The What Even Is… series of worksheets explains some of the key concepts in literary analysis, with examples from familiar and popular books and films. There is a single page explanation, with appropriate images and graphics, followed by a question which exercises students’ knowledge and understanding of the concept. Two short texts aimed at different abilities and levels are given for the question. This handout, explaining the concept of values as distinct from themes, asks students to exercise their understanding of the term on an movie poster of Thor and a Shakespearean soliloquy.

The What Even Is… series of worksheets explains some of the key concepts in literary analysis, with examples from familiar and popular books and films. There is a single page explanation, with appropriate images and graphics, followed by a question which exercises students’ knowledge and understanding of the concept. Two short texts aimed at different abilities and levels are given for the question. This handout explains the process of analysis and asks students to consider what a text really is, using examples from Rene Magritte’s La Trahison des Images and a speech from The Tempest.

The What Even Is… series of worksheets explains some of the key concepts in literary analysis, with examples from familiar and popular books and films. There is a single page explanation, with appropriate images and graphics, followed by a question which exercises students’ knowledge and understanding of the concept. Two short texts aimed at different abilities and levels are given for the question. This handout, explaining the process of analysis, asks students to exercise their understanding of the term on Edvard Munch’s The Scream and Donne’s Holy Sonnet V.

Memorized essays betray a lack of confidence and an unwillingness to commit to authentic answers. Examiners have always advised students to prepare ‘talking points’ instead - a selection of ideas that they can draw on and which convey solid analysis and interpretation of the text. These talking points can be used by teachers, to focus discussion on higher-level or less-noticed features of the text and context. They also form effective student revision materials for formal assessment. Each point is supported by a piece of evidence from the text, and there are sufficient points to generate solid responses to almost any essay question. The Talking Points also model how students can articulate more complex thoughts about the text, and adduce evidence in natural and well-integrated writing.

Thirty-five high-level reading questions and ten essay questions for students reading Kazuo Ishiguro’s masterly study of ambiguity and self-fictionalisation in post-war Japan. The questions are designed to draw students’ attention to Ishiguro’s mastery of language strategies and his handling of Masuji Ono’s deceptions, fictions, and shifting portraits. Can be used together with the Talking Points and sample essay (https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12365546) available as a bundle. here

A close reading of Eliot’s famous poem, giving analysis of the work and a discussion of the culture and context from which Eliot wrote.

A close reading of Eliot’s famous poem, giving analysis of the work and a discussion of the culture and context from which Eliot wrote.

A close reading of Eliot’s famous poem, giving analysis of the work and a discussion of the culture and context from which Eliot wrote.

Wilde’s Gothic novel about vanity and perdition is an established favourite for senior students. Since the bulk of English literature units focus on close textual analysis, the ability to perform ‘close readings’ is essential for students of literature. This handout provides a a brief, student-friendly explanation of what a close reading actually is and how to perform it, followed by a sample close reading of the opening passage.

Comparative units are a great way to examine how the same preoccupations appear in different times, styles, and forms. This senior unit of work invites students to compare Fritz Lang’s 1927 expressionist sci-fi extravaganza Metropolis with George Orwell’s 1949 dystopian novel 1984. They consider the two texts’ handling of themes, narrative strategies, and representational techniques through a side-by-side reading and viewing of the text pairing. The unit has been designed for a 10-week term, and this resource includes: A brief list of useful websites and readings which students should research to gain a sense of the film’s context and to give them time to read the first chapters of the novel. A breakdown of the text-pairing over seven task-sheets corresponding to 7 weeks of a school term. Each week contains A nominated section of the film and novel for study Topics and questions for class discussion which students should prepare either verbally or in writing. A writing task to consolidate the week’s work The final weeks of term can be given over to an assessment task, which will be put up on this shop.

Shakespeare’s tragedy about madness and family is an established favourite for senior students. Since the bulk of English literature units focus on close textual analysis, the ability to perform ‘close readings’ is essential for students of literature. This handout provides a a brief, student-friendly explanation of what a close reading actually is and how to perform it, followed by a sample close reading of the opening passage.

Wilde’s Gothic novel about vanity and perdition is an established favourite for senior students. Many students regard essays as memorizable activities; they may disregard the question and continue to provide the same pieces of textual evidence paired with the same analytical remarks regardless of the question that evidence should address. This activity presents students with a brief piece of textual evidence and shows how it must be differently handled when answering three different questions. Students are then given another piece of evidence with which to practice, using it to answer three different questions.

Fitzgerald’s novel about ‘careless people’ and avarice in the modern era is an established favourite for senior students. This is a brief, student-friendly explanation of what a close reading is and how to perform it, followed by a thoroughly detailed sample close reading of the opening passage which models the principles of close reading.

Shakespeare’s tragedy about madness and ambition is an established favourite for senior students. Since the bulk of English literature units focus on close textual analysis, the ability to perform ‘close readings’ is essential for students of literature. This handout provides a a brief, student-friendly explanation of what a close reading actually is and how to perform it, followed by a sample close reading of the opening passage.

This unit, taught to a high ability Year 8 (13-14 years) class, is suitable for high-school students of all ages. It focuses on the poetry of loved things: people; food; objects, and experiences, and presents both traditional forms (the ode, the sonnet), and free-form contemporary poetry. Structured into eight parts, the unit covers: Love is in the head I love this feeling Things we love - stuff More Stuff I love eating I love you I love doing this Poetry, and loving it There is also an assessment paper requiring written responses to three poems. Students are introduced to poetic and literary concepts such as the four types of love, modern materialism, and parody. The written responses cover comprehension, analysis, personal discussion and evaluation, creative writing, and comparison with other provided poems. Please note: because recent works are protected by copyright, it is prohibitively expensive to place the texts themselves in the unit. However, to share the love of these poems, teachers should visit thecraftofwriting.org and look at the downloadable document indicated in the menu bar.

UPDATED AND IMPROVED AFTER YOUR FEEDBACK! Lois Lowry’s novel about the value of memory and individuality in a sinister dystopia is an established favourite for late primary school / junior high school. This 31-page unit of work has been tested successfully with a mixed-ability class of 11-12 year olds. This unit focuses on close textual analysis. There is a mixture of tasks which gets students writing analytically, personally, and creatively, helping them to build up their own unique interpretation of the work, and eventually to express this in a formal essay. There is a contextual introduction to historical ideas of utopia, and a short research task where students find out about a utopian vision from another culture or time. Questions and activities for each of 23 chapters. Five age-appropriate essay questions ask students about the themes and characters in the novel.

This comprehensive set of study notes includes a solid, step-by-step commentary on the text, relevant contextual detail, and pull-boxes giving examples of criticism in ‘Essay Language’ (allowing teachers to show differentiation of tone, register and modality). There’s also a sample essay to this question:** How do the texts you have studied depict the emotional and intellectual responses provoked by a discovery? In your response, refer to your prescribed text and ONE other related text. ** The sample essay uses Michael Gow’s Away and Robert Cormier’s short story ‘The Moustache’.

This comprehensive set of study notes includes a solid, step-by-step commentary on the text, relevant contextual detail, and pull-boxes giving examples of criticism in ‘Essay Language’ (allowing teachers to show differentiation of tone, register and modality). There’s also a sample essay to this question: Self-discovery often involves uncovering things hidden and reconsidering things known. How is this perspective explored in The Awakening and ONE other related text? The sample essay uses The Awakening and Jane Campion’s film The Piano. Remember- if you’re going to print copies, please buy a licence for each copy. Items are priced to make this possible for all schools. Thanks for supporting our work.

Memorized essays betray a lack of confidence and an unwillingness to commit to authentic answers. Examiners have always advised students to prepare ‘talking points’ instead - a selection of ideas that they can draw on and which convey solid analysis and interpretation of the text. These talking points can be used by teachers, to focus discussion on higher-level or less-noticed features of the text and context. They also form effective student revision materials for formal assessment. Each point is supported by a piece of evidence from the text, and there are sufficient points to generate solid responses to almost any essay question. The Talking Points also model how students can articulate more complex thoughts about the text, and adduce evidence in natural and well-integrated writing.

This substantial resource provides THREE different answers to the following question: **A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on. **Sir Winston Churchill Use the lines above as a stimulus for the opening of an imaginative, discursive or persuasive piece of writing. In your piece of writing incorporate at least ONE example of figurative language that you have learned about through your study of the prescribed texts for Module C. There is an imaginative, discursive AND persuasive answer so that you can show students how the same idea can be turned three different ways, to answer this question. Students can read through the answers alone or you can use the resource to test their knowledge of factors involved in good exam writing and how one mode differs from the other. Each answer has a response to the (b) question, requiring students to **Explain how your writing in part (a) was influenced by what you have learned about figurative language through the study of your prescribed texts for Module C. **The (b) sections draw on ‘How to Live Before You Die’ by Steve Jobs, a prescribed text for Standard English, although no knowledge of this text is required to read or teach this resource.