A 12 slide lesson on Louis Macneice’s poem ‘Prayer before Birth’ with line by line annotation, and analysis of linguistic and structural features employed by the poet. Also includes a poetry analysis checklist for students to complete, questions to promote student response and a how-to on analysing an unseen poem. Easily adaptable and suitable for KS3/KS4!

A 33 slide lesson on Persuasive writing using DAFOREST TECHNIQUES, asking students to identify persuasive techniques within a model paragraphs and create their own persuasive text before assessing. Easily editable and adaptable but ideally suited to KS3-KS4. Also included, all related resources.

An analysis lesson for Wilfred Owen’s famous poem ‘Disabled’. Includes differentiated tasks and full annotations. Also includes a poetry analysis checklist and revision material for how to analyse a poem. Easily adaptable, challenging and engaging for pupils of KS3 and KS4!

A 23 slide PowerPoint on ‘show not tell’ description to engage the reader as well as exploration of a variety of engaging sentence types and openers. Includes: Defining ‘show not tell’. Activity exploring its use and effectiveness in a piece of writing. Activity for students to compare the use of different ‘show not tell’ description in exemplar texts. Engaging sentence opener examples. Activity for students to improve their sentence openers in order to engage a reader. A plenary that consolidates learning surrounding ‘show not tell’ and engaging sentence structures and types.

30 engaging tasks for students to complete in the library. I created these little library challenge cards for my boys group who really engaged with them! The idea is that ninjas are silent and focused and a class in the library should be too. These vary in ability and challenge and be easily adapted! Suitable for KS2 or KS3!

A 22 slide PowerPoint on thesis statements and topic sentences, understanding them, their importance and how to use them in preparation for extended writing. Includes: Strong and weak exemplar thesis statements. Strong and weak exemplar topic sentences. The ingredients of a thesis statement and its location within an essay. The ingredients of a topic sentences and its location within an essay. How to use both. The differences between topic sentences and thesis statements. An activity on how to spot a strong and weak thesis statement and topic sentence. An activity allowing students to provide their own revision resource for topic sentences and thesis statements.

A 10 slide PowerPoint exploring the ingredients of a solid and engaging film review. Includes an activity for students to analyse a model film review on Bond movie ‘SkyFall’ and a template/plan to begin creating their own! Suitable for primary and secondary age students of both English and Media Studies

A 21 slide PowerPoint lesson analysing Zephaniah’s poem ‘The British’ - includes thought-provoking questions, engaging video clips and tasks for students to complete in response to the poem. Easily adaptable and suitable for KS2/KS3!

A PowerPoint analysing language, structure, tone and images within the poem ‘To my nine-year-old self’ by Helen Dunmore, includes detailed annotation of stanzas. Also includes a poetry study checklist and advice on how to approach reading a poem. For AS/A-level Edexcel Poems of the Decade Collection

Engaging lesson on creative writing in which the students create a message in a bottle. Includes snippets of other writing to analyse for linguistic/structural techniques used for effect and to engage a reader. Includes interesting adjectives list and model written piece with questions for students to analyse. Suitable for KS2-KS3!

An 18 slide PowerPoint exploring William Wordsworth’s ‘I wandered lonely as a cloud’, better known as ‘The Daffodils’. Suitable for KS3-KS5!

A 23 slide PowerPoint on poetic devices and their effect on the reader. Includes: Examples of simile, metaphor, personification, repetition, imagery, onomatopoeia, rhyme and alliteration. Exploration of their effect on the reader. Exploration of why the writer may choose to employ that device in their poem specifically. Activity for students to analyse an unseen poem for poetic techniques - Merrill Glass - 'But you didn't'.

A detailed 19 slide PowerPoint lesson on dramatic devices employed by J.B. Priestley within 'An Inspector Calls. Includes a list of dramatic devices within the play as well as tasks for students to identify and analyse devices independently. Lesson ends in questions for students to respond to using a P.E.A. structure (colour coded for difficulty).

An 11 slide PowerPoint on Moniza Alvi’s poem ‘An Unknown Girl’, it explores the poet’s background, includes full annotation and differentiated questions for students to respond to the poem. Easily adaptable and suitable for KS3 and KS4!

A 15 slide PowerPoint on the contextual background (historical, religious and social) for Alice Walker’s ‘The Color Purple’. Includes questions for consideration and facts surrounding slavery in America. Concludes with a list of key vocabulary for students to learn.

A 20 slide lesson supporting students in writing creatively using personification with sample writing and interesting tasks . Fun and engaging for KS2/KS3! Includes exciting adjectives list and success criteria!

A 16 slide PowerPoint exploring Frost’s poem ‘The Road Not Taken’ in preparation for an Unseen response. Explores the poem itself and how to annotate and includes a checklist for analysing an Unseen Poem.

Suggested topics for argument writing, not the most controversial but certainly food for thought.

A free resource detailing the criteria for writing a successful newspaper article. Also includes an activity for students to analyse a sample article and identify the WHO WHAT WHERE WHY WHEN and HOW key information.

An alphabetical list of interesting and alternative adjectives for students to use to develop their vocabulary. Suitable for all ages. Can be easily differentiated