A PowerPoint that demonstrates the structure of GCSE Language Paper 2, Section A (AQA 8700/2) and the skills that examiners are looking for. Source A is a Guardian article entitled ‘Filthy water poisons the people of Dhaka’s festering slums’ (Link provided on slide) Source B is an extract from Henry Mayhew’s ‘A Visit to the Cholera Districts in Bermondsey’, published in 1849. This PowerPoint covers Section A only but there are sample answers included for each question, 1-4. If you can obtain a copy of the 8700/2 mark scheme, you may wish to encourage learners to mark the sample responses. Appropriate for middle-upper ability learners.

A 36-slide powerpoint based on the Sergeant’s speech in Act 1 in which honour is a key theme and Macbeth is introduced. The PowerPoint covers: The meaning of the word honour Using the word honour as a noun and a verb and honourably as an adverb AO3 Contextual information in relation to honour An animated modern translation of the extract The question at hand The requirements of a Level 3 response + a sample answer with feedback The requirements of a Level 5 response + a sample answer with feedback The requirements of a Level 7+ response + sample answer with feedback I believe the responses are of the standard required for the specified levels - they may be slightly higher in places - but if you have any comments on the above please email me. The address is at the ‘top’ of my shop. The cover image illustrates an extract from the 7+ response.

A PowerPoint that demonstrates the structure of GCSE Language Paper 2, Section A (AQA 8700/2) and the skills that examiners are looking for. Source A is an extract from ‘The Seven Curses of London’ by James Greenwood. (19th Century Non-Fiction) Source B is a Guardian article entitled ‘On the Streets of Binge Britain’. (Link provided on slide) This PowerPoint covers Section A only but there are sample answers included for each question, 1-4. If you can obtain a copy of the 8700/2 mark scheme, you may wish to encourage learners to mark the sample responses. Appropriate for middle-upper ability learners.

An 89-slide PowerPoint that provides the full text of ‘Macbeth’, Act Two, translated and annotated. The PPT uses layered text boxes with translations appearing first in blue, followed by analysis and critical commentary in different colours. The annotations include: AO3 detailed contextual background information and its relationship with the text (e.g. features of Greek tragedy, biblical allusions, cultural expectations of women, fear of witches etc.) Analysis of writer’s methods Analysis of effects of structural devices There are a series of comprehension and analysis activities to work through and the PPT will indicate when these should be undertaken. With the appropriate school licence, this could be uploaded onto a network and accessed by students for revision. NB: on the cover image, the translations may be hidden under additional text boxes. However, they do exist!

A 115-slide PowerPoint that provides the full text of ‘Macbeth’, Act Four, translated and annotated. The PPT uses layered text boxes with translations appearing first in blue, followed by analysis and critical commentary in different colours. The annotations include: AO3 detailed contextual background information and its relationship with the text (e.g. features of Greek tragedy, biblical allusions, cultural expectations of women, fear of witches etc.) Analysis of writer’s methods Analysis of effects of structural devices There are a series of comprehension and analysis activities to work through and the PPT will indicate when these should be undertaken. With the appropriate school licence, this could be uploaded onto a network and accessed by students for revision. NB: on the cover image, the translations may be hidden under additional text boxes. However, they do exist!

A 9-10 week unit of work aimed at upper ability Year 8 learners. The activities are based on a range of extracts that focus on popular female literary characters. Links are provided to the relevant extracts which are from: ‘Great Expectations’ (sample answer included) ‘The Hunger Games’ ‘Gone With the Wind’ (sample answer included) ‘Wuthering Heights’ There are also activities that focus on Roald Dahl’s Miss Trunchbull (from ‘Matilda’) and Mrs Pratchett (From ‘Boy’). Lastly, learners read and explore ‘The Lady of Shalott’ (Tennyson). The assessment tasks focus on two different extracts from ‘The Hunger Games’. This unit of work uses AQA 8700/1-style questions but could be adapted with other exam boards in mind.

A 100-slide PowerPoint that provides the full text of ‘Macbeth’, Act Three, translated and annotated. The PPT uses layered text boxes with translations appearing first in blue, followed by analysis and critical commentary in different colours. The annotations include: AO3 detailed contextual background information and its relationship with the text (e.g. features of Greek tragedy, biblical allusions, cultural expectations of women, fear of witches etc.) Analysis of writer’s methods Analysis of effects of structural devices There are a series of comprehension and analysis activities to work through and the PPT will indicate when these should be undertaken. With the appropriate school licence, this could be uploaded onto a network and accessed by students for revision. NB: on the cover image, the translations may be hidden under additional text boxes. However, they do exist!

A PowerPoint that demonstrates the structure of GCSE Language Paper 2, Section A (AQA 8700/2) and the skills that examiners are looking for. Source A is an article entitled ‘London’s Pauper Children’ in which Charles Dickens describes his visit to the Norwood Pauper School in the summer of 1850. Source B is a ‘Guardian’ article about Ian Mikardo School in London’s east end, published in 2014. Link provided on slide. This PowerPoint covers Section A only but there are sample answers included for each question, 1-4. If you can obtain a copy of the 8700/2 mark scheme, you may wish to encourage learners to mark the sample responses. Appropriate for middle-upper ability learners.

A highly simplifed re-writing of Act Three of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ in modern English. There are 8 pages at font size 14. Written for a Year 9 nurture group.

A highly simplifed re-writing of Act One of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ in modern English. There are just over 6 pages at font size 14. Written for a Year 9 nurture group.

A 99-slide PowerPoint that provides the full text of ‘Macbeth’, Act Five, translated and annotated. The PPT uses layered text boxes with translations appearing first in blue, followed by analysis and critical commentary in different colours. The annotations include: AO3 detailed contextual background information and its relationship with the text (e.g. features of Greek tragedy, biblical allusions, cultural expectations of women, fear of witches etc.) Analysis of writer’s methods Analysis of effects of structural devices There are a series of comprehension and analysis activities to work through and the PPT will indicate when these should be undertaken. With the appropriate school licence, this could be uploaded onto a network and accessed by students for revision. NB: on the cover image, the translations may be hidden under additional text boxes. However, they do exist!

A highly simplifed re-writing of Act Four of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ in modern English. There are just over 4 pages at font size 14. Written for a Year 9 nurture group.

A learning mat that summarises the basic layout of an article and an essay and the structure of a full paragraph. Sold separately here but will eventually become part of a KS3 unti of work on article writing, all being well. Suited to higher ability KS3.

A 217-slide PowerPoint that aims to teach article writing at KS3. Learners read a range of broadsheet and tabloid texts on the theme of crime and punishment and complete reading and writing activities based on each. The article questions set are oriented towards AQA 8700 Paper 2, Question 5 but could be adapted for other boards. Links to each article and report are provided. The whole unit covers about 8-10 weeks and was written with a high ability year 8 group in mind. This resource includes a ZIP file containing 44 files including the core PowerPoint. If there are download issues, please email me at SD English using the email address provided in my shop front.

A full lesson on Heaney’s ‘Storm on the Island’. It incorporates: A brief scansion entry task Learners then read the poem and form initial impressions, giving reasons for their interpretations. There is then a vocabulary task relevant to the context of the poem. Learners read a sheet entitled 'Different Interpretations of ‘Storm on the Island’ which provides a brief introduction to the political situation in Northern Ireland. Learners use this information to respond to questions on a worksheet. Learners can then annotate the poem using a guidance sheet. The whole lesson is likely to take 1.5-2 hours approx. It is aimed at higher ability learners.

A PowerPoint that enables an exploration of ‘The Emigree’ by Carol Rumens. Learners begin with an entry task that encourages them to think about some relevant vocabulary and then explore the poem’s context in terms of Rumens’ interest in the poetry of Anna Akhmatova and Osip Mandelstam. A series of questions are provided to prompt annotation of the poem - this could be done in small groups or pairs. Learners should them complete the comparison table, thinking about how ‘The Emigree’ shares similar ideas with ‘Kamikaze’. There is an opportunity to explore a related poem as an unseen poetry task. For this, you will need copies of ‘I am not one who left their land’ by Anna Akhmatova. This lesson is aimed at upper ability learners and is likely to take about two hours approx.

A crossword that tests learners’ awareness of the following terms: foot quatrain enjambment blank verse tercet refrain sonnet personification iamb trochee stanza sestet A teacher copy with the answers is also provided. Could be used as a starter into an unseen poetry task. This document was last saved in Word 2016.

A highly simplifed re-writing of Act Two of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ in modern English. There are 5 pages at font size 14. Written for a Year 9 nurture group.