Melissa Victoria is a former English teacher with over 15 years' experience in a variety of secondary school settings, including comprehensive and grammar schools. She provides English resources mainly for high-ability students studying for GCSE and A level (AQA).
Melissa Victoria has an MA in English from the University of Birmingham, UK.
Melissa Victoria is a former English teacher with over 15 years' experience in a variety of secondary school settings, including comprehensive and grammar schools. She provides English resources mainly for high-ability students studying for GCSE and A level (AQA).
Melissa Victoria has an MA in English from the University of Birmingham, UK.
A fully-adaptable PowerPoint which offers an introduction to the study of dramatic comedy as a genre (most likely useful with the study of Shakespeare). The lesson offers visual and practical tasks for pupils to work through in order to explore and begin to understand the concept of comedy as a genre. The activities should take one lesson, but may take two. There is also an opportunity for pupils to apply their learning to an extract from Shakespeare’s ‘Much ado About Nothing’ at the end.
This PowerPoint will be most useful with higher-level GCSE students aiming for grades 7,8 and 9 in their study of Shakespeare’s ‘Much Ado about Nothing’, enabling them to explore method and genre as they read, which will help in their reaching higher levels in the examination. Could be adapted for aspiring grade 6 students.
The PowerPoint might also be used as a starting point for A Level English Literature students although further reading and research will be necessary. It will certainly aid less able A Level students who benefit from visual and practical tasks, and discussion (I have used a version of this PowerPoint as a starting point with an AS group for coursework under an old spec).
Best wishes,
Englbee x
A fully-adaptable PowerPoint which offers an introduction to the study of dramatic tragedy as a genre. As well as some didactic commentary, the lesson offers visual and practical tasks for pupils to work through in order to explore and begin to understand the concept of tragedy as a genre. The activities should take one lesson, but may take two. There is also an opportunity for pupils to apply their learning to an extract from Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ at the end.
This PowerPoint will be most useful with higher-level GCSE students aiming for grades 7, 8 and 9 in their study of Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ or 'Julius Caesar’ (‘Romeo and Juliet’ differs somewhat from traditional dramatic tragedy conventions, but some aspects may be useful), enabling them to explore method and genre as they read, which will help in their reaching higher levels in the examination. Could be adapted for aspiring grade 6 students.
The PowerPoint might also be used as a starting point for AQA A Level English Literature students studying ‘King Lear’, ‘Othello’, or ‘Richard II’, or any of the other dramatic tragedies, although further reading and research will be necessary. It will certainly aid less-able A Level students who need a starting point and benefit from visual and practical tasks, and discussion.
Link to a similar PowerPoint on Dramatic Comedy here: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/dramatic-comedy-genre-an-introduction-11922680
A fully-adaptable PowerPoint of Shakespeare’s Richard II for A level English Literature B, Paper 1A Literary genres, Aspects of Tragedy, Part C
These are my notes used with a mid/high A level class. Each scene of Richard II has an individual slide covering the following:
structural points, language choices, thematic points. The first two points are significant in making sure students cover ‘the ways in which…’ Shakespeare explores themes. There is also reference to the dramatic tragedy genre as appropriate with thoughts and comments on peripeteia, anagnorisis and catharsis on some slides
At the beginning of the PowerPoint there are two additional slides: 1) contextual ideas that students should research prior to reading in order to understand kingship 2) an outline of some dramatic methods within the play to continue to explore the significance of ‘the ways in which…’ the play is constructed / crafted.
The PowerPoint might be used in the following ways: as a starting point for you as a teacher new to the play; as a starting point for pupils to read through prior to their own group reading; as a basis for initial ‘teacher-talk’ followed by class discussion (a group could take an area each to build upon - structure, language, theme); as support for independent study of a scene outside of class time; as a starting point for revision.
The PowerPoint is fully-adaptable for you to add your own ideas or insert additional slides as needed. Ideas are not definitive, but rather act as a thorough spring-board for further discussion and exploration of Shakespeare’s method and themes.
An introduction to Tragedy as a dramatic genre can be found at my shop here:
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/dramatic-tragedy-genre-an-introduction-12019491
I hope you find this useful.
Best wishes,
Englbee x
Nine GCSE revision posters for Shakespeare’s ‘Much Ado about Nothing’.
These posters would be useful to display in classrooms, but may find an even better purpose as revision tools.
Pupils can struggle to distil and make notes on Shakespeare; these posters offer key themes and ideas on each character with up to three relevent quotations (and references) for each.
Something to give to less-able pupils to take away and revise from. For more able, a starting point towards further revision.
Could be displayed as A3 or made into an A4 booklet.
Your free Benedick poster can be found here: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/much-ado-about-nothing-benedick-poster-free-
Best wishes,
Englbee x
These are high-level revision sheets (PDF) of AQA Love and Relationship Poems for students aiming for levels, 6/7-9 in the new GCSE Literature Paper 2
The revision sheet is laid out in sections with minimal graphics to allow effective revision of ideas and method.
Ideas are written in a brief format rather than being too text/colour heavy to aid key learning and memory
The method focus is rooted in structure and form as well as language choices in order to hit higher band criteria. Only a few choices for each as AQA stresses depth as opposed to breadth to achieve top grades.
There are suggested links to other poems and evaluative questions to consider in a potential essay conclusion.
The sheet is not definitive, and students should have a much deep knowledge of the poem from class studies; however, it will help as an aid for themes and methods regarding the second, unprinted poem in the examination in which they will need to draw on their memory.
15 high-level poetry lessons here with comprehensive teacher notes. https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/love-and-relationships-poetry-aqa-12180822
Best wishes,
Englbee x
A 30-page guide for high-ability students aiming for the new GCSE English Literature grades of 7, 8 and 9. Offered in Publisher as a fully-adaptable resource, and as a PDF.
The guide can be used as revision, or as a starting point for a teacher developing a scheme of work. It will help those new to teaching and/or the play in teaching ‘Much Ado about Nothing’ at a high level, especially with regards to conceptualisation and characters as constructs (needed for top band).
The guide offers detailed discussion on four major themes: marriage, love, deception and transformation.
It also outlines significant moments of major characterisation (Benedick, Beatrice, Hero, Claudio, Leonato, Don John and Don Pedro) in a conceptualised way, considering the significance of character development across the play as a whole, and links with significant themes.
There is also room for students to write in key quotations alongside each change in characterisation.
There are further detailed reflections on the significance of Dogberry and the Watch, Margaret and ‘Green World’ .
Finally there are several extracts from across the play with examination-style questions. Whilst the latter questions are geared towards the new AQA English Literature, the booklet is useful for any high-level study of Much Ado about Nothing.
All notes are written by me, and my studying of the play with a high-level GCSE class.
Best wishes,
Englbee x
A graphic organiser (PDF) for high-ability GCSE English Literature pupils studying Macbeth. AQA, OCR, Edexcel etc.
Are you tired of PowerPoint lessons? Looking for a way for pupils to work more independently whilst keeping organised notes? Then a graphic organiser might work for you and your class.
The graphic organiser is 60 pages long. It has been designed to be printed off back-to-back. Every scene in the play has two dedicated pages which will work best if the booklet is stapled, treasury-tagged or bound so that both pages for the scene can be viewed at the same time as an open booklet. There is a white edge alongside each page to allow for securing. (Please see preview for more details)
Each scene contains the following:
A synopsis
Page one - Three themes (from a selection of six) with high-level exploratory questions with room for note-making
Page two -A question on each of the following as related to the scene: dramatic tragedy genre, Shakespeare’s method, and context, with room for note-making.
At the start of the booklet there is a glossary of characterisations and structural devices related to the dramatic tragedy genre
At the back of the booklet, there is an extra page for note-making.
Other ways to use this booklet:
Print off a teacher copy and photocopy the scenes you wish to focus on in detail only
Page one for classroom teaching with page two for homework, or vice versa
Group work with pupils completing different parts of the booklet followed by whole class feedback
Individual, silent work
For when you’re absent and you need to set structured cover for a lesson
For that long-term absent, but bright pupil who needs a structured approach to catching up
For those able students who are great at discussion, but cannot organise their notes in their exercise books
Focused, active revision
Best wishes,
Englbee x
This is a high-ability 16-page GCSE Literature booklet on Macbeth. Offered both in Publisher as a fully-adaptable resource, and also as a PDF.
Are you new to teaching English? Is this the first time you have taught Macbeth at GCSE? Or have you only ever taught the play to lower- and middle-ability groups, and are worried about pitching it to the new top-set class you’ve been allocated? Concerned as to how to stretch to those 7s, 8s and 9s? Then this guide might be for you.
The guide contains detailed analysis of:
the theme of masculinity, focusing upon Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, the Witches and Macduff
the theme of womanhood, focusing upon Lady Macbeth, the Witches and Lady Macduff
the significance of children, heirs, legacy and posterity
There are also concise explanations of:
Types of Kings and Kingship found in the play
The Great Chain of Being and the Divine Right of Kings
Aspects of the ‘Human Condition’ found in the play
Macbeth as part of the tragedy genre: characterisation, tragic flaw and structure inc. anagnorisis, peripeteia
and catharsis
The guide is not exhaustive, but offers good grounding in higher-level ideas especially surrounding characters as constructs and vehicles for concepts, and also devices within the tragedy genre.
In the summer before exams, the guide can be adapted and given to pupils to take away as part of their revision.
Original posters on characters can be found at my shop: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/macbeth-revision-posters-12070022
Best wishes,
Englbee x
This bundle contains two PowerPoints, one focusing upon the dramatic comedy genre, and the other the dramatic tragedy genre.
Both PowerPoints follow a similar format:
*students are introduced to the terms ‘comedy’ or ‘tragedy’
*critical interpretations
*revision of dramatic method
*paired exploration of genre-specific method
*a didactic commentary of characterisation
language and structure
Best wishes,
Englbee
This resource offers two comprehensive PowerPoints for English Language GCSE AQA: one for you to teach to your class, and the second with exemplar responses for you to share with your class as you see fit.
The resource is most suitable for introducing a strong summer Year 9 class to GCSE skills needed next year, or as an introduction to a high-ability autumn Year 10 class just starting GCSE. The resource allows students to consider the GCSE as a whole, and the AOs as overlapping, before dividing them between the two papers later on in their GCSE studies
How the PowerPoint works:
The Learning Objectives and AOs are colour-coded to link with AQA’s symmetry grid (hyperlink provided in PowerPoint)
Resources out of copyright are provided within the PowerPoint
Resources in copyright are hyperlinked for you. You can copy and paste into the PowerPoint onto new slides should you wish, or you can continue to use the hyperlinks (I have had to hyperlink to avoid copyright breach)
Questions are curriculum-aligned
The PowerPoint works through AO1, AO2, AO4, AO3, AO5/6
The second PowerPoint contains high-level exemplar answers for AO1-4 questions, and detailed exemplar paragraphs for writing tasks covering AO5/6. If exemplars are too difficult for your class, you can adapt downwards as needed, but showing good quality ‘top’ answers may benefit most pupils aiming for 5+.
I have used this myself with high-ability classes who have found it useful as an introduction to their GCSE English Language.
The texts are: the opening two/three pages of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service; two linked 19th century letters on hanging; and a Guardian article on capital punishment. Links to 20th/21st Century articles necessary due to copyright.
Please note the links to On Her Majesty’s Secret Service are sometimes temperamental.
There is a copy here: https://archive.org/stream/JamesBondBooks/OHMS_0020#page/n7/mode/2up
and here (also on PowerPoint):
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=MkH504QgSKsC&pg=PA1&source=kp_read_button&redir_ese=y
However, as with all things internet, sources disappear from time-to-time. Purchasing a cheap paperback copy of OHMSS might be an idea…
Best wishes,
Englbee
Literary Nonfiction writing exemplars for AQA English Language GCSE Paper 2 question 5.
The Bundle contains the following:
*A article to argue a point-of-view
*An essay to explain a point-of-view
*A leaflet to advise
*A letter to persuade
All exemplars are based around the theme of homework. These allows for easy cross-reference in order for students to see that a similar topic can be written about in varied ways in order to achieve differences in form and style.
The exemplars are for higher-level students, grades 6-9.
There is also an extra writing-to-persuade exemplar in the form of a speech on the topic of giving to charities.
Best wishes,
Englbee x
Macbeth resources for high-ability pupils studying for English Literature GCSE.
Bundle contains:
An introduction to the dramatic tragedy genre with didactic and interactive tasks to help your pupils understand tragedy as a genre
A 60-page graphic organiser workbook with support for every scene. Includes information and questions on themes, genre, method and context
A 16-page study-guide which will help with teacher preparation and student revision. Includes mini essays and reflections on: gender, children, boundaries, Great Chain of Being, the Human Condition, plus notes on the dramatic tragedy genre
Eight character revision posters which focuses on how each contributes to the following six themes: gender, guilt, kingship, children, appearance and realty, and fate/freewill. Key language evidence from the text is also included.
All you need to teach Macbeth!
Best wishes,
Englbee
A Bundle of popular high-level Much Ado about Nothing GCSE resources. In this bundle, you will find:
*An introduction to Dramatic Comedy PowerPoint
*A Much Ado about Nothing high-level booklet
*Much Ado about Nothing character revision posters
*Three Much Ado about Nothing high-level essays with notes on how they fulfil AQA’s ‘extract to whole’ criteria
*A high-ability Much Ado about Nothing Knowledge Organiser covering conceptual characterisation, context, themes and dramatic method
Best wishes,
Englbee x
15 fully-adaptable PowerPoints covering each of the Love and Relationship poems in the AQA English Literature GCSE Poetry Anthology. Suitable for those students aiming for grades 7-9.
Each PowerPoint contains:
AQA Assessment objectives for the poetry anthology examination paper
A brief biography of the poet
A link to an audio reading of the poems and a listening task before reading
A list of high-level terminology for each poem as required for higher grades, and as a ‘way-in’ to the poems
A pyramid of critical questions which moves from knowledge to evaluation as a way of stretching higher students’ thinking, rather than you simply offering didactic teaching/leading questions
A copy, or link to a copy of the poem (due to copyright of some poems; you can easily copy and paste into PowerPoint)
A student sheet which can be printed off or projected onto the board as a structure to record ideas whilst working through critical questions
A short plenary
Followed by:
Teacher notes -two/three slides containing ideas for understanding each poem and its methods at a high level which you should likely read before the lesson as preparation for discussion and teaching.
How much you ‘teacher-lead’ using these notes, or whether you use them to aid independent learning is up to you. Notes are not definitive, but offer good-grounding in understanding poets’ use of method in the poems, with detail on structure and form as well as language in order to reach higher grades.
NEW: THREE PAGE LESSON PLAN ON HOW TO USE EACH SLIDE INCLUDING KEY QUESTIONS, LEARNING AND OUTCOMES
The lessons presume that some previous learning has taken place on what language, form and structure mean, and that students have a good level of understanding of what questions they should ask of poems in order to explore them (e.g. when was it written? how might that influence language choices? is there a specific form? what relevance is the form? how is the poem’s narrative structured and why? etc.)
You can find revision posters for your students nearer exam time here https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/love-and-relationships-revision-12183742
Kind regards,
Englbee x
A scheme of work for Enduring Love by Ian McEwan. Written originally for an outgoing specification for AQA A Level English Literature B. 25 PowerPoints in total covering each chapter.
It offers a strong starting point for fine-grained analysis of literary method , whilst also focusing upon complex philosophical questions explored in the text.
Included in each lesson: Five narrative method slides, one each on - narrative voice, setting, structure, form and language. Some slides more detailed than others depending on importance of method to each chapter. There are prompts for discussion and exploration of significance of each method with quotations if relevant. Advanced Level students will benefit from the prompts without being ‘spoonfed’. Teachers new to Enduring Love will find studying the slides for each chapter in advance, before reading, will help them focus upon the methods McEwan uses in the novel and aid teaching preparation.
Later slides focus on debate questions, focusing less on method, and more on the philosophical ideas raised by the text within each chapter.
The PowerPoints should be used as starting points for further discussion and analysis by advanced level students. Could be used for undergraduate also.
Free prereading lesson here: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/enduring-love-by-ian-mcewan-pre-reading-lesson-11916185s
Best wishes,
Englbee
