We provide audio tutorials/educational podcasts for GCSE and A Level subjects that are exactly aligned to the curriculum, can be listened to as and when required and are delivered in a manner that resonates with today’s students, full of music and sound effects. They have been designed as a resource that complements teaching, giving both students and teachers a short and sharp alternative which will enhance the learning experience through the power and flexibility of audio.
We provide audio tutorials/educational podcasts for GCSE and A Level subjects that are exactly aligned to the curriculum, can be listened to as and when required and are delivered in a manner that resonates with today’s students, full of music and sound effects. They have been designed as a resource that complements teaching, giving both students and teachers a short and sharp alternative which will enhance the learning experience through the power and flexibility of audio.
In this tutorial we will examine the major themes within Frankenstein, including Knowledge and (Self?) Discovery. We look at the dangers of knowledge & Frankenstein’s downfall. Secondly we have The Sublime. We ask the question what is the sublime and look at Romanticism and the influence of nature. Thirdly there is Isolationism/Secrets - Frankenstein is obsessed with unlocking life’s secrets. The reality of the monster's appearance forces him into isolation. And finally, in relation to the subtitle Monstrosity and The Enlightenment, we ask questions about what it means to be monstrous, including the fact that the monster is educated, compassionate, and eloquent, but prejudices about appearance make him a monster and explore the meaning behind the full name of the novel ‘Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus. Frankenstein is punished for trying to further knowledge, just as Prometheus was punished for bringing fire. Light represents knowledge in the book. Illuminating the dark, unexplored places. We explore tensions of Enlightenment science contesting divine beings and religion.
This audio tutorial highlights how both Barrett Browning and Shelley use nature to present ideas about love. It analyses the use of language in regards natural imagery, male/female images and representation and how they are linked contextually as well as the unexpected nature of poems. Have a listen and great for note taking.
This audio tutorial will introduce you to Estella and the impact she has on Pip, who, for much of the novel, vainly believes that she is his true love.
This podcast looks at the character of Miss Havisham and the role she plays in the novel, especially on Pip, where he is deluded into thinking that she is his benefactress and Estella, who she brings up to have a cold heart.
This audio tutorial narrates and examines both the Follower by Seamus Heaney and Before You Were Mine by Carol Ann Duffy especially exploring how are parent/child relationships are presented differently? It gives a detailed review of the content of the poems and the language used including the use of imagery and lexical choices. It will also look at the structure and form.
This audio tutorial narrates and then examines 2 of the key poems within the AQA Love and Relationships poetry cluster, Mother, Any Distance and Walking Away. It looks at how poets create a sense of distance. It will examine the content of the poems, the language – place and distance / nature / the everyday and finally the structure and form.
This audio tutorial examines how Causley creates a sense of loss with the poem Eden Rock. It looks at the content of the poem, the language and the everyday, sense of time and place and discusses the ambiguity of the ending. As with all poems it also analyses the form and structure of the poem.
This audio tutorial introduces Great Expectations, exploring some of the key themes that run through the book, including prisons and the impossibility of our ever escaping from our own pasts. It also sets the novel in context of Dickens' early life. The core purpose of the podcast is to bring to your attention some of the key elements of the book so that you gain a deeper understanding when reading it, which can then be reflected in any coursework or essays you undertake. Great for listening and taking notes.
This audio tutorial covers the theme of "home" in Great Expectations. It shall address the idea of what ‘Home’ means to Pip as he turns his back on it and only seems to understand its value once it has gone forever. It shows that Pip can't truly escape his past.
This audio tutorial discusses the role of imprisonment in Great Expectations, often using the metaphor of prisons to show that we are imprisoned by our past and that we are tied to it. This tutorial will help you understand the fact that you can't escape your past is a major theme of Great Expectations.
This audio tutorial examines the role that Wemmick plays in Great Expectations, how his home is a contrast to that of his workplace, being able to shut out his daily work at Newgate prison. This is in contrast to Pip who is unable to shed his past life.
Here we pose and answer key questions regarding the context of The History Boys including What contexts are there in the play, how does Bennett’s personal context affect the play and what contexts does Bennett use and to what effect? The contexts include social context: class, female to male ratios, 1980s England, Leeds and educational institutions. Literary context: comedy, naturalistic and realistic drama, epic theatre, meta-theatrical and wider literary context: songs, films and poetry
Listen to a narration of Mother, Any Distance recited by a professional actor. Very useful for students to listen to and to play in class. Courtesy of Audiopi