A full lesson (possibly 2) on John Agard’s Checking Out Me History for the AQA English literature examination (updated Jan 2022), or as an exploratory lesson on poetry for any other exam board. Approaches the poem as an ‘unseen’ to consolidate and practice these skills, before helping pupils build a comprehensive set of notes for the conflict cluster. Includes a 12 slide PPT and the following: A Wordle looking at language patterns A key focus question to help students understand how to approach poetry in their exam Background knowledge of the historical figures mentioned in the poem Discussion of the use of accent and dialect with a video link An activity where students look at culture and identity and how we see it in the poem Guided additional annotation Focus on metaphorical language Suitable for GCSE learners Updated Jan 2022

A matching activity for some basic structure techniques, including: chronological linear cyclical flash back narrative perspective foreshadowing end focus topic, time or place shift focus repetition

4 extracts from literary fiction books, formatted in the style of the AQA paper 1 examination extracts (with a context box at the top and line numbers). Extracts are as follows: Great Expectations (Miss Havisham) The Shawshank Redemption (opening - only 23 lines long) Dracula (the count scales the castle wall) 1984 (opening) Of Mice and Men (Curley and Lennie fight) Woman In Black (Arthur sees the woman at Eel Marsh) Especially useful for teaching AQA Language paper 1, or doing some cross over work on literature

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 The PPT was originally made for a low ability year 10/11 group, all of whom had targets of grade 4 or below, but would be suitable for middle ability with a few tweaks.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

A handout explaining the different types of repetition, with definitions. The ones marked in red are the more useful ones. Suitable for high ability GCSE or A level students.

This resource includes an extract from George Orwell’s ‘1984’, 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 but condensed down to 2 sides of A4, to save on printing costs. Suitable for GCSE learners.

Designed for students. Includes timings, marks and possible approaches to questions; also reminders for the mark schemes. Covers both paper 1 and paper 2

This resource includes a complete lesson looking at analysing the language of an extract from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets for AQA English language paper 1, Q2. It is suitable for low to mid ability GCSE learners, as an introduction to the language analysis question or as a revision activity. The PPT included guides pupils through the process as follows: break down of the question and how marks are awarded guided reading of the extract an approach to answering an exam style question (PEEZL) a help sheet for lower ability learners (gap fill) a modelled example paragraph Peer assessment using marking criteria

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.

A handout for students running through AQA’s English Language paper 1 - timings, marks and methods for answering. Designed to be a revision checklist to give out to pupils.

This resource includes a complete lesson looking at analysing the structure of an extract from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets for AQA English language paper 1, Q3. It is suitable for low to mid ability learners, as an introduction to the structure question or as a revision activity. The PPT included guides pupils through the process as follows: break down of the question and how marks are awarded key terminology guided reading of the extract an approach to answering an exam style question (PEEZL) a help sheet for lower ability learners (gap fill) Peer assessment using marking criteria Also includes text extract for analysis.

This resource contains a mini unit (approx 4 lessons) on how to respond to AQA’s English Language Paper 1 question 4. This is regarded as one of the most challenging questions in the qualification. The resource was originally designed for a middle ability year 10 group, but would be suitable for high ability year 9 or mid- low ability year 11s. It includes an 21 slide PPT working through an extract from Bram Stoker’s Dracula (where Jonathan Harker meets the count - also included), which is in line with the rigour of the paper 1 fiction texts previously included in the examination. The PPT works through the following aspects: Why a writer makes specific vocab choices / decoding vocab Close quote analysis An exam style question for Q4, paired with the extract, focused on foreshadowing discussion of how to form evaluative opinions Planning a response to the question Modelled discussion of effect Peer assessment - light touch reference to the mark scheme Updated March 2022

This resource includes a mini unit on AQA’s English Language paper 1, question 4 - notoriously the most challenging question on the paper. It was originally written for and used with a high ability year 9 group, but is equally suitable for years 10 or 11 classes. There are approximately 3 lessons worth of learning included, with a PPT and all required resources. This includes: A 16 slide PPT a focus on a simple, short extract to begin with (from Harry Potter) to build skills, before moving on to something more challenging (The Book Thief) A possible planning approach to the question through characterisation, setting, perspective and atmosphere Guided questions for reading to enable pupils to think more carefully about and develop their opinions An exam style question for ‘The Book Thief’ extract, worked through with pupils in the PPT Sample ‘points’ that pupils could use to formulate a successful response to the question and used in a group writing activity selected quotes to analyse to help hone pupils’ language analysis skills guidance on extending their ideas to a full response 2 extracts from ‘The Book Thief’ to enable a further extension activity, if desired Updated March 2022

This creative writing scheme is aimed at low to middle ability Yr9 - GCSE learners and provides strategies for planning, generating ideas and improving their writing for examinations. Updated Jan 2022 and designed specifically for AQA English Language paper1 Q5, but suitable for any exam board. The unit of work includes a 48 slide PPT PLUS resources. The PPT looks at the following elements: using images to inspire writing strategies to break an image down using fiction extracts to inspire (magpie vocab etc) using weather for description using video/ film clips to generate ideas technical writing skills - sentence structures and orders several different exam style questions to enable practice paragraphing or structuring a whole text for impact literary techniques a genuine examination response for a question (taken from AQA materials) All extracts referred to within the PPT are included alongside the resource. Ideal for recapping, introducing or consolidating creative writing skills for GCSE learners. Updated Jan 2022

This unit of work guides students through the spoken language compulsory requirement of AQA English Language GCSE. It includes: 27 slide PPT working through key aspects Introduction to the unit and requirements for students Exemplar AQA provided responses Flexible task, building suggestions for pupils Strategies for questioning Structuring a talk Examining persuasive non-fiction There are 2 PPT included - one is extensive and the second one is a bonus extra

Explanatory writing lesson on the topic of celebrities being useless. First, teaching the concept of establishing your point of view on a topic, before looking at what is meant by ‘writing to explain’. Updated March 2022 The lesson moves on to look at how to plan an effective piece of writing in this style, before providing a high grade exemplar for pupils to analyse and reference to the mark scheme. Suitable for high ability year 9s, or years 10-11. Originally written for AQA, but suited to other exam boards (with a few tweaks).

This resource contains a PPT of 21 slides/ approx 4 lessons working through AQA’s English Language paper 2 question 4. This question is widely regarded as one of the most challenging in all of the GCSE papers. The scheme was designed for a high ability year 9 group, but would also be suitable for years 10 or 11 in preparation for their exams. All required resources are attached, including 2 pairings of suitable texts that the PPT lessons refer to. There are comparisons drawn between non-fiction texts from Dickens/ Bryson (travel) and a modern news article focused on child labour in McDonalds / a Victorian transcript from a chimney sweep, similar to material pupils might encounter in their actual examination. The lessons guide students through the comparative question and how to approach it, simplifying it down to 3 key questions. The PPT also contains some high mark exemplar paragraphs to guide learning. Updated March 2022

Approximately 10 lessons worth of lessons tied together on the theme of Romantic poetry, updated March 2022. Originally written for a high ability year 9 group, but would also be suitable for years 10 or 11. 7 full PPTs covering 5 poems. A great introduction to unseen skills but also developing comparing! The scheme contains lots of challenge and stretch and covers the following aspects of poetry: Introduction to Romantic poetry - themes and ideas Analysing unseen poetry skills Key Romantic poets, contextual info Love’s Philosophy Bright Star The School Boy Chimney Sweeper Daffodils How to compare poems for an exam High grade exemplar responses (paragraphs/ more extended pieces) This scheme is an ideal way to provide students with a broader understanding of some of the more difficult poetry they might encounter and to familiarise them with the Romantic genre and movement in a more broad sense. NB: Two acronyms are used within this scheme: STRIVE and PEEZL. STRIVE reminds pupils of aspects of poetry to consider (subject, theme/ tone, rhyme/rhythm, imagery, vocab, effect) and PEEZL is a way to structure response paragraphs (point, evidence, explain effect, zoom into words, link to question).

This lesson was designed for a reluctant but capable year 9 group who told me they hated poetry, and only ever wrote in stilted rhymes when I asked them to create their own. It would form a good introduction to unseen poetry, encouraging pupils to interrogate and form their own opinions. It contains a PPT and a series of slightly unusual poems all sourced online, breaking down why people write poetry and why we should study it. It contains the message that poetry is all sorts of things, such as art, creative expression, freedom with words, political, protesting, fun and silly… etc. It contains opportunities to write their own poetry and investigate the work of others. There are 5 poems included where pupils interrogate and question what they mean, show, suggest, and why the writer might have written them - including Medusa by Carol Ann Duffy, Action Man by John Cooper-Clarke, Invictus by William Ernest Henley, Urban Affection by Emanuel Xavier and The Black Land by Joseph Warren Beach. NB - Some of these poems are aimed at more mature audiences, so the lesson is recommended for year 9 onwards.