This is a comprehension (close reading and response) activity using an extract from “Old Tales Told Again” by Walter de la Mare. The text is in the public domain and is a re-telling of the story of Snow White. There are ten questions. The questions focus mainly on the reading skill of inference. This could be used as a cover activity or for homework. Alternatively, the questions could be used to structure a guided reading session. This would sit well in a unit on fairy tales.

This is a multiple choice quiz (answers provided) on “Mother Any Distance” from the Love and Relationships cluster of the GCSE anthology. There are 21 questions. This could be used for revision and homework. Alternatively, it could be used prior to teaching to identify gaps in students’ knowledge so that subsequent teaching can be more precisely focused.

This lesson is part of a unit on fractured fairy tales. It uses part of the story of Goldilocks and the three bears. The focus of the lesson is on selecting verbs that allow the reader to draw inferences about characters.

This is a language-rich excerpt from “All Quiet on the Western Front” with a model paragraph using a quotation from the text. Useful for revision or for homework. Students use the model as the basis for their own paragraph of analysis.

I made this grid when cover was needed for a year 7 class who were working on a unit on Fairy Tales. The task is adaptive so children could choose their own activity. However, this grid could also be used over a half term, providing homework activities.

This is a short excerpt from Elbert Hubbard’s recount of the sinking of Titanic with 12 multiple choice questions (answers provided). This could be used as a starter activity or for homework. It could be used to structure a guided reading activity with the questions providing a starting point for a more in-depth discussion of the writer’s use of language. Alternatively, it could be used prior to teaching to identify gaps in knowledge so that the subsequent lesson can be more precisely focused.

This powerpoint uses three excerpts from ghost stories (all in the public domain), interspersed with three slides for revision/recall of “A Christmas Carol”. The excerpts are duplicated for ease of printing (2 slides per piece of A4); the slides on “A Christmas Carol” are not intended to be printed. Students can work from them while they are displayed on the screen. My intention for these is that they will be used as an extended starter activity - the “Christmas Carol” slide and then the ghost story extract.

This powerpoint uses 7 poems, all in the public domain. The intention is that students can work independently to develop the habit of becoming questioning readers, interrogating the text to deepen their understanding. Questions are provided to encourage this. Alternatively, the powerpoint could be used to structure a guided reading session on unseen poetry. It could also be used in class to support the teaching of analysis of unseen poetry. The questions will help to identify gaps in students’ understanding so that subsequent discussion can be more sharply focused.

This short powerpoint uses a brief extract from “Man Sized in Marble” by E.Nesbit (in the public domain). There are questions on the key reading skills tested at GCSE: information retrieval, inference and analysis. Only 3 slides so easily editable. The resource can be used for homework or revision. Alternatively, it could be used to structure a guided reading activity or for intervention with less confident readers.

These were originally created as three starters to go across a week of teaching - the three excerpts used are from “The Ghost Pirates” by William Hope Hodgson. They could be combined to furnish resources for a guided reading session. Alternatively, they could be set as homework or used for revision. The main focus is on inference but there are also questions building the basic skills of analysis.

This is a very short and straightforward activity, originally planned as revision for a cover lesson. It could also be used as a taught lesson or could be set for homework. It uses an excerpt (abridged) from William Hope Hodgson’s “Carnacki the Ghost Finder” and the students are asked to identify a range of methods in the text and then select two of those methods and explain their effect. A model response is provided - and the powerpoint is very easily editable if you want to make the task more or less challenging.

This is a straightforward, short powerpoint focused on the reading skills of inference, analysis and viewpoint, at quite a basic level. Useful for a quick assessment of students’ reading skills or for practise in polishing those skills. Could be used to structure a guided reading session with less confident learners. Could be used as a starter, for revision or for a homework.

This is a simple and straightforward powerpoint, created for lower ability students but easily editable for the specific needs of your class. There are 3 pre-1914 excerpts, one about the Regent’s Park skating disaster and two about Prince Albert falling through ice while skating. The tasks provided focus on basic reading skills: inference and information retrieval. These can be used as a diagnostic tool before students embark on analysis and evaluation. Alternatively, the tasks could be tweaked to make them more analytical if your students’ reading skills are securely embedded. The powerpoint ends with a letter-writing task linked to the idea of ice skating and more dangerous sports generally.

This is a comprehension activity (suggested answers provided) which leads into an exam-style unseen poetry response task. Could be used for cover, for revision or to structure a guided reading activity.

The extract used describes the first sight of the old curiosity shop of the title. There are seven questions (though some are broken down into segments, so 12 to answer altogether). Suggested responses are provided. The questions test vocabulary, comprehension, analysis and evaluation, albeit at a basic level. Useful for homework or cover. Could also be used to structure a guided reading activity.

A multiple choice quiz based on Dickens’ description of Arthur Gride from “Nicholas Nickleby”. There are 15 questions and answers are provided. This could be a cover activity or used for a reading homework. Alternatively, the questions could be used to structure a guided reading activity.

This is a multiple choice quiz (answers provided) based on the description of Nicholas’s arrival at Dotheboys Hall. Useful for cover or as a homework activity. Alternatively, the questions could be used to structure a guided reading activity or for flipped learning, to identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding so that the subsequent lesson can be more precisely focused.

This is a comprehension activity based on the first description of the Artful Dodger from “Oliver Twist”. There are 8 questions and suggested answers are provided. This could be used in class or set as homework or left as a cover activity. Alternatively, the questions could be used to structure a guided reading activity.

This is a 14-slide powerpoint which guides students through an exploration of Sassoon’s blistering poem, “Atrocities”. This is easily adapted to suit the ability of your class. Slides 12, 13 and 14 can be used either to structure whole-class question and answer or could be an opportunity for students to work in pairs to discuss the questions and annotate the poem with their thoughts. The final slide reiterates the question from the lesson aim - How does Sassoon communicate his feelings towards the person being addressed in the poem? Depending on the students’ confidence, this could be an opportunity to model a paraqraph or two or they could go straight into writing a response.

This is a simple and straightforward powerpoint intended to help students practise an approach to an unseen poetry question. It uses “At the Movies” by Florence Ripley Mastin. There are several slides of questions which can be used for whole-class discussion or to prompt paired work. The powerpoint ends with an exam-style question.