A detailed handout on the context and content of Obama's 2008 presidential victory speech, for the study of language techniques and spoken language / inspirational speeches. Also included is a hexagon activity, which my GCSE pupils always love - in groups, pupils must debate and defend their reasoning behind matching up and making shapes with the hexagons, displaying different levels of Bloom's taxonomy with regard to which hexagons touch which others. I hope the hexagons haven't moved in the documents; some text boxes might need enlarging if Word changes the font. Print out the hexagons and laminate, and enjoy pupils' presentations to the class of their final patterns!

Comprehensive, relevant and individual contextual detail (AO3) for every one of the 24 poems in the Heaney/Frost anthology for the new CCEA AS1 specification in English Literature.

A lesson where pupils look at exemplar POINT-EVIDENCE-EXPLANATION paragraphs (written by my previous pupils on 'Boy in the Striped Pyjamas', but the success criteria of structuring paragraphs can be applied to any text), then use a table of success criteria to evaluate them in groups. With the understanding of these success criteria, and having seen 'What a Good One Looks Like', pupils then self-evaluate and improve their own work.

Exemplar paragraphs on computer games in functional / discursive essays, written by top-level KS3 class, and also used by a lower-ability GCSE class as 'What a Good One Looks Like' for English Language revision.

A 31-page resource containing 14 poem comparison (AO4) grids for the Frost & Heaney anthology, including notes on situation of speaker (AO1), tone and poetic methods (AO2), and context (AO3) for the new CCEA English Literature specification. The grid format can be employed as a basis for first lessons on each of the poems, and should be used to gather quotations and write analysis. Alternatively, pupils may use the resource independently in order to plan an essay framework for practice exam questions. These are also extremely useful at the end of the course for revision purposes, where pupils use the class notes that they have made whilst studying AS1 to complete the grids from memory, as effective exam preparation.

Three Role Play activities based upon curriculum texts (Of Mice and Men, An Inspector Calls, and Macbeth) and an exam-board approved Group Discussion activity, with a comprehensive set of pupils' research notes on the specified topic.

A selection of resources for a first lesson on spoken language/speeches, using Wordles and active learning - visual, audio, and movement. Lesson objective: Understand that different types of speech can be made, and identify key indicators of purpose, audience, and context. Print and laminate the Wordles and display them around the room, numbering them clearly, then work your way through the 6 presentations for the whole lesson. I have had fantastic results using this for GCSE level English Language. If the videos fail to play (they are quite big files, exported from my original Keynote into PowerPoint!), then search YouTube for the speeches: when studying the spoken word - and especially in an introductory lesson like this - it is important that pupils listen to language, and don't just read transcriptions of it. They must gain experience of pace, tone, volume, and pauses in order to analyse effective use of spoken language. (I've also made a PowerPoint of 'Just Wordles' in case the embedded videos cause problems, and you could have another window open on YouTube with the videos open in different tabs, and then just swap between the presentation and the browser - I had to do this once when the school's IT systems were playing up!) As an English teacher, I also kept these up in my classroom afterwards as inspirational posters.

A study map each on the possible AS1 examination question themes of The Night ('Had I Not Been Awake' by Heaney and 'Acquainted with the Night' by Frost) and Self Discovery ('Birches' by Frost and 'Personal Helicon' by Heaney) on the new CCEA English Literature specification. These resources should be used by pupils to locate quotations and produce analysis after studying the poems in comparison, in preparation for framing an essay plan and writing practice exam essays.

A differentiated starter on facts/opinion when introducing language techniques (persuasion). Use the polar bear questions first, and high achievers can move on to Shakespeare (or allow pupils the choice at the start). Also includes a handout on Rule of Three. I designed this for use at KS3, but then, teaching lower-ability classes at GCSE, it came in very useful as a resource for language study in all kinds of units: multi-modal/media texts; speaking and listening writing own speeches; the study of spoken language; reading non-fiction; and functional writing.

A pdf to be used as a class presentation (or could be adapted to handout format!), based upon Christopher Vogler's work on mythic structures and the 12 stages of the archetypal hero's journey, to enable pupils to understand and create structure. I have illustrated each stage with examples. Particularly suited to GCSE creative writing, but I have also taught at KS3, and even used this in after-school creative writing club to compose fairytales.

Two study maps for pupils to complete: firstly, considering how typical Circe is of the characters whom Odysseus meets; and, secondly, a detailed study map on the theme of xenia, with a completed version for use as teacher's answers. I found that these worked well as whole-class discussion once pupils had formulated their own responses, either in groups or independently. I composed these maps with the purpose of pupils then using their outcomes as structured plans for writing practice essays.

A presentation providing historical, cultural, and social contextual detail for the play.

Three activities, covering Homeric similes and epithets, as well as exploring the role of the Greek gods in the text through a 'Mastermind'-style lesson. I have used all of these resources for both GCSE and A-level study of the Odyssey.

An introductory handout for pupils embarking upon study of the Odyssey, covering oral tradition and the background of the Trojan War, accompanied by a book-by-book summary of the text. I have used these resources at both GCSE and A-level.

Lesson resources for writing AS1 new CCEA specification in English Literature essays on Heaney and Frost: practice questions, guidelines, and two exemplar A* pupil essays.

A study map each on the possible AS1 examination question themes of Poetic Inspiration ('Personal Helicon' by Heaney and 'After Apple-picking' by Frost) and The Creative Process ('The Forge' by Heaney and 'Mowing' by Frost) on the new CCEA English Literature specification. These resources should be annotated by pupils and used to produce analysis of quotations and essay plans/frameworks after studying the poems.

A lesson using a CCEA GCSE Literature past-paper unseen poem, 'After the Titanic' by Derek Mahon. Lesson makes use of the 'Home Group/Expert Group' activity, using the attached question sheets.

Due to the size of the videos, the presentation has been split into two parts. This is a task to practise Personal Writing, giving pupils the opportunity to practise generating ideas, planning, and structuring their planning prior to writing an assessment piece for Personal Writing. Task is based upon 'your worst holiday experience'.

To practise or assess KS3 key Communication skill Reading, a lesson presentation that can be completed in class time, or printed as a handout for homework, with comprehension questions (and mark scheme) on the story of Daedalus and Icarus (taken from The New Windmill Book of Greek Myths, Geraldine McCaughrean, 1997).

KS3 novel - randomly allocate a character from the novel to each pupil (or also works in pairs, depending on ability), then get them to use this worksheet to develop deeper understanding of character. A nice follow-up extension is to work this into a Speaking and Listening class presentation for Key Skill Communication assessment.