A whole lesson analysing the poem 'A Poison Tree' from the Edexcel Conflict Cluster (1-9 GCSE) Includes language analysis, vocab, context and questions.

This pack is full of resources to help you streamline your marking and assessment, and to make your students work harder in response! If you're a teacher from the UK you'll know the OFSTED legend around response to marking. Even though it's not now a requirement, I've seen massive improvements and progress on work that has been DIRTed! DIRT stands for Directed Improvement and Reflection Time. This is a time specifically for students to improve the work that you have marked - then and there. No more comments like, "Sorry Miss, I'll do it next time!" This includes a time-saving key that you can edit to suit your requirements. You simply write the number of the task you want them to complete on their work, and they can reference the key in their books to find out what to do. It also includes full instructions, including helpful links, sample marking and assessment, help sheets for capital letters and 'there, their, they're' and a PowerPoint for you to display during DIRT time. This process has saved me masses of time while making my marking more worthwhile and getting far more progress out of the kids. I hope you find it as useful as I do!

This is a whole lesson analysing Belfast Confetti by Ciaran Carson. Includes analysis, background information on 'The Troubles' and an excellent video link of Carson explaining his thought processes.

A full lesson exploring the poem 'Half-Caste' by John Agard.

A whole lesson analysing the poem 'Come On, Come Back' by Stevie Smith.

A whole lesson on Zephaniah's poem 'No Problem' from the new Edexcel GCSE Conflict Cluster. Includes discussion of dialect, interpretations and devices.

TWITTER ISSUES - Correct the Spelling and Grammar of Celebrities! This great starter activity includes 25 grammatically incorrect tweets from famous celebrities. Pop one on the board and get your students to correct them! A mixture of spelling and grammar issues #Twissues on one fun PPT. I made this into a TuesdayTwissue activity and the kids LOVE it! This could also be used in any subject area for Literacy across the curriculum.