
There are two plans to help student structure their own writing responses.
The unit helps students who struggle to understand the language they need to use for a reading response and for writing descriptively. It is ideal for teachers, SENDCOs and teaching assistants. The unit would also be ideal for a revision session for Paper 1.
Based on the AQA (GCSE) Q5, Paper 1, the unit focuses on the ability to use a range of sentence openers and vocabulary to describe clothes.
Writing in depth description of the clothes people wear is complicated. This unit uses model paragraphs, a vocabulary list, pictures, independent writing tasks and a marking rubric to guide GCSE, English Language students to improve their description of people.
Although aimed at AQA, English Language students, the unit is useful for GCSE students who wish to improve their creative writing and descriptions.
The unit has proved successful in raising the attainment of students who struggle with this skill.
This Functional Skills Level 2 Reading and Writing pack contains resources designed to assist students, particularly those with dyslexia, in improving their reading, writing, and critical thinking skills. Below is an overview of each text and how these will benefit dyslexic students and students with additional needs:
The Writing Guide booklet focuses on writing persuasive emails and letters, with exercises that enhance vocabulary, sentence construction, and persuasive techniques. It also includes a model email, gap fill exercises, and writing tasks that are practical and relevant.
Benefits for Dyslexic Students: The incremental approach to building writing skills, starting with spelling and sentence construction and progressing to full writing tasks, supports dyslexic students by scaffolding the learning process. The model email serves as a concrete example, helping students visualize the final product. Gap fill exercises reinforce vocabulary and sentence structure, making the task of writing less daunting.
The Reading Skills Guide focuses on the reading skills needed to answer questions in functional skills exams, including identifying main ideas, making inferences, understanding tone and purpose, and analyzing text structure. It also provides quizzes to reinforce learning.
Benefits for Dyslexic Students: The explicit teaching of reading strategies, such as identifying main ideas and making inferences, helps dyslexic students approach reading tasks with confidence. The quizzes and exercises provide opportunities for practice and self-assessment, reinforcing the skills needed to navigate and understand complex texts. The emphasis on understanding text structure and layout is particularly beneficial for students who struggle with reading comprehension.
A Persuasive Writing Plan and Rubric document provides a structured framework for writing persuasive essays. It includes criteria for evaluating persuasive writing, audience analysis, research and evidence gathering, and step-by-step guidance for organizing an essay. It also includes a checklist for revision, ensuring that all essential elements of a persuasive essay are addressed.
Benefits for Dyslexic Students: The clear and organized layout helps dyslexic students break down the essay-writing process into manageable steps. The visual structure, including bullet points and organized sections, aids in understanding and retention. Additionally, the checklist reinforces self-assessment and helps students focus on key areas to improve their writing.
This unit includes a series of 11 plus, reading passages from well-known literary works, along with comprehension assessments tailored for dyslexic 11 plus students or students with additional needs such as autism or ADHD. The key features are:
Dyslexia-Friendly Design: The texts and activities are formatted to be accessible for students with dyslexia, including the use of double spacing and different colors for syllables in multisyllabic words.
Focus on Key Vocabulary: It highlights challenging words from the texts, breaking them down into syllables to aid spelling and pronunciation practice.
Key Phrases for Practice: Select phrases are provided for students to rehearse, enhancing their understanding of language use and meaning.
Comprehension Questions: Each text is followed by a series of questions designed to assess students’ understanding and analytical skills. These questions include identifying literary techniques, discussing the use of language, and continuing narratives using descriptive language. The comprehension assessment is in a similar format to the 11 plus exam.
Understanding Metaphor, Simile, and Personification
This resource focuses on the use of figurative language, specifically metaphors, similes, and personification, within literary texts, a key feature of the 11 plus assessment. The key aspects include:
Definitions and Examples: Clear explanations of metaphors, similes, and personification are provided, along with examples from literature.
Analytical Questions: The document includes questions that prompt students to identify and analyze the use of these figurative language elements in given passages. This helps in developing a deeper understanding of how authors use language to convey meaning and create imagery.
Practice Tasks: Students are encouraged to find their own examples and create sentences using metaphors, similes, and personification, fostering creativity and application skills.
These resources are designed to enhance literary comprehension and critical thinking skills among students with additional needs, making them well-prepared for the analytical demands of the 11 plus Examinations.
Do your GCSE, English Literature students struggle with Shakespeare? This “Romeo and Juliet” educational package is designed specifically for GCSE English Literature students, especially those with additional needs like dyslexia. It can be difficult to understand the language and themes of this classic play, so I have created resources that break the play down into manageable, engaging parts.
What’s Inside:
Simplified Summaries: Clear and concise summaries of each act and scene, written in accessible language to help students grasp the plot without getting bogged down by Shakespearean English. Each section is accompanied with a key word activity to help them read the sections more easily.
Character Outlines: Detailed character outlines with key words highlighted. Each character is accompanied with a visual prompt.
Detailed Essay Plans: Step-by-step essay plans on key themes such as fate, love, societal conflict, and the role of authority. These plans include topic sentences, evidence, and detailed analyses to help students structure their essays effectively. Students can use the plans to help write their own responses.
Interactive Quizzes: Fun and interactive quizzes to test comprehension and reinforce learning. Perfect for revision and self-assessment.
Visual Aids: Helpful visual aids that highlight important characters, themes, and plot points to aid visual learners.
Special Features for Dyslexic Students: A glossary section and structured notes support students with dyslexia and other additional needs in their learning journey.
The package is crafted with the understanding that every student learns differently. “Romeo and Juliet Made Easy” is invaluable for mastering this timeless tragedy and helps make Shakespeare accessible and enjoyable for struggling students. It provides an excellent support for students with additional needs!
The bundle is ideal for teaching Macbeth to learners with additional needs.
It includes language activities to learn key phrases, sentences and paragraphs that are needed to talk and write about the text. Ideal for dyslexic students, it utilises colour codes to remember spelling patterns and important details.
Each resource includes visuals to help students and reinforce concepts. There is a model essay, study notes and in depth speaking and listening activities. The language activities set the booklets apart from other resources.
The bundle is a great set of resources to teach Macbeth for GCSE English Literature in an accessible way.
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!
Ideal for teaching GCSE English Literature, this bundle contains lesson plans and model essays based on the extract questions (AQA), although it can be adapted for other exam boards. Extracts from Act 1, Scene 5 and Act 2, Scene 2 are covered. The language rich activities, mean they are suitable for SEN and ESL learners.
These short units are invaluable to support teaching how to write a GCSE, reading response essay. They provide an extract, model essay, lesson plan, marking rubric and numerous language rich activities to aid understanding.
Presented in a concise and interesting format, both units start with the extract and two comprehension activities before they read the respective model GCSE essays.
Next, there is a spelling of key words activity and a reading fluency exercise to help familiarise students with the essay.
Finally, students can write independently about another part of the play and use a rubric to peers assess.
The units provide an engaging framework in which to teach the extract question for GCSE English Literature. It would also save invaluable time for a lesson observation.
Using vocabulary taken from the a key abstract noun list, the programme introduces language commonly used in reading texts from the SATs English, Reading and Writing papers. Research indicates that explicit teaching of vocabulary improves comprehension and writing.
The 41 page course is suitable for a whole school approach to improve the comprehension and use of formal vocabulary across the curriculum. It is an ideal resource for SENCOs, English Language/Literacy Coordinators, English subject leads, teachers and leaders. It is useful for students who need to improve attainment and move into the SATs bands 5 and above.
Each section of the main booklet includes picture prompts, speaking and listening activities and gap fills to familiarise students with the targeted words. There is a ‘Show not Tell’ section, which helps students with narrative writing and a story writing activity to show understanding of the key noun. For some words, there are model stories to read with the students.
Also provided is a vocabulary graphic order, a vocabulary list and an assessment when the programme has been completed.
The resource will improve comprehension and is an effective way to target struggling readers and writers for their SATsl.
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!
This GCSE persuasive writing resource includes key word spelling activities, questionnaires, two model essays a plan . It is ideal to use as part of KS3 and GCSE English Language lessons.
The model essays are a response to a persuasive task in which the reader has to persuade a headteacher about the inportance of contact sports and having junk food on the school menu.
There are two model answers to answer each of the GCSE, writing questions.
There is also an innovative spelling activity to help dyslexic students and a plan to help students write their own response.
As well as all this, there are two lesson plans if you want to deliver the sessions in school.
This resource is an excellent way to show students how to plan and write a GCSE persuasive essay!
This resource is a five-lesson unit aimed to improve persuasive writing skills and is ideal for GCSE level or equivalent. It includes teacher notes, five lesson plans and a student booklet. Uniquely, the unit is structured around a model response to a sample exam question. It looks at the vocabulary, grammar and overall structure of a persuasive letter and encourages the use of these skills in independent writing. The unit follows a sequence that includes an exam question analysis, a vocabulary and grammar in context set of activities, a comprehension exercise based on the model text and an independent writing section.
The Unit of work has proved to be an invaluable and proven way of moving pupils into the higher GCSE band and provides a structure of learning that can be applied to other forms of writing.
This Functional Skills Level 1/2 Writing and Level 2 Reading and Writing pack contains resources designed to assist students, particularly those with dyslexia, in improving their reading, writing, and critical thinking skills.
The dyslexia friendly, functional skills writing workbook includes a structured approach to improve writing by using model answers, questionnaires, plans and colour-coded spelling of key words. The questions are focused on improving a park and reviewing a visit to an amusement park.
Each section begins with typical writing questions on the Functional Skills (AQA) Paper.
The Level 2 Pack contains Writing model answers with grammar, vocabulary and spelling activities aimed to support struggling students. The reading section is accompanied by a graphic organiser and vocabulary organiser.
These Functional Skills materials provide structured, step-by-step approaches to reading and writing, which are crucial for dyslexic students or students with additional needs. By breaking down complex tasks into manageable steps and using visual aids, these resources help students build confidence and competence in their literacy skills. The focus on organization, clear instructions, and practice exercises make these tools especially effective for supporting students with dyslexia in achieving academic success.
Ideal for teaching An Inspector Calls to dyslexic students, this bundle contains model answers, reading fluency tasks, keyword spelling activities and essay questions.
The units focus on the characters Gerald, Eric, Birling, Eva Smith and Sheila, offering differentiated activities ideal for students with additional needs.
There is a colour-code spelling activity to help students read and remember words to describe each character, along with gap fill activities to use these in context.
Each unit contains a typical English Literature exam question, a model, PEEL paragraph and extension activities to write their own paragraphs.
Key quotations and reading texts are provided to further support students.
This is an ideal resource to teach Inspector Calls to students with additional needs and deepen an understanding of how to write about the key characters!
This AQA, English Language resource focuses on the text structure question (Q3)found in Paper One. It provides explanation texts to cover subject specific terminology such as focus, flashback, foreshadowing etc, along with quizzes and comprehension activities.
It contains texts, model responses and detailed mark schemes to help students understand how to write a reading response answer for this question. The texts are broken down into paragraph sections to enable a step by step approach.
The explanation texts to explain subject terminology are followed by comprehension tasks to ensure understanding of the terms and there are quizzes to further embed the definitions.
A separate unit is devoted to flashback with a text and an AQA style question.
The unit has proved successful in providing students with the knowledge and language needed to successfully respond to what can be a challenging part of the reading paper!
It is suitable for GCSE, English Language students who struggle to express their ideas using the correct terminology and structure and will be an excellent revision programme in the run up to the exams.
The unit contains resources and lesson plans to teach descriptive writing in a structured and successful way.
It contains picture prompts, a model answer, a five senses analysis sheet, a planning sheet and independent task.
Using the model and analysis sheets, the unit shows students how to be successful writers in the descriptive genre. It has proved highly successful in improving the writing of GCSE students!
The unit contains resources and lesson plans to teach descriptive writing in a structured and successful way.
It contains picture prompts, a model answer, a five senses analysis sheet, a planning sheet and independent task.
Using the model and analysis sheets, the unit shows students how to be successful writers in the descriptive genre. It has proved highly successful in improving the writing of GCSE students!
This bundle includes everything you need to teach students how to plan, structure and write an essay for the English Literature, GCSE examination - An Inspector Calls.
It covers essay themes such as social responsibility, discrimination, the role of women and inequality. There is a key extracts section which includes a selection of quotations related to the question. This is followed by a writing scaffold which students use to structure their essay and model answers.
Follow up essay questions are provided to assess whether students have learnt the required skills.
Each unit is accompanied with either quizzes, glossaries and summaries to reinforce the learning.
A play summary unit is also included in the bundle to provide an overview of the play.
This comprehensive GCSE, English Literature pack is designed to support students of middle to low ability in mastering Charles Dickens’ classic novella, ensuring success in their exams. Whether you are looking for in-depth analysis, revision materials, or creative exercises, this bundle has it all. It is perfect for both classroom use and independent study, offering a structured, engaging approach to the text.
The first pack focuses on unlocking a deeper understanding of A Christmas Carol through model answers, writing frames, and key vocabulary. It is especially beneficial for students with additional needs, providing a structured approach to essay writing and exam preparation. Students will be able to explore critical themes like death, isolation, and poverty while sharpening their skills in literary analysis, textual evidence, and essay structuring. This resource ensures that learners build the confidence needed to tackle exam questions with ease.
The second pack offers a detailed breakdown of each stave in the novella, with fifteen carefully selected extracts accompanied by comprehension questions, language analysis, and critical thinking prompts. These activities are designed to help students of all levels understand Dickens’ use of language and narrative perspective. The resource is ideal for revision, self-study, or boosting classroom discussions, providing an interactive and thought-provoking approach to the novella’s major themes and characters.
The third pack is perfect for students who learn best through hands-on activities, as it includes a drama version of key moments from each stave. This play version helps bring A Christmas Carol to life, allowing students to engage with the text in a dynamic and memorable way. Alongside this, the study guide and vocabulary pack offer a detailed examination of key themes, characters, and quotations, ensuring that even the most complex aspects of the novella are accessible to all learners.
Overall, this bundle is an essential toolkit for GCSE English Literature students studying A Christmas Carol. It provides a structured, supportive, and creative way to explore the novella, helping students to unlock their potential and achieve top marks in their exams.
The pack is ideal for GCSE, English Literature students studying Macbeth and is differentiated for students with additional needs.
It contains model essay gap fill activities based on six essays with key words colour coded and a plan to help students plan independent essays based on extracts from Act One.
It also contains resources to teach Act 1, Scene 2 and Act 2, Scene 1 in an engaging way - ideal for reluctant learners. Each of these packs contains a ‘Gangster’ version of the scene, an illustrated, original scene along with quizzes and comic strips to aid understanding.
I am providing a unit on Key Metaphors in Macbeth for free! (Usually costs £1.89)
These resources are differentiated to support students with additional needs and have proved successful in raising attainment!