An A3 worksheet designed to scaffold the skills students will need to answer Q2 and Q3 of the AQA Paper 2 Language exam. The resource uses 2 extracts (21st and 19th Century) looking at the life of PT Barnum. As a starter, I got my students to watch the trailer for The Greatest Showman and we discussed what inferences we could make from the film's portrayal of him. We then looked at the extracts and worked through the first few boxes on the worksheet together. They then completed at independent paragraph on Q3. Suitable for KS4 students.

A lesson introducing students to the opening scene of the play (The Witches). Lesson includes annotations on the scene, a model paragraph and sentence stems for students to explore the use of language to create tension in the scene. Suitable for high ability KS3 and KS4.

A detailed lesson exploring the use of language and structure in Macbeth’s ‘Is this a dagger…?’ soliloquy. Lesson includes information on blank verse, the use of contrasts, sentence stems, peer assessment task and tension graph. Extract included. Suitable for KS4 students.

A lesson developing language analysis skills for AQA Language Paper 1 Question 2 using an extract from Great Expectations. Suitable for KS4 students.

A lesson useful following a descriptive writing assessment. Includes a spelling test starter, sentence development task and upscaling vocabulary tasks, a class model activity and individual improvement task. DIRT = Directed Improvement and Reflection Time. Can be adapted to suit any marking and feedback policy.

This PPT requires students to already have a working knowledge of the text. The lesson aims to prepare students for an exam question on the theme of FAMILY in A Christmas Carol, based on the AQA GCSE specification. Students will consider the importance of the theme and it’s links to Dickens’ overall authorial message. The lesson includes teacher notes, a model introduction and a model main paragraph to demonstrate the skills needed for this paper.

Lesson learning challenge: To consider the presentation of Macbeth’s death and the final words of the play. Lesson includes: Brief overview of scenes 6-7 Reading of scene 8 analysis questions on an extract from scene 8 Exploration of Macbeth’s ambition across the play Exploration of the cyclical structure of the play Analysis questions focusing on Malcolm’s final speech at the end of the play Analysis of Shakespeare’s message about kingship/leadership

Two lessons looking at speech writing using WW1 as a stimulus. Students analyse a speech from Private Peaceful and use it to plan and write their own persuasive speech.

KS4 lesson aimed at showing students how to approach an unseen poem for this element of their Literature GCSE exam. Students begin by analysing a model paragraph for Mametz Wood, discussing how it relates to the exam mark scheme. They then explore the poem Against Road Building by Sophie Hannah using the MITSL structure. Finally they will complete a timed response.

A set of two lessons exploring the persecution of Jews during WW2, to act as a stimulus for non-fiction letter and diary writing. Would be useful alongside a study of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas or other WW2 related fiction texts.

A lesson exploring an extract from Hilary Mantel’s Bring Up the Bodies for AQA Paper 1 Question 3 (How does the writer use structure…) Includes model paragraph, list of structural features, sentence stems and peer assessment activity. Suitable for KS4 students. Tailored towards the AQA spec but could be adapted to suit other exam boards.

Example Whole Class Feedback sheet for an essay on the theme of class in An Inspector Calls. Accompanied by a model introduction and main paragraph (teacher written). Can be used to help scaffold student redrafting following an exam response on the question: How does Priestley present the theme of class in An Inspector Calls?

A Level English Literature: A Thousand Splendid Suns This resource aims to develop A Level students’ ability to conceptualise and structure an exam response to the Prose text A Thousand Splendid Suns. Students chose one of two exam questions: How does Hosseini explore ideas of loss in A Thousand Splendid Suns? OR How does Hosseini present female suffering in A Thousand Splendid Suns? Following individual teacher feedback, students were required to improve their responses with a specific focus on introductions and topic sentences to create a clearer structure to their answers. This resource contains a model introduction and model topic sentences for students to use as a guide.

A lesson introducing AQA English Language Paper 1 overview and question 1. Suitable for KS4 students.

A high-level model response written to aid the analysis of the following past exam paper: AQA Paper 1: Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing (Nov 2018) A Sound of Thunder by Ray Bradbury

This model essay can be used to develop student understanding of the 24-mark Unseen Poetry question on AQA English Literature Paper 2. This model essay uses the poem Blessing by Imtiaz Dharker and explores the following exam practice question: In the poem Blessing, how does the poet present experiences of poverty?

This PPT lesson explores the symbolism and significance of Ignorance and Want, analysing a short extract and considering how Dickens uses language to convey wider purpose and meaning. The resource includes a worksheet analysing the scene with Ignorance and Want at the end of Stave 3.

Lesson learning challenge: To consider the presentation of Macbeth and his attitudes towards his life and fate in Act 5 Scene 5. Lesson includes: Brief overview of Act 5 Scenes 2-4 Reading of Scene 5 Exploration of Macbeth’s soliloquy from Scene 5 Full detailed annotations of this soliloquy Analysis of the structural significance of this scene

A lesson that develops original and creative descriptive writing. Uses the idea of a lost toy as a stimulus. Lesson includes variety of vocabulary tasks, a model paragraph and timed response and reflection task.

Lesson to develop creative writing skills, would be suitable for both KS3 and KS4 and can be easily adapted for different exam boards. Students practice SPaG skills, look at a range of model paragraphs and analyse them and then use a learning grid dice game to help them writing a creative piece of their own.