Get SET to teach secondary English with Sian's English Toolkit.
These resources are based on my experience teaching secondary English for thirteen years. During this time I gained experience teaching language and literature to all ability levels within the age range 11-18. I also have extensive experience of writing schemes of learning as I was a department lead for ten of those years.
Get SET to teach secondary English with Sian's English Toolkit.
These resources are based on my experience teaching secondary English for thirteen years. During this time I gained experience teaching language and literature to all ability levels within the age range 11-18. I also have extensive experience of writing schemes of learning as I was a department lead for ten of those years.
The Olympics 2024 Literacy Activities
This editable PowerPoint contains 20 literacy-based activities based on the Olympics 2024. These make perfect starter activities or form time tasks. Slides have a simple colour scheme so that they can be printed at a lower cost if hard copies are needed.
As well as being enjoyable and competitive, these activities will encourage learners to apply their knowledge of the alphabet, vowels, consonants and languages.
Activities include:
placing words into alphabetical order
matching terms to different languages
anagrams
identifying missing vowels/consonants
word grids
creating their own words
You can also find a series of literacy activities relating to the Paralympics 2024: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-13039163
The Paralympics 2024 Literacy Activities
This editable PowerPoint contains 20 literacy-based activities based on the Paralympics 2024. These make perfect starter activities or form time tasks. Slides have a simple colour scheme so that they can be printed at a lower cost if hard copies are needed.
As well as being enjoyable and competitive, these activities will encourage learners to apply their knowledge of the alphabet, vowels, consonants and languages.
Activities include:
placing words into alphabetical order
matching terms to different languages
anagrams
identifying missing vowels/consonants
word grids
creating their own words
There is also an Olympics 2024 Literacy Activities resource available - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-13036737
World Oceans Day Literacy Activities
This editable PowerPoint contains 20 literacy-based activities for World Oceans Day. These make perfect starter activities or form time tasks. Slides have a simple colour scheme so that they can be printed at a lower cost if hard copies are needed.
As well as being enjoyable and competitive, these activities will encourage learners to apply their knowledge of the alphabet, vowels, consonants and languages.
Activities include:
placing words into alphabetical order
matching terms to different languages
anagrams
identifying missing vowels/consonants
word grids
creating their own words
‘King Lear Revision PowerPoint’ provides a range of activities to help learners target the following areas:
narrative recall
characters and relationships
themes
quotation
language/terminology
This has been trialled successfully with an A2 group completing the WJEC GCE English Literature Unit 4 exam.
Activities include:
answering key questions
filling in blank spaces in key quotations
identifying types of language that can be discussed in whole text question responses
matching terminology to definitions
linking quotations to characters and/or themes
This has been uploaded as an editable PowerPoint so that it can be modified/edited/added to for the needs of the learners in your settings.
GCSE English Language Writing Planning (WJEC) is a resource to support learners with preparation for the writing section of Unit 3. It is particularly useful as a revision activity for learners at the C-D borderline.
There are four separate writing tasks included in this resource, three sheets per task.
Sheet 1 - a blank worksheet with the writing task at the top for learners to fill in
Sheet 2 - scaffolding with general advice on planning
Sheet 3 - an exemplar essay plan for the task
There are two ‘persuade’ tasks and two ‘argue’ tasks. The genres covered include:
article
speech
formal letter
If you find this resource useful, you may want to look at the other GCSE English Language (WJEC) resources in my shop:
Revision Pack - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/gcse-english-language-exam-revision-pack-wjec-12969501
Writing Support for C/D Borderline Learners - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/gcse-english-language-writing-tips-and-tricks-wjec-12969667
Reading Skills Card Sort - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/gcse-english-language-reading-skills-wjec-12979433
Individual Presentation Preparation Booklet - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/gcse-english-language-irp-booklet-wjec-12970177
A Christmas Carol | Quotes Revision | I Have Who Has | GCSE
This resource is targeted towards high school students in need of key quotes revision. It is a great way to get students revising whilst making it feel like a game.
There are 36 cards included, and these are divided into two games of 18 cards each. There are also two blank cards with each set in case you would like to write in a couple of your own to each game.
Each card contains a quote and stave. The blue version of the game includes quotes that describe characters. The green version of the game includes quotes said by different characters.
A student will read the quote on their card, and students must identify whether the character on their card said this quote, or whether the description is about their character (depending on which version of the game they’re playing). They must also identify whether the quote is from the stave specified on their card.
Full instructions are included in the resource, as are all of the answers on a separate teacher sheet.
There are also suggestions for differentiation, including making the game more or less challenging, as needed.
If you found this resource helpful, you may also like:
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/a-christmas-carol-annotated-extracts-12933695
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/a-christmas-carol-revision-bundle-12972692
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/a-christmas-carol-revision-board-game-12989845
An Inspector Calls | Quotes Revision | I Have Who Has | GCSE
This resource is targeted towards high school students in need of key quotes revision. It is a great way to get students revising whilst making it feel like a game.
There are 40 cards included, and these are divided into two games of 20 cards each.
Each card contains a quote and act. The two games have been colour-coded - blue and green - for ease of use.
A student will read the quote on their card, and students must identify which character said it, or which character the quote relates to, depending on the version of the game being played. They must also identify whether the quote is from the act specified on their card. Three cards per game include stage directions rather than speech.
Full instructions are included in the resource, as are all of the answers on a separate teacher sheet.
There are also suggestions for differentiation, including making the game more or less challenging, as needed.
If you found this resource helpful, you may also like:
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/an-inspector-calls-essay-structures-12973418
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/an-inspector-calls-essay-planning-tool-12973414
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/an-inspector-calls-revision-bundle-12973433
Cross-curricular Literacy Anagrams includes six worksheets and answer sheets aimed at supporting GCSE students with subject-specific vocabulary.
Six subjects are covered in these anagrams:
English
Numeracy
Science
Geography
History
Physical Education
There are twenty anagrams per subject.
These are ideal as form time activities or starters, taking 10-20 minutes each, depending on the learners’ confidence with subject-specific terminology.
Keats Revision Sheets for Key Poems contains key points and notes for nine of his poems:
Bright Star
Burns’ Tomb
Chapman’s Homer
Imitation of Spenser
La Belle Dame Sans Merci
On Sitting Down to Read King Lear Once Again
On the Sea
To Sleep
When I have fears that I may cease to be
These are useful overviews when initially reading one of these poems, and are also useful revision sheets once poems have been studied.
They contain a copy of the poem itself, in addition to notes on content, analysis, context, language and form.
A Christmas Carol annotated extracts. These worksheets are designed to help GCSE English Literature students practise extract analysis/annotation in preparation for analysing a specific extract in the exam. There are differentiated resources per extract depending on pupils’ ability and the learning intention of the lesson. Each extract has a specific question attached to it. The duration of the worksheet will depend on the learning intention of the lesson, but would take approximately 15-25 minutes to annotate and go through as a class as a revision activity.
There are three versions of each sheet:
blank extract and the question for use as an individual assessment
differentiated highlighted version to guide less confident students towards important quotations
highlighted and annotated version as a teacher guide, a good example of annotation to display to pupils/for self-assessment, or a revision handout to give to pupils
There are five annotated extracts, each one from a highly significant event in the plot:
Stave 1 - first description of Scrooge
Stave 2 - when he tries to extinguish the light from the Ghost of Christmas Present
Stave 3 - Ignorance & Want
Stave 4 - the graveyard scene
Stave 5 - description of Scrooge
If you have found these useful, take a look at the revision materials that accompany the text, also available in my shop:
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/a-christmas-carol-revision-board-game-12989845 - a board game is a brilliant way of engaging learners with revision without it feeling like work!
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/a-christmas-carol-revision-worksheets-12942672
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/a-christmas-carol-quotes-revision-12938348
‘Heroes’ revision activities includes ten different worksheets for learners to complete after reading the novel. Some encourage learners to think critically about the text, whilst others test their recall of key events, characters and quotes. The time taken for each activity will vary, depending upon the level of confidence. Times are likely to vary between 5-20 minutes. Worksheets could be given as individual resources or used to produce a revision booklet for learners. Answer keys are provided for all tasks, where needed.
Activities require:
sequencing of key events
sequencing of key quotes
linking quotes to characters
thinking critically of characters and their personality traits
considering essay structures for the exam (WJEC)
£2.50 for the resource means that each activity costs only 25p!
If you find this resource useful, you may be interested in other Heroes resources available in my shop:
Essay structures - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/heroes-robert-cormier-essay-structures-12973423
Narrative Overview - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/heroes-by-robert-cormier-narrative-overview-12970174
The Merchant’s Tale (Chaucer) annotated extracts. These worksheets are designed to help GCE English Literature students practise extract analysis/annotation in preparation for analysing a specific extract in the exam. There are differentiated resources per extract depending on pupils’ ability and the learning intention of the lesson. Each extract has a specific question attached to it. The duration of the worksheet will depend on the learning intention of the lesson, but would take approximately 15-25 minutes to annotate and go through as a class as a revision activity.
There are three versions of each sheet:
blank extract and the question for use as an individual assessment
differentiated highlighted version to guide less confident students towards important quotations
highlighted and annotated version as a teacher guide, a good example of annotation to display to pupils/for self-assessment, or a revision handout to give to pupils
There are five annotated extracts:
33-54: presentation of January
318-341: presentation of marriage
611-638: presentation of January
948-972: presentation of January
1108-1133: presentation of January and May
If you haven’t seen it already, there’s also a free annotated extract available - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-13030820
King Lear annotated extracts. These worksheets are designed to help GCE English Literature students practise extract analysis/annotation in preparation for analysing a specific extract in the exam. There are differentiated resources per extract depending on pupils’ ability and the learning intention of the lesson. Each extract has a specific question attached to it. The duration of the worksheet will depend on the learning intention of the lesson, but would take approximately 15-25 minutes to annotate and go through as a class as a revision activity.
There are three versions of each sheet:
blank extract and the question for use as an individual assessment
differentiated highlighted version to guide less confident students towards important quotations
highlighted and annotated version as a teacher guide, a good example of annotation to display to pupils/for self-assessment, or a revision handout to give to pupils
There are five annotated extracts, one from each act.
Act 1 - Lear banishes Cordelia
Act 2 - Lear’s knights are taken away from him by Goneril and Regan
Act 3 - Lear facing the storm
Act 4 - Lear reawakens after being rescued by Cordelia
Act 5 - Edgar enters to challenge Edmund to a duel
If you have found these useful, take a look at the revision materials that accompany the text, also available in my shop:
Revision PowerPoint: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-13013430
Revision materials: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12969963
Critical Approaches: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12970159
GCSE English Language Exam Revision Pack - WJEC Exam Board
This resource contains eight pages of revision notes for learners sitting the GCSE English Language exams in Wales. This has been used successfully to support revision prior to the exam, in addition to completing exam practice questions in class. It can be used to teach/remind learners of success criteria, support the transition from modelled/supported activities and aid independent revision. They can be used as individual sheets or copied together to provide a support pack for learners.
The pack includes:
an overview of what to expect on Unit 2
an overview of what to expect on Unit 3
two pages of notes guiding learners through different reading skills
a page of notes guiding learners through success criteria for Unit 2 writing
a page of notes guiding learners through success criteria for Unit 3 writing
a suggested method for planning non-fiction writing (one of the most useful exam preparation tools I have shared with my learners)
a list of language features that could be used
Inference Worksheets 2 - Treasure Island / The Secret Garden
These worksheets support learners in developing the skills of reading for meaning and making inferences. The teacher guide at the start helps you navigate through a series of activities that support learners in understanding a text. Each text will take approximately an hour to complete. These work particularly well with small groups of 3-6 learners but can be used 1-1 or with larger groups.
These activities help learners to practise:
making connections with current knowledge
visualising
questioning
word meaning
explaining subtext
empathy
prioritising
summarising
The two texts in this pack are extracts from Treasure Island and The Secret Garden.
Also available in my shop are:
Inference Worksheets 1: Peter Pan & The Wind in the Willows
Inference Worksheets 3: A Christmas Carol & The Wizard of Oz
A bundle offer including all six extracts
Inference Worksheets 1 - Peter Pan and The Wind in the Willows
These worksheets support learners in developing the skills of reading for meaning and making inferences. The teacher guide at the start helps you navigate through a series of activities that support learners in understanding a text. Each text will take approximately an hour to complete. These work particularly well with small groups of 3-6 learners but can be used 1-1 or with larger groups.
These activities help learners to practise:
making connections with current knowledge
visualising
questioning
word meaning
explaining subtext
empathy
prioritising
summarising
The two texts in this pack are extracts from Peter Pan and The Wind in the Willows.
Also available in my shop are:
Inference Worksheets 2: Treasure Island & The Secret Garden
Inference Worksheets 3: A Christmas Carol & The Wizard of Oz
A bundle offer including all six extracts
Inference Worksheets 4 - Alice in Wonderland / What Katy Did
These worksheets support learners in developing the skills of reading for meaning and making inferences. The teacher guide at the start helps you navigate through a series of activities that support learners in understanding a text. Each text will take approximately an hour to complete. These work particularly well with groups of 3-6 learners but can also be used 1-1 and with larger groups.
These activities help learners to practise:
making connections with current knowledge
visualising
questioning
word meaning
explaining subtext
empathy
prioritising
summarising
The two texts in this pack are extracts from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and What Katy Did.
Also available in my shop are:
Inference Worksheets 1: Peter Pan & The Wind in the Willows
Inference Worksheets 2: Treasure Island & The Secret Garden
Inference Worksheets 3: A Christmas Carol & The Wizard of Oz
A bundle offer including Inference Worksheets 1-3
Inference Worksheets 3 - A Christmas Carol & The Wizard of Oz
These worksheets support learners in developing the skills of reading for meaning and making inferences. The teacher guide at the start helps you navigate through a series of activities that support learners in understanding a text. Each text will take approximately an hour to complete. These work particularly well with groups of 3-6 learners but can also be used 1-1 and with larger groups.
These activities help learners to practise:
making connections with current knowledge
visualising
questioning
word meaning
explaining subtext
empathy
prioritising
summarising
The two texts in this pack are extracts from The Wizard of Oz and A Christmas Carol.
Also available in my shop are:
Inference Worksheets 1: Peter Pan & The Wind in the Willows
Inference Worksheets 2: Treasure Island & The Secret Garden
A bundle offer including all six extracts
‘An Inspector Calls’ revision worksheets includes ten different worksheets for learners to complete after studying the play. Some encourage learners to think critically about the text, whilst others test their recall of key events, characters and quotes. The time taken for each activity will vary, depending upon the level of confidence. Times are likely to vary between 5-20 minutes. Worksheets could be given as individual resources or used to produce a revision booklet for learners. Answer keys are provided for all tasks, where needed.
Activities require:
sequencing of key events
sequencing of key quotes
linking quotes to characters
considering mood and atmosphere
thinking critically of characters and their personality traits
£2.50 for the resource means that each activity costs only 25p!
‘Of Mice and Men’ revision worksheets includes ten different worksheets for learners to complete after studying the novel. Some encourage learners to think critically about the text, whilst others test their recall of key events, characters and quotes. The time taken for each activity will vary, depending upon the level of confidence. Times are likely to vary between 5-20 minutes. Worksheets could be given as individual resources or used to produce a revision booklet for learners. Answer keys are provided for all tasks, where needed.
Activities require:
sequencing of key events
sequencing of key quotes
linking quotes to characters
considering mood and atmosphere
thinking critically of characters and their personality traits
£2.50 for the resource means that each activity costs only 25p!
You may also be interested in these resources:
Narrative tasks: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12970442
Essay structures: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12970873