This worksheet makes a quick plenary or homework for KS2 or KS3 reluctant readers or less able spellers. Although it can be used without reading the novel, the context does give it more appeal. The story is written by David Almond and published by Warner books, 2012. Using the PP, students check their work or peer assess if that is easier than projecting the answer page, then move on to a short homophone task. If the spelling was done as homework, this makes an ideal starter for the 'hwk due' lesson.

In this lovely, easy to read novel by David Almond, the author uses both past and present tense. This starter brings this to their attention and begins a discussion about the merits of each. The task is really simple, just changing the verbs, but it can be developed into a discussion that moves analysis of reading to a higher level for some. Suitable for KS2 & weaker KS3/ reluctant readers. In addition, there is a starter on tense for those who feel imparting grammatical knowledge is important: students could take notes or just discuss tense, but this is a useful opportunity to give some clarity on a topic often left to 'what sounds right'.

Kids love playing teacher and in this exercise they get to 'mark' Clarence P. Clapp's spelling. The answers are on the second page and can be projected or handed to a group or table to check their marking. If you can, let pupils mark in red pen to add to the game. This work is aimed at weaker KS3 students, but should also suit KS2. 'The Boy who Swam with Piranhas' is written by David Almond, published by Walker Books and is illustrated, so ideal for reluctant readers. As an extra challenge, project a letter table containing a 9-letter word from the task. students should find the 9letter word as well as 4-or more letter words using the letters. Answers are on slide 2.

This fun, illustrated novel by David Almond is ideal for KS2 & weaker KS3 readers, especially those who don't like reading much. This first task is a word recognition exercise that helps improve spelling by getting students to notice words within words. This also makes a good homework task. To facilitate peer or self-assessment, the answers on p2 can be projected. You can extend the task by setting a spelling test on the words. The PP takes the challenge further: students are shown how to memorise the spelling of words and then asked to find 3-5 of their own errors to learn to spell correctly using the technique. Tip: let them use colours to show the words within words.

A first reading of the eponymous short story is best done privately as some students need to adjust to the graphic descriptions. So this is ideal as holiday homework before class reading begins; best made available electronically. If students have their own texts, highlighting different aspects or threads in different colours is really useful - the PP alerts students to the strands they need to notice as well as giving a link to the original tale, which they may not know. The vocabulary activity is best done digitally, but remember when uploading it to the VLE to remove the answer page! Answers can be projected in the next lesson. This is a good opportunity to discuss the 'body language' of a text - here the obscure vocabulary makes the reader experience what the character feels [confusion, a world more sophisticated etc].

Designed to suit AQA, KS5 Lit B, this task makes an ideal homework task or lends itself to group work, where there can be more discussion. The idea is to use the given 'possible content' from the mark scheme to prompt students to find evidence that could be used in a coherent response to the question. While it would be limiting to over-do this approach, it is an excellent way of getting students to think about ways of approaching a question, especially creating an element of debate. In a lesson after, the PP is a useful way fo turning the ideas into an essay that could be peer assessed using the exam board's memo [download from their site - it is a generic one, so any Q1 will do] Stronger classes can watch & discuss, then write the essay, weaker students may need to take it paragraph by paragraph - for them a handout of the PP might be a good way to proceed if the class is very mixed in ability.

It is best to print this on A3. The point is for students to be able to choose which stories to write about quickly as soon as they see the question, so they map out which stories cover which aspects of gothic writing and list a key quote from each story that supports several points. The PP begins by explaining how the grid works. Then students fill in the grid - set the time in the space provided. The next two activities are covered over - the text is revealed on the click- if you want to edit this, just pull the blackened text box to one side and replace after. Using the grid as a help, students then decide which texts would be suitable for each past/ possible question. This should lead to discussion of several possibilities and reasons given...revision by stealth!

In this quick quiz students have to guess which story the quote comes from. In the process, they learn a useful quote and a point to make about gothic writing, for which the quote is evidence. However, if your class needs more than a quick brushing up on the stories, use the worksheet first as a long starter or homework prior to the lesson. Discussion is key to the success of this lesson - the 'reveal' is not definative, its to stimulate thought. Ask students to recall what is happening n the story - the 'moment' - to put the quote in context and then to think about all the things they might say about the gothic on the strength of it. This type of exercise should leave them with an armoury of quotes and able to recall one suitable to the exam question, as well as generally revising the stories.

With no past papers, it is useful to have a 'trial' exam paper {based on the AQA specimen paper for the 2015 Spec to be examined in 2017} to use as revision. The tasks are different, but the style is similar, so KS3s could familiarise themselves with the type of task, or it can be used as revision with KS4 in the future. The PP runs a strategy for thinking about the tasks, with some questions and examples to stimulate ideas. The last slide offers a quick correction task; with an extra click, the answers will be revealed.

This 'trial' exam paper is based on the AQA specimen paper for the 2015 Spec to be examined in 2017. The tasks are different, but the style is similar, so this work sheet can be used as exercises with current KS3s to familiarise them with the type of task, or as revision with KS4 in the future. The PP starter gives them a strategy when faced with a similar exam paper and some extracts to inspire their writing. On the last slide an extra click of the mouse [when they've had time to try] reveals the answers.

Here the focus is on crafting paragraphs for effect, as part of improving the quality of creative writing at both KS3- particularly in preparation for the new spec. English exam - and KS4, enabling students ‘to demonstrate their narrative and descriptive skills in response to a written prompt, scenario or visual image’... For more able students the lesson ends with a challenge to change the mood between the opening paragraphs and the one students go on to write.

Using short extracts from both modern and classic texts, as well as visual stimulus material, this lesson focuses on how implied meaning in the description of a setting helps to create an atmosphere. Thus it both helps improve writing generally, but also prepares students for the demands of the new AQA spec English Paper1, fiction reading and writing. Section A is about reading fiction and in section B students have ‘to demonstrate their narrative and descriptive skills in response to a written prompt, scenario or visual image’,

In this writing lesson, students exercise both their close reading of fiction - learning from published authors - and writing creatively ‘to demonstrate their narrative and descriptive skills in response to a written prompt, scenario or visual image’, which is the requirement for AQA's new English Paper 1 Section B creative writing question. Whether you're preparing KS3 students for what will be required at GCSE , or revising skills with KS4, these tasks focus on writing for effect and noticing how published writers have done so, which can only promote improvement.

This 'recreative' lesson prepares students in KS3 and KS4 for writing based on another creative text. Particularly useful for section B of the new [2015 for 2017]AQA English paper 1, where students have to write 'their own creative text, inspired by the topic that they have responded to in section A to demonstrate their narrative and descriptive skills in response to a written prompt, scenario or visual image'. In this case it is a poem, 'Down the Laundrette' , and they are given a range of writing options, culminating in peer assessment. 'Down at the Launderette' is from Hiding Out by Irene Rawnsley (Smith|Doorstop Books, 1996) and is used with the publisher's permission. Top Tip: when checking peer assessed work, give rewards not only for good work, but perceptive peer comments; that way you keep students taking peer assessment seriously and raise the standard of response- the last slide suggests the type of comment looked for.

Descriptive writing is soon to be a major part of the English exam [from 2015 for 2017 exam], so it is a good idea to start 'drip feeding' techniques for top grades to more able KS3s as well as KS4s still doing course-work or just aiming to write more effectively. Each of these lessons uses short reading extracts too, to help students recognise techniques they could use, thus providing some preparation for the fiction reading portion of Paper 1 [new AQA English spec]. The PP outlines the lesson plan and the handout gives students a copy of the text extracts looked at. Notes on the relevant slides prompt less experienced teachers to notice relevant techniques. Peer marking ends the session. Photographs are once again used by kind permission of Graham Hobbs.

The new AQA English Spec. for teaching from 2015 includes a whole reading and writing paper [Paper 1 in the specimen material] given over to both reading and writing creative material. These exercises can be 'drip-fed' to KS3 and KS4 to help them hone the skills for this task. This set of tasks focuses on descriptive vocabulary and figures of speech. I've marked them A-C in order of how I use them, but they stand alone; the extract handout goes with PPT C. All photographs by Graham Hobbs.

Drip-feed language analysis while familiarising students with unseen poetry… once a month, once a week or even one a lesson, this is not something to rush through. While it is a good idea to ask students to copy the text with an open line between line of the poem for annotations, the texts are also supplied as a worksheet to allow you the flexibility of setting the task for homework or differentiating by giving weaker students a printed version. As a quick revision exercise groups could work on separate extracts. Though ‘answers’ are given on the PP it is important to stress that these are only possible things to notice and any reasonable interpretation is worth considering. Another thing worth pointing out is that merely naming a technique like alliteration is not enough, the effect the poet creates should also be discussed and evaluated.

An addition to past papers on which it is based, with an unseen poem. The unseen feedback w/s enables students to self- or peer-assess each other's work. It can also be used to teach poetry analysis.

7 past-paper questions on planning sheets that teach students to think of all aspects to be covered in answering the questions. For AQA's Gothic writing unit.

Used as a quick verbal starter or a more detailed group discussion and write-up, these quotes further invite students to consider all the potential discussion questions they may be useful for.