A Christmas Carol- Family: SEN and ESL

This engaging and interactive resource is designed to help GCSE, English Literature students explore how Charles Dickens portrays the importance of family in A Christmas Carol. By focusing on the Cratchit family, particularly their unity and resilience in the face of poverty, students will develop their analytical and creative writing skills through a variety of activities.

Key Features

Visual Storyboards: Two visually rich storyboards depicting key scenes - Tiny Tim’s experiences, the Cratchits preparing their Christmas meal, and Scrooge observing Fred’s Christmas party.
Students write descriptive paragraphs and sentences based on these visuals, integrating adjectives and adverbs to enhance their vocabulary.

Extract Analysis: A detailed extract from Stave Three focuses on the Cratchit family’s Christmas preparations.

Students answer the question: How does Dickens portray the family in this extract and the wider novella to highlight the importance of the family unit?
PEEL Paragraph Writing: Example PEEL paragraph provided to model effective analysis. Students are encouraged to craft their own PEEL paragraphs, drawing from the storyboards and the extract.

Benefits for Students
Improves Analytical Skills: Focus on close reading and analysis of Dickens’ language, characterizations, and themes.
Builds Descriptive Writing Skills: Students practice descriptive writing using rich vocabulary inspired by visuals.
Supports GCSE Exam Preparation: Directly aligns with AQA English Literature exam requirements, particularly essay questions on themes and character analysis.