I'm an English teacher with 18 years teaching experience in the state and independent sectors. I've held TLRs for KS3 and KS5, am a GCSE examiner and have worked in education research and development. All my resources have been successfully tried and tested in the classroom.
I'm an English teacher with 18 years teaching experience in the state and independent sectors. I've held TLRs for KS3 and KS5, am a GCSE examiner and have worked in education research and development. All my resources have been successfully tried and tested in the classroom.
25 tried and tested reading and writing tasks offering differentiation/adaptive teaching opportunities across a wide range of activities. Flexible uses including as challenge/extension, starter or cover lesson tasks for use in the English classroom. Also ideal as homework.
Please see the separate descriptions (writing; reading - prose; reading - poetry) for more details.
A full lesson including an A* exemplar accents (language diversity) essay produced for my Year 12 AQA English Language students as a modelling example in the Autumn term and 22 slide PowerPoint.
This lesson guides Year 12 students through potential content for an AQA Paper 1 Section A evaluative essay (after I had taught the accents part of my accent and dialect SoW). This is followed by use of the exemplar essay to guide students through the AQA mark scheme and exemplify level 4 and some level 5 AO1 and AO2 success criteria.
Initially, I cut up the essay and asked students to organise it into an argument (AO1 level 4), then we discussed whether it guided the reader (AO1 level 5). We then explored the use of precise AO1 terminology and academic register before exploring evidence of detailed knowledge and comments on different views and approaches (AO2 level 4) and how some of these views were challenged and evaluated (AO2 level 5). The PowerPoint also helps students understand what the mark scheme wording means.
I then gave my students two new accents essay titles to choose from for their first A Level essay - details on PowerPoint.
All lesson details are on the PowerPoint with some additional tips/ideas/links in the notes sections.
This lesson proved a great success with high quality A Level essays produced by my students.
The AQA Paper 2 Section A mark scheme can be found on the AQA website.
28 page adaptable user-friendly handbook for English Language AS and A Level students. It was created specifically for the new AQA English Language AS/A Level specs, but could easily be adapted for another exam board. Contents include: an outline of both the AQA AS and A Level courses; an extensive glossary of linguistic terminology and examples with space for students to add more terminology they may come across; useful phrases to help create well-structured analyses; tips on how to analyse an extract and what contextual factors to consider; useful website links; a chart covering some key historical events affecting the evolution of the English Language with examples of lexis derived from those eras and space for students to record their assessment marks and targets.
Useful websites page updated in September 2020.
6 resources covering 3 lessons exploring the end of Frankenstein, key quotes, the Prometheus myth, themes and to encourage students to start thinking more carefully about links between Frankenstein and The Handmaid's Tale for their AS and A Level prose comparison exam paper. Resources include: 3 PowerPoints, starter quotes, student handout to help with group tasks and lesson plans.
These lessons come after the free resources I have uploaded for teaching Frankenstein, my SOW on The Handmaid's Tale and before the lessons comparing the two texts. They were created for the new English Literature Edexcel AS, but can be used for the full A Level too.
An excellent range of tried and tested resources for three engaging revision lessons on the key skills for AQA GCSE English Language Paper 1 (Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing) Section A: Reading. These lessons require no additional prep - just download, print out the word docs and you’re good to go.
Resources: a detailed PowerPoint for each lesson ( 16, 11 and 13 slides each), an extract from Game of Thrones, a question/answer booklet plus exemplar answers. These lessons include a range of interesting pair and whole class activities as well as individual tasks, self and peer assessment and reflections. Mark schemes for levels 2-4 are on the PowerPoints to aid assessment of student work and exemplars. Several activities have differentiation. Most slides have extra information in the notes sections to aid the busy teacher and task timings on relevant slides.
Lesson 1 focus is an overview of Paper 1 plus close attention to questions 1 and 2. Lesson 2 focuses on question 3. Lesson 3 on question 4. Each lesson fits into one hour with a starter task to help settle the class and encourage thinking about or using relevant skills. Each lesson also involves timed individual work on the relevant question. Self and peer assessment (guided by peer assessment of the exemplar answers) of all tasks cuts down teacher marking. DIRT is factored into lesson 2 (question 3) and homework tasks for lessons 1 and 3.
These lessons have proved highly successful with my Year 11 English classes in the final weeks before their GCSE exams.
Seven resources covering three lessons: two preparing students for a timed GCSE Lit exam style essay and one where students write the essay. Resources: three PowerPoints (one for each lesson: 15 slides, 6 slides and 1 slide); two example extracts with essay question (based on format from the new AQA GCSE English Literature specimen Paper 1 exam paper); example essay response to one of the example questions; the same example essay response to one of the example questions with key aspects of AOs high-lighted.
The lessons go over key success criteria from the AOs including some useful details on what could gain marks for AO3 (context). Also included is a checklist of success criteria, for example: WLA (word level analysis); subject terminology; effect on the audience. Differentiation ideas and extension tasks included.
Link to new AQA GCSE English Literature Paper 1 specimen mark scheme also included.
Lessons and resources specifically created as a pre-mock activity for my Year 10 class once we had finished studying the play.
32 page adaptable student handbook for AS / A Level English Literature students. It includes: an outline of the AS and A Level course, details on the assessment objectives, a useful glossary of literary terminology, tips on A Level essay writing (including a list of key phrases to help write well-structured and coherent essays) , critical approaches, context ideas, suggestions on the format of wider reading logs and reading journals, space for students to record essay marks and targets and AS mark sheets. Some of the information is adapted from the AS and A Level specification and online resources to help prepare students for the new specifications.
It was produced for the new Edexcel AS and A Level English Literature specification but can easily be adapted for another exam board.
It received very positive feedback from my students.
Resources (12 slide PowerPoint and comprehensive lesson plan) for a lesson analysing Scene 11 of A Streetcar Named Desire. This is lesson 16 of my SOW for Other Drama for the new Edexcel English Literature AS/A Level. However, it would be just an effective for the new AQA spec.
Extension tasks are included and there is a differentiation by task/group activity detailed.
Assessment objectives 2 and 3 are the focus of the lesson.
Two lessons (lessons 13 and 14 of my Year 10 SOW for the new AQA GCSE English Literature spec) covering key aspects of plot, character, relationships, themes, language and structural devices in Chapters 14 - 19 (final chapters of Volume One).
The specific AO focus for both lessons is AO2 (language and structure).
Both lessons include differentiation (extension tasks) and engaging starter tasks. Details of some student questions/tasks are written below the slides rather than on them.
Both lessons proved extremely successful with my Year 10 class this year.
Two lessons (lessons 11 and 12 of my Year 10 SOW for the new AQA GCSE English Literature spec) covering aspects of Chapters 8-13.
Lesson 11 focuses on character and the theme of social class.
Lesson 12 focuses on helping students develop annotation skills and understanding of what to look for in the AQA GCSE English Lit Paper 1 Section B extract (19th century novel - Great Expectations). The specific AO focus for the lesson is AO2.
Both lessons include differentiation tasks - extension task and differentiation by choice of extract in lesson 12. A homework task is also included.
Both lessons proved extremely successful with my Year 10 class this year.
Six resources detailing activities on Chapters 4, 6, 10, 11, 16 and a final choice of written task options after completing class reading of the novel.
Sheets on Chapters 4, 6, 10 and 11 include extracts from the novel I typed up to help focus pupils on specific significant sections of those chapters.
Most resources include extension tasks and the final chapters task sheet has differentiation by choice.
Two resources covering two lessons from my Year 10 Great Expectations SOW for the new AQA GCSE English Literature spec (the 19th century novel - Paper 1, Section B).
Lesson 17 covers Chapters 26 and 27 (Volume Two); it focuses on helping pupils explore alternative interpretations and achieve level 5 AO1 - thoughtful, developed responses. A variety of activities are included with extension tasks.
Lesson 18 covers Chapters 28-31 with an AO2 (exploring language and structure) focus. It also builds on the alternative interpretations work from the previous lesson. Extension tasks are included for the more able. A homework task is also included.
All the tasks worked well with my Year 10 class.
Three resources covering two lessons from my Year 10 Great Expectations SOW for the new AQA GCSE English Literature spec (the 19th century novel - Paper 1, Section B).
Lesson 21 covers significant aspects of Chapter 39 (the final chapter of Volume Two) with an AO2 focus. A variety of activities are included with extension tasks and a homework task. A pupil handout of the key quotes explored in the main lesson tasks is also included.
Lesson 22 covers Chapter 40 (the first chapter of Volume Three). Extension tasks are included for the more able. Whilst pupils were given specific quotes/episodes to explore in lesson 21, lesson 22 encourages pupils to find the evidence themselves. The final task involves pupils (in pairs/small groups) choosing an extract (guided by the teacher) to explore for AO1 and AO2 marks using numbered tasks on the last PowerPoint slide to help them.
All the tasks worked well with my Year 10 class.
6 resources covering 3 lessons (lessons 3, 4 and 5) in my Year 10 SOW teaching Great Expectations (AQA GCSE English Lit Paper 1 Section B - 19th century novel). Resources include: 3 detailed PowerPoints (lesson 3 = 17 slides; lesson 4 = 8 slides; lesson 5 = 15 slides); lesson plans with differentiated activities flagged; example PEE paragraph to help students write their own and an extract from the novel for students to highlight and annotate.
The lessons focus on the opening chapters (establishing character and use of setting) and developing students' AO1 and AO2 skills. Homework tasks are included with each lesson.
These lessons worked really well with my Year 10 class this year. They especially liked lesson 5 exploring setting and use of pathetic fallacy.
Four resources covering two lessons from my Year 10 Great Expectations SOW for the new AQA GCSE English Literature spec (the 19th century novel - Paper 1, Section B).
Lesson 15 covers Chapters 20-22 (start of Volume Two); it focuses on Dickens' use of setting and analysis developing AO2 skills. A variety of activities are included with extension tasks and differentiation by choice for the main written task based on the description of Mr Jaggers' office (copy of the extract included for pupils to highlight and annotate). A homework task is also included with differentiation by pupil choice of quotes to answer the question about Herbert Pocket.
Lesson 16 covers Chapters 23-25 with a specific focus on how Dickens uses setting (Wemmick's castle) and contrasts. Extension tasks for differentiation and a homework task looking back to Chapter 22 (Miss Havisham's story).
All the tasks worked well with my Year 10 class.
2 lessons showing all pupils making progress and developing resilience skills. Pupils demonstrate improved inference and deduction skills using relevant quotes to support their comments in PEE responses to parts of Act 2, Scene 1. The lessons also incorporate self-assessment, peer assessment and pupils completing DIRT on peer/teacher formative feedback.
A homework task, with an extension task for the more able, is included. The lessons offer a range of differentiation strategies: extension tasks for the more able; starter sentences to support the less able; differentiation by choice in use of quotes for PEE task on Helena; pupils working at different levels based on self/peer assessment and modelling examples of different levels to support pupils in their progression and increased resilience. I kept pupils in mixed ability pairs/groups to support the less able, but you could also use ability groupings if you have TA support.
The lessons were produced for a mixed ability Year 7 class and proved very successful.
My centre still uses APP, so these lessons have a RAF3 focus. However, they could easily be adapted for KS3 flightpaths.
Two resources covering two lessons from my Year 10 Great Expectations SOW for the new AQA GCSE English Literature spec (the 19th century novel - Paper 1, Section B).
Lesson 27 covers key aspects of Chapters 57 and 58 (Volume Three). A variety of activities including extension tasks. Lesson 28 focuses on analysis of the novel's final chapter mainly exploring Dickens' language and possible effects on the reader for AO2.
All the tasks worked well with my Year 10 class.
Four resources covering two lessons from my Year 10 Great Expectations SOW for the new AQA GCSE English Literature spec (the 19th century novel - Paper 1, Section B).
Lesson 23 covers key aspects of Chapters 43-46 (Volume Three). A variety of activities are included with extension tasks and differentiation by group/task. A homework task is also included with optional extension questions helping pupils develop their understanding/analysis skills further to access the higher levels for AO1, AO2 and AO3.
Lesson 24 focuses on how Dickens presents the characters of Pip and Estella and their relationship. Tasks include active learning, group, pair and individual work. Pupils would then write up their work into a mini essay to be teacher assessed for AO1 and AO2.
All the tasks worked well with my Year 10 class and produced high standard mini essays.
Details of 13 lessons on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein for the new Edexcel AS English Literature spec (prose comparison).
Due to workload, these resources are not up to the standard of my premium resources and do sometimes borrow from others' ideas and free TES resources. Moreover, a few resources are detailed on the lesson plans, but not uploaded due to copyright - these are from Teachit and emagazines. I have put details of these resources on my lesson plans so you will be able to locate the Teachit resources (available free as PDFs) and the emag articles if your centre has a subscription.
I hope they are of use.
A sheet I created to use for CLD essay feedback (AQA English Language A Level Paper 1 Section B) highlighting where students have met the assessment criteria for AO1 and AO2 and highlighting (or adding) key targets. I then staple it to the front of the essay.
I have used this successfully since the new spec came in. It helps focus students on key areas for improvement and what the A Level examiners are specifically looking for.
Please visit my TES shop for further A Level English Language resources.