This Valentine’s Day English Lesson is aimed at key stage 3 and key stage 4. In the lesson, students will learn about the history of Valentine’s Day, consider Shakespeare’s sonnets and iambic pentameter, and then write their own Shakespearean sonnet. Learning Questions: What are the origins of Valentine’s Day? How did Shakespeare write about love using the sonnet form? How can I write my own sonnet (love poem)? This works really well as a one-off English lesson to celebrate Valentine’s Day, whilst also keeping students focused on English-specific skills and knowledge. Lesson Overview: Do It Now: What would be the worst ever Valentine’s day gift someone could get? Starter: Brief history of Valentine’s Day followed by think-pair-share and discussion. Main task 1: Explanation of Shakespearean sonnet followed by students reading out lines of iambic pentameter. Main task 2: Students look at an example sonnet and then write their own sonnet. Share and celebrate student sonnets. Plenary: Students choose five words to summarise what they’ve learned about the origins of Valentine’s Day. I really hope you and your students enjoy this! Leave a review and choose any other resource, of up to the same value, for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.

An engaging and detailed lesson to teach students how to approach the directed writing question in paper 2 for the CIE 0500 English First Language specification. This resource contains: A ready-to-teach powerpoint with printing and teaching instructions. An original example directed writing question with two insert texts provided. A revision handout so that students can can revise how to approach this question. Learning Objective: Understand how to approach the paper 2 directed writing task Learning Outcomes: Students will understand what the directed writing task looks like and what is assessed on the mark scheme. -Students will be introduced to a five step writing guide for this question. Lesson Outline: Do it now: What is directed writing? Discuss with your partner? Starter: What does the question look like and what is the mark scheme? Main task: Five step guided directed writing. Discussion Plenary: What questions or concerns do you still have about directed writing? Freebies: A free lesson giving an overview of CIE 0500 Language Paper One here. A free lesson giving an overview of CIE 0500 Language Paper Two here. Free marking templates for CIE 0500 here. If you find this lesson helpful, have a look at my CIE 0500 Language Paper 1 bundle here or the Language Paper 2 bundle here. If you’re interested in both, there is a combined bundle here which is cheaper than buying them separately. Please leave a review as I value all the feedback I receive, and have a look at other resources available in my shop. **

Two engaging and resourced hour-long lessons to teach students how to approach Internet research and identify reliable sources of information. This is applicable to any research topic and is suitable for key stage 3 or key stage 4. Students will learn how to: Identify relevant research questions. Critically analyse the strengths and weaknesses of various sources Identify key words to use in search engines Choose what information to write down. This resource includes: A Powerpoint for two lessons including teaching and printing instructions Worksheets/printouts for each lesson (included as part of the PowerPoint). I have included an example use for the Holocaust, however the slides can be easily adapted to suit any relevant research topic. I have used these in my English lessons but they could be adapted to work in any subject which requires students to complete independent research. Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.

This fully-resourced, one-hour lesson guides students through independent analysis of Macbeth’s soliloquy (“Is this a dagger…”) in Act 2 Scene 1 of Macbeth. Perfect for fostering critical thinking, this lesson allows students to paraphrase Macbeth’s speech and collaborate in groups to examine Shakespeare’s use of lexical fields, rhetorical questions, and repetition. This resource includes: A ready-to-teach PowerPoint with full teacher instructions. A printable extract of the soliloquy with a detailed glossary for student reference. Printable group task instructions, also embedded in the PowerPoint. Learning Objective: Analyse Macbeth’s soliloquy in Act 2 Scene 1. Learning Outcomes: Students will read and understand act 2 scene 1 and independently paraphrase it and answer questions on it. Students will work in groups to closely analyse the language in Macbeth’s soliloquy. Students will compare two different portrayals of this soliloquy. Lesson Breakdown: Do it now: ’There’s husbandry in heaven, their candles are all out’ – students explore this quote. Starter: Read act 2 scene 1 and discuss questions. Activity 1: Paraphrase the soliloquy in groups whilst watching a performance. Activity 2: Scaffolded independent analysis task Plenary: Students watch another performance of the soliloquy. How does this other portrayal of Macbeth compare to the earlier one? Why Choose This Resource? Designed for Confidence-Building: Helps students feel secure in their analysis of complex texts. Ready to Use: Download and start teaching immediately with no prep required. Leave a review and select another resource of equal value for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.

An engaging and detailed lesson to teach students how to approach the summary question in their reading paper for the CIE 0500 English First Language specification. In this resource is an original exam script which students practise answering. This resource contains: A ready-to-teach powerpoint with printing and teaching instructions. An example summary question/extract and the mark scheme A revision handout so that students can practise the four step method for approaching this question. This has been updated according to the 2024 specification change. Learning Objective: Write an effective summary. Learning Outcomes: Students will understand how to meet the requirements of the mark scheme for the summary writing question. Students will experience a ‘walking mock’ of how to approach the summary writing question. Students will practise applying the mark scheme by using peer assessment. Lesson Outline: Do it now: Think, pair, share: What are the key skills needed for writing a summary? Starter: Overview of the exam question, skills and marks. Task 1: Modelled and scaffolded summary task divided into four steps. For the final step, students should be given 15 minutes to write their answer. Task 2: Scaffolded peer assessment - students assess multiple other examples so that they can see a range of answers. Task 3: Self-reflection Leaving question: What questions do you still have about writing a summary? Freebies: A free lesson giving an overview of CIE 0500 Language Paper One here. A free lesson giving an overview of CIE 0500 Language Paper Two here. Free marking templates for CIE 0500 here. If you find this lesson helpful, have a look at my CIE 0500 Language Paper 1 bundle here or the Language Paper 2 bundle here. If you’re interested in both, there is a combined bundle here which is cheaper than buying them separately. Please leave a review as I value all the feedback I receive, and have a look at other resources available in my shop. **

An engaging and detailed staff CPD session on explicit vocabulary instruction - this lasts between one hour and 90 minutes depending on whether departments are given time at the end to consider their tier 2 and tier 3 vocabulary words. I delivered this in my role as Literacy Coordinator and was told by the headteacher that it was the best internal CPD that he had seen delivered. This session covers: Why you need a whole-school approach to vocabulary The Matthew Effect Tier 1, 2 and 3 words and what this means. Approaches to vocabulary instruction - morphology, etymology and the Frayer model. Modelled examples of how to teach new vocabulary. Advice for further reading. Please note that I have provided some suggestions in the notes section of the slides about how to guide discussion. Similar Resources * Staff CPD on Whole-School Reading Strategies * A bundle of whole-school literacy resources including this CPD, CPD on Reading Strategies and resources for implementing a Word Root of the Week in your school. Leave a review and choose any other resource of up to the same value for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.

A detailed and comprehensive knowledge organiser/revision mat for the unseen poetry and poetry anthology questions for Edexcel English Literature IGCSE 4ET1. This is comprised of two A3 pages of information. This knowledge organiser contains the following sections: Form and structural terms Language terms An overview table with all the poems, their themes and the poetic form of each. I have included it as a Powerpoint (for easy editing) and a PDF (for easy printing). If you find this resource helpful, please leave a review and have a look at other resources available in my shop.

An engaging and detailed staff CPD session on whole-school reading strategies that lasts one hour. This session covers: Why you need a whole-school approach to reading. The Matthew Effect Tier 1, 2 and 3 words and what this means. Orthography and background of English spelling Five strategies for struggling readers that can be used across subjects. Time for staff to consolidate their learning and discuss how they will apply what they have learned to their subject and upcoming units. Please note that I have provided some suggestions in the notes section of the slides about how to guide discussion as well as the answers to some questions. Similar Resources * A Whole-School Approach to Explicit Vocabulary Staff CPD * A bundle of whole-school literacy resources including this CPD, CPD on Reading Strategies and resources for implementing a Word Root of the Week in your school. Leave a review and choose any other resource of up to the same value for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.

An engaging and detailed quiz Powerpoint containing 30 questions and answers to question students on their general knowledge about books - both classic and modern! There are four rounds in total over 41 PowerPoint slides: three question rounds and one round in which students make up their own riddles. This is ideal for World Book Day. This is aimed at secondary age students both in key stage 3 and key stage 4. There is a range of difficulty of questions covering books from Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Harry Potter to Sophie’s World and Animal Farm. The Powerpoint and is editable so that you can remove and alter questions to suit your students. The Rounds Round One: Book titles (these questions have various levels of scaffolding so that there is a range of difficulty). Round Two: Characters and Settings Round Three: Book Covers This lesson works well for Book Day or for an end of term English or form time lesson. Leave a review and choose any other resource, of up to the same value, for free from the Like An Expert shop.

Two engaging and detailed lessons to teach students how to approach the narrative writing question in Language paper 2 of CIE 0500 English Language IGCSE. This resource contains a ready-to-teach powerpoint with printing and teaching instructions. The first lesson covers structure and the students are guided towards completing a planning sheet for their story which includes hook, characterisation, development, climax and the resolution. The second lesson asks students to consider how to write an engaging hook and then to complete their piece of narrative writing. LESSON ONE Learning Objective: Plan our narrative writing for Paper 2. Learning Outcomes: Students will understand what the narrative questions look like and what is assessed on the mark scheme. Students will be introduced to a recommended narrative structure and then will plan their own answer. Lesson Outline: Do it now: What is the difference between narrative and descriptive writing? Starter: Overview of Language Paper 2 and the mark scheme. Task one: A model plan for the five-part structure. Task two: Students plan their own narrative piece of writing using the five part structure. Peer assessment Plenary: What questions do you have about creating effective narrative writing? LESSON TWO Learning Objective: Write an engaging narrative for paper 2. Learning Outcomes: Students will recall and revise the success criteria for narrative writing from the previous lesson. Lesson Outline: Do it now: What is the difference between narrative and descriptive writing? Starter: Overview of Language Paper 2 and the mark scheme. Task one: A model plan for the five-part structure. Task two: Students plan their own narrative piece of writing using the five part structure. Peer assessment Plenary: What questions do you have about creating effective narrative writing? Freebies: A free lesson giving an overview of CIE 0500 Language Paper One here. A free lesson giving an overview of CIE 0500 Language Paper Two here. Free marking templates for CIE 0500 here. If you find this lesson helpful, have a look at my CIE 0500 Language Paper 1 bundle here or the Language Paper 2 bundle here. If you’re interested in both, there is a combined bundle here which is cheaper than buying them separately. Please leave a review as I value all the feedback I receive, and have a look at other resources available in my shop. **

A detailed knowledge organiser to support students in taking CIE 0500 First Language English language paper 1. It includes the following: Key terms defined for reading skills (skimming, scanning, PAFT etc). An overview and suggested exam technique for questions 1, 2 and 3 adapted directly from the mark scheme. The resource is included as a pdf for easy printing and as a ppt in case you would prefer to edit it. This is suitable for any IGCSE students. It is an excellent resource to be used for setting homework, quizzing in classes or as a support mat. Freebies: A free lesson giving an overview of CIE 0500 Language Paper One here. A free lesson giving an overview of CIE 0500 Language Paper Two here. Free marking templates for CIE 0500 here. If you find this lesson helpful, have a look at my CIE 0500 Language Paper 1 bundle here or the Language Paper 2 bundle here. If you’re interested in both, there is a combined bundle here which is cheaper than buying them separately. Please leave a review as I value all the feedback I receive, and have a look at other resources available in my shop. **

Two fully resourced and ready-to-teach one-hour lessons which introduce students to the skills of annotating a poem and then writing an analytical PEE paragraph about it. These lessons are designed so that they can be downloaded and taught immediately and all printing instructions are included. The poem used is ‘I am Offering this Poem’ by Jimmy Santiago Baca. This lesson is aimed at KS3 and would be suitable for an introduction to poetry unit - but it could easily be adapted to younger or older students. Students will need to know what personification, similes, alliteration and repetition are already. These lessons include: A 22-slide Powerpoint Differentiated learning outcomes Copies of the poem with a glossary (in both word and pdf formats - for editing or printing). Explanation of annotation A model PEE paragraph Structured peer assessment Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.

A fully-resourced and differentiated lesson to teach students what an infographic is and the purpose of one. I have used this lesson both in teaching English (looking at purposes of texts or for a way to present student research) or as part of teaching GCSE Media Studies. I have included it as one-lesson but it could easily be split into multiple lessons in which students research a chosen topic and then create a final version of their own infographic. Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.

This one-hour lesson is designed to guide students through Lady Macbeth’s persuasive techniques in Act 1, Scene 7, focusing on how she manipulates Macbeth to commit murder. Ideal for key stage 3 or key stage 4 classes studying Macbeth, this resource is tailored towards developing students language and literature skills and providing them with a range of practice opportunities. What’s included: Complete PowerPoint with step-by-step teacher instructions—ready to download and teach. Ready-to-print worksheet for students to label and explain Lady Macbeth’s use of persuasive techniques. Learning Objective: Students will analyse how Lady Macbeth persuades and manipulates Macbeth using powerful rhetorical techniques. Learning Outcomes: Identify the persuasive strategies Lady Macbeth uses. Practice applying these techniques in both analysis and through writing your own examples. Write an analytical paragraph exploring the effects of her language. Lesson Outline: Do It Now Activity: Persuade the teacher for extra game time. Starter: Introduction to key persuasive techniques. Activity 1: Annotate the worksheet, labeling persuasive methods and explaining their effects. Activity 2: Write an analytical paragraph answering, “How does Lady Macbeth manipulate Macbeth?” Peer Assessment to evaluate analytical writing. Activity 3: Write a persuasive letter using Lady Macbeth’s rhetorical techniques. Plenary: Reflect on the power dynamics between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.

A detailed knowledge organiser to support students studying ‘Of Mice and Men’ by John Steinbeck. It includes the following: Important quotes Descriptions of the key characters (George, Lennie, Crooks, Curley, Curley’s Wife, Slim and Candy) Important key words for studying the novel. Literary terms found in the novel. This can be used for setting homework, quizzing in classes or as a support mat. Leave a review and choose any other resource, of up to the same value, for free from the LikeAnExpert shop. I have a whole range of Of Mice and Men revision resources available in the shop and a range of revision videos on my YouTube channel (this is linked to in my shop).