About the author:
I am currently a teacher of English in a wonderful West Midlands secondary school, having prior experience as a Literacy Lead, Specialist Leader of Education, SLT Lead, AQA examiner and Head of English. I am in my fourteenth year of teaching and as such am keen to share resources I have used successfully, both in my own lessons and across my school / MAT.
About the author:
I am currently a teacher of English in a wonderful West Midlands secondary school, having prior experience as a Literacy Lead, Specialist Leader of Education, SLT Lead, AQA examiner and Head of English. I am in my fourteenth year of teaching and as such am keen to share resources I have used successfully, both in my own lessons and across my school / MAT.
This resource contains a 30 slide PPT on comparing power and conflict poetry for GCSE AQA English Literature. Updated Jan 2022, it contains tips, techniques, model answers and advice for comparing, with 3 focus questions covering different poems.
NB, this resource is not focused on teaching the poems but is designed to be used AFTER poems have been covered to refine comparison and exam skills.
PPT contains:
Intro to approaching poetry
Possible themes to compare
7 sample questions for discussion
A focus on a question and video link recap on ‘Remains’, presented in a Venn diagram for comparison
2 exemplar paragraphs comparing to ‘Prelude’
Discussion of a question focused on ‘My Last Duchess’
Recap of Last Duchess (video link)
Venn diagram comparing to Ozymandias
Mark scheme
Break down of how to construct a paragraph (PEEZL)
A gap fill exercise that scaffolds this method for weaker pupils
A check list to write the comparative paragraph and some phrases to boost marks
Peer assessment opportunities
A focus question on Bayonet Charge (plus a video link recap)
3 example responses to the question of varied levels
Pupil exercise to craft their own response
Advice for not having a quote to use
A bonus unseen poem at the end (Alpine Letter) and question to work through, if required
This resource was designed as a revision block on Lord of the Flies for higher ability GCSE pupils (grades 5-9), having already studied the novel. (There is also a full scheme of work PPT available for the first teaching of this). Updated Feb 2022
It includes 32 slides of activities and information (approx 6 lessons), including:
plot and character recap
theme recap (group activity)
provocative statements to provoke discussion
Images to prompt discussion of symbols
Recap of allusion (specifically biblical)
historical context - Golding
A nihilist view, Nietzsche
Discussion questions
Advice on exam questions and example questions
Quote finding exercise
2 exemplar responses to exam questions (level 5 and 6)
planning an exam response
advice on thesis statements for good intros
an exemplar high grade paragraph
All of the above is included in the powerpoint file itself, not as separate documents
Includes a 13 slide PPT for revision of Macbeth for Literature Paper 1 AQA (paper 2 in 2022 due to changes)
Covers exam technique, mark scheme, plot, characters, quotes, themes, tragedy genre, context and an example exam question. New for 2022
This resource is a 20 slide revision PPT for Animal Farm AQA GCSE English Literature examination (modern text).
It covers all you need to revise the text with pupils, including:
plot recap task + diagram
key character mind mapping task + quote finding
suggested key character quotes
minor character task + suggested quotes
key context image task
key context information
quote exploding task with modelled example
themes table task with scaffolded option
key vocab task (find definitions)
past exam questions planning task - 8 past exam questions included with 1 modelled planning example
AQA mark schemes
This resource was created April 2022
This resource is a 90 slide PPT full scheme of work on Tom Becker’s novel ‘Darkside’, updated Jan 2022. It is suitable for middle to high ability learners in years 8-10. The novel contains some excellent descriptive language which forms great preparation for studying GCSE literary texts.
The PPT is approx 15-18 lessons, not including the reading of the novel! and all resources are included. It approaches the novel as an analytical reader but also provides opportunities to produce writing, both fiction and non-fiction, in cross-over tasks. The novel provides excellent opportunities for under-pinning context and cultural capital for Victorian novel study at GCSE.
The PPT covers the following:
-inference and predictions from cover
-diary entry writing
-language techniques/ descriptive writing strategies
-discussion of language effect plus exemplar
-presentation of key characters
-comparing characters
-creating suspense
-guided annotation
-peer assessment opportunities
-gothic conventions
links to Frankenstein
built in optional HW tasks
character analysis
PEEZL method of analysing language
finding and locating evidence
descriptive writing
settings
tension tracking
spoken language opportunity - news reports
Victorian Britain
Emotive language
tracing plot developments
Pathetic fallacy
text transformations - travel writing cross-over task
endings
Updated January 2022
This resource contains a 34 slide powerpoint designed to be used for staff training in literacy across the curriculum. It divides literacy into 5 key areas:
Reading and comprehension strategies
Writing fluency strategies
Literacy through DIT (directed improvement time)
Spelling and vocab skill building
Inference and analysis skill building
Each area comprises suggested strategies and tasks suitable for any subject area and teacher across the KS3 and GCSE curriculum, in order to build literacy skills without sacrificing content. It can be used as a ‘pick n mix’ bundle, allowing staff to focus on areas that are not as strong in their current curriculum, or as a package deal looking at all areas.
Examples, worksheets and extra resources are included to aid in the delivery of staff training on this topic. Some have been created from scratch, others have been sourced online and included/ adapted as examples.
Strategies are based heavily in research to improve literacy within school settings, developed by an experienced, current practicing English teacher / former HOD and current literacy lead.
This resource includes an extract from Du Maurier’s ‘Rebecca’, formatted to mimic an AQA exam paper text extract. Alongside this, there are 5 examination style questions (based on the AQA paper, Qs1-5, reading and writing) for students to either use in class or as a homework task. The question sheet contains each question condensed down to half a side of A4 to save on printing costs.
Also includes a bonus PPT used with low ability year 11 learners when walking through the paper.
Suitable for GCSE learners.
This resource includes 2 full lessons in a 15 slide PPT on AQA’s unseen poetry element. It originally formed part of a scheme for year 9 looking at a wide variety of poetry in preparation for their GCSE study, but would be suitable for any GCSE group as revision, an introduction or practice. The lesson approaches the poems as unseen texts, helping pupils develop poetic analysis skills and focusing on 2 short and relatively simple poems.
The PPT includes:
Introduction to the unseen poetry aspect
10 possible steps for looking at an unseen poem
Focus on the poem ‘The Handbag’
Pupil task writing a question for the poem
Focus on the poem ‘My Parents Kept me from Children who were Rough’
Looking at an exam style question on this poem with suggested points to include in a response
Brief reference to the mark scheme
A lesson examining Duffy’s poem Medusa. Suited to upper Ks3 or lower ks4; updated March 2022.
Begins by introducing Medusa as a historical myth before looking at a crunched version of the poem to consider language out of context. Pupils then search for techniques in the poem and consider their effect. There is an opportunity for annotation and first impressions, followed by some suggested annotations written on the poem. Finally there is a writing frame, a quote hunt and a more lighthearted task where they create a dating profile for Duffy’s character.
Great as an introduction for approaching unseen poems or as part of a wider poetic study in preparation for GCSE Literature.
This resource includes an 8 slide PPT (full lesson) on how to write effective introductions and conclusions, with a focus on AQA’s poetry element of the examination. The examples used are from the power and conflict cluster (Remains) and could be used as a way to teach unseen poetry intros/ conclusions or comparative poetry intros and conclusions - the PPT is flexible and allows for both.
The PPT covers the following aspects:
example introductions and discussion of their effectiveness
a formula for writing a strong intro
a practice task for writing a main body essay paragraph focused on the question provided
an exemplar main body paragraph using PEEZL and an opportunity for pupils to link to another poem
A summary of what a good conclusion entails
an exemplar conclusion
This resource includes 1-2 lessons on Amitage’s poem ‘About His Person’, updated March 2022.
It originally formed part of a scheme for year 9 looking at a wide variety of poetry in preparation for their GCSE study, but would be suitable for any GCSE group as practice. The lesson approaches the poem as an unseen text, helping pupils develop poetic analysis skills (for AQA, but would work for any exam board).
The PPT includes:
Introduction to the poem through an image
Pupil task to write a suitable question for the poem
guided annotation through a suggested question (as per unseen poetry in the exam)
suggested annotations included on the PPT
Creative writing cross over (where pupils write their own poem in a similar style, about themselves)
This resource is a full lesson on Armitage’s poem, ’ Resistance’, inspired by the Russia - Ukraine conflict currently in the news.
The lesson PPT includes:
discussion around our expectations of war
discussion of images from the Russia - Ukraine war
copy of the poem
first impressions task
Links to 2 videos on context to further develop critical opinions
Comprehension / analysis questions to guide pupil analysis of the poem
Detailed annotations for feedback following the questions
A series of 22 slides, approx 4 introductory lessons to Macbeth, originally written for a high ability year 9 group, but suitable for years 10 or 11 as a light touch intro. Focuses on the first act of the play and uses some of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s interactive approaches. All extracts/ resources are included on the PPT.
Covers:
General characters and themes
Macbeth and Banquo + their relationship
Lady Macbeth + her persuasion
Heroism
Updated Feb 2022
This resource is a training session on the use of data as both a class teacher and head of department, specifically targeted at secondary school teachers. It includes a comprehensive 16 slide PPT, full of interactive questions and short tasks, designed to be used for staff training (small groups works well), and also includes an Excel resource with fabricated data to use in discussion / for some of the activities. It has been written from the perspective of a Head of English at a secondary school and was originally presented to trainee teachers. The session can last between 1-2 hours dependent on how thoroughly the slides are discussed.
The PPT goes through the following:
pivotal question - why are schools ‘obsessed’ with data?
what exactly we mean by data in a school context
brief literature review - what does pedagogical research say?
data exercise - looking at and discussing the use of different data sets (provided in an excel doc - n.b. utilises sisra style reports, excel sheets, sims data tracking and school headline figures, all fabricated and including no sensitive pupil data)
round up of discussion - suggestions for how each set of data in the packs might be used by a classroom teacher
further examples of data
a short brief on CATs, APS and Scaled scores
4 steps on using data as a classroom practitioner
key questions - why do we need to organise data and how might a class teacher organise theirs? What do you ‘do’ with data? When does it all end?
the problems with using data
Also includes a bonus PPT for a similar session completed across a MAT, with extra slides on:
using data as a primary phase lead
using data as a secondary HOD
key data uses across school
The main contextual information for Macbeth, condensed into 1 side of A4, suited to mid-high ability pupils at GCSE level.
In colour and designed to be visually appealing. For use as a lesson handout or revision aid.
Highlights:
King James I
Women
Great Chain of Being
Gunpowder Plot
Witches
Importance of monarch
Preview shows a zoomed in section of the full handout
This resource includes a mammoth 95 slide PPT walking pupils through questions 1, 2 and 3 of the reading section of AQA’s GCSE English Language Paper 1 element, updated March 2022. There are also several links to paper 2 skills where cross-over exists, and an introductory slide to Q4. All resources referred to in the PPT are included.
The PPT was originally made for a low ability year 10/11 group, all of whom had targets of grade 4 or below, but would be suitable for middle ability with a few tweaks. Each question is broken down and formulae provided for the pupils to access what can be quite a challenging paper, with a range of reading materials reminiscent of the exam challenge. A break down of what is included can be seen below:
Exam format and AOs
Technical vocabulary / language and structure terms
A reading strategy for challenging texts
Q1-3 practice
Quotation analysis and using PEEZL to write a response to Q2
Structure discussion and using PEEW to write a response to Q3
Extracts from: Harry Potter, Of Mice and Men, Woman in Black, Dracula, The Crucible. Great Expectations
Cultural capital boost - migrant workers, American midwest, Gothic literature, witches in literature
exemplar responses for Q2 and Q3, plus scaffolded sentence stems
Quote finding and retrieval practice
Peer assessment using rough mark criteria
Extracts 2a and 2b - non-fiction cross over to migrant workers; 5a cross over to modern Gothic
How to write a good point/ what makes a good point
Exemplar responses from AQA for the Jamaica Inn practice paper (available form eAQA)
Vocabulary for writing about effect
Intro to Q4
This resource is a full scheme of work for the novel ‘Coraline’ by Neil Gaiman. Originally written for a low ability year 8 group, it is suitable for years 7 or 8, low to mid ability. Updated Jan 2022.
There is a mammoth 93 slide PPT plus all resources included in this bundle. The PPT works through a range of activities designed to develop both reading and writing skills via cross-over creative tasks. Suggested reading chunked to go with lessons.
Topics and tasks as follows:
Pre-reading tasks (book name and cover)
expectations / predictions
characterisation
Effect of language (using the PEEZL acronym)
Example of writing about effect
Inference
Settings
Creative writing - create an ‘other’ you
Improving creative writing
Parallel world theme
formal letter writing
planning and scaffolded writing and peer assessment opportunities
comparing the two worlds
tracking tone changes
creating horror
pre-annotated extract
writing as a character (diary entry)
Use of simile / creating own similes
theme of survival
tracking Coraline’s journey
more in-depth theme investigation
writer’s messages
forming critical opinions
twisted fairy tales (investigation and creating own)
Heroines and stereotypes
quote finding
effective endings
foreshadowing
5 years later - writing a new chapter
Updated Jan 2022
This resource contains 12 examination questions for Inspector Calls. They have all featured on past AQA papers and so are suitable for revision and for seeing what sort of question might be asked.
20 key quotes selected from A Christmas Carol to assist with revision of the text. Quotes chosen to be reflective of key themes and characters.
Formatted as a Word doc