I'm an English Teacher based in Northern Ireland, with extensive experience of delivering the CCEA Specification for GCSE and A-Level Literature and Language. I'm passionate about making resources that are effective, engaging and lesson-ready.
I also teach a little bit of KS3 Maths!
I'm an English Teacher based in Northern Ireland, with extensive experience of delivering the CCEA Specification for GCSE and A-Level Literature and Language. I'm passionate about making resources that are effective, engaging and lesson-ready.
I also teach a little bit of KS3 Maths!
This detailed 24 slide PowerPoint has been developed to assist teachers in delivering a detailed analysis of Heaney’s “Bogland” to Literature students.
There are detailed questions that prompt critical stanza-by-stanza analysis from pupils. Each set of questions enables pupils to focus on identifying and analysing poetic methods (AO2) and strengthening their understanding of the poem.
There are detailed and focused analyses of each stanza, focusing on poetic methods (AO2) to supplement the initial notes taken by students.
Also included in this document:
-Context on Seamus Heaney (AO3)
-Context on “Bogland” (AO3)
-Pre-reading tasks
-Initial reading questions
-Questions on the Theme of The Past
This detailed 15 slide PowerPoint has been developed to assist teachers in delivering a detailed analysis of Farjeon’s “Easter Monday” to Literature students. This poem features in the CCEA GCSE Conflict Poetry Anthology.
There are detailed questions that prompt critical stanza-by-stanza analysis from pupils. Each set of questions enables pupils to focus on identifying and analysing poetic methods (AO2) and strengthening their understanding of the poem.
There are detailed and focused analyses of each stanza, focusing on poetic methods (AO2) to supplement the initial notes taken by students.
Also included in this document:
-Context on Eleanor Farjeon (AO3)
-Pre-reading tasks
-Initial reading questions
-Possible thematic connections to other poems in the Conflict Anthology
This Assembly has been used to promote reading among pupils.
The PowerPoint uses engaging images as prompts to guide pupils through the benefits and importance of reading, the lessons to be learned from famous novels, while also offering pupils the opportunity to discuss their favourite books. The script for the assembly is easy to follow, with corresponding slides for the PowerPoint labelled for ease.
Alternatively, a version of the powerpoint that combines the presentation and script is also included.
It is also interactive, allowing for audience participation.
This has been used as part of a wider initiative to promote reading throughout the school.
This detailed 60 page document has been designed to assist students and teachers in their thematic understanding of Chaucer’s “The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale”.
For each theme, detailed interpretations of the text are provided, along with accompanying quotations and line references to assist in a student’s exploration of that theme in an essay. This has proven beneficial for my A-Level students, by having them directly engage with Chaucer’s language and methods to help achieve AO2.
Due to the repetitive nature of the Wife’s narrative, there will inevitably be some overlap with some of the themes. However, my students have found this beneficial as it has made some of the ideas easier to learn.
Themes that are explored:
Marriage
Authority / Power
Gender / Gender Roles
Gentillesse / Social Class
Male / Female Relationships
The Wife’s Narrative Style
Sexual Relationships
The Church
The Wife as a Character
Struggle for Power / Maistre
These series of lessons take students through the necessary requirements for the successful completion of the Spoken Language Controlled Assessment.
Within the PowerPoints and Word Documents, pupils are shown how to identify and analyse linguistic devices and paralinguistic features with several video clips and sample speeches to practise with. There are also some active learning tasks to help students with their understanding of linguistic and paralinguistic features.
Also included are sample paragraphs, guidance on analysing techniques and writing detailed paragraphs and a sample Top Band essay on Obama speeches.
This detailed 20 slide PowerPoint has been developed to assist teachers in delivering a detailed analysis of Heaney’s “Postscript” to Literature students.
There are detailed questions that prompt critical stanza-by-stanza analysis from pupils. Each set of questions enables pupils to focus on identifying and analysing poetic methods (AO2) and strengthening their understanding of the poem.
There are detailed and focused analyses of each stanza, focusing on poetic methods (AO2) to supplement the initial notes taken by students.
Also included in this document:
-Context on Seamus Heaney (AO3)
-Context on “Postscript” (AO3)
-Pre-reading tasks
-Initial reading questions
-Questions on the Themes of Nature and Journeys
This bundle contains PowerPoints on every Seamus Heaney poem in the current CCEA AS Specification. These PowerPoints have been designed to promote student success in their exam response to Seamus Heaney’s poetry, and each one contains the following:
Detailed, line-by-line analysis of poetic devices and language for each poem (AO2)
Contextual information on Heaney and specific context on each poem (AO3)
Questions on the relevant themes of each poem to assist with the thematic connections with Frost’s poetry (AO4)
Detailed stanza-by-stanza/line-by-line questions to prompt critical analysis from pupils (AO2)
Pre-reading tasks and post-analysis questions to consolidate understanding of the poem
Poems include- Personal Helicon, The Forge, The Peninsula, The Wife’s Tale, Bogland, The Harvest Bow, The Railway Children, The Summer of Lost Rachel, Postscript, ‘Had I not been awake’, The Conway Stewart, The Baler.
These resources have been developed to assist pupils in their analysis of Non-Fiction texts.
It provides a series of questions to help guide pupils through the important aspect of Non-Fiction texts, with several short examples for pupils to practice on.
Also included is a detailed revision sheet to assist pupils in analysing linguistic devices, especially those pupils who find it difficult to discuss the effect of language.
These have been used successfully with GCSE pupils in preparation for their English Language exam, but they can also be used for KS3 English classes.
This detailed 23 slide PowerPoint has been developed to assist teachers in delivering a detailed analysis of Frost’s “Acquainted with the Night” to Literature students.
There are detailed questions that prompt critical stanza-by-stanza analysis from pupils. Each set of questions enables pupils to focus on identifying and analysing poetic methods (AO2) and strengthening their understanding of the poem.
There are detailed and focused analyses of each stanza, focusing on poetic methods (AO2) to supplement the initial notes taken by students.
Also included in this document:
-Context on Robert Frost(AO3)
-Context on “Acquainted with the Night” (AO3)
-Pre-reading tasks
-Initial reading questions
-Questions on the Themes of Rural Life, Nature and Work
This detailed 21 slide PowerPoint has been developed to assist teachers in delivering a detailed analysis of Sheers’ “Mametz Wood” to Literature students. This poem features in the CCEA GCSE Conflict Poetry Anthology.
There are detailed questions that prompt critical stanza-by-stanza analysis from pupils. Each set of questions enables pupils to focus on identifying and analysing poetic methods (AO2) and strengthening their understanding of the poem.
There are detailed and focused analyses of each stanza, focusing on poetic methods (AO2) to supplement the initial notes taken by students.
Also included in this document:
-Context on Owen Sheers (AO3)
-Pre-reading tasks
-Initial reading questions
-Possible thematic connections to other poems in the Conflict Anthology
These resources have been developed to assist teachers in introducing a study of Shakespeare's "Macbeth" to both KS3 and GCSE pupils. They allow pupils to engage with the world of Shakespeare and his play in an accessible manner, and stress the relevance of both Macbeth and his wider works in contemporary times.
Included in this bundle:
1. Introduction to Shakespeare (PPT)- explores the life and works of Shakespeare, evaluates the impact of Shakespeare on the modern world and tackles and pre-conceptions pupils have of Shakespeare.
2. Macbeth Plot Summary (PPT)- an accessible and concise summary of the play with visual aids.
3.Macbeth Context (PPT)- explains the social and historical factors that influenced the writing of Macbeth, including King James I and The Gunpowder Plot.
4. Gender Context (Doc)- explains the gender roles of men and women in Early Modern England and the conventional views on masculinity and femininity.
5. Macbeth and the Witches (PPT)- explores the Early Modern view of witches and compares it with pupils' contemporary view of witches.
6. Macbeth Themes (PPT)- a detailed exploration of the key themes in Macbeth: Ambition, Fate, Deception and Guilt.
7. Macbeth Motifs (PPT)- a detailed exploration of the motifs in Macbeth: Blood, Darkness/Light, Hallucination/Madness, Prophecy, Children/Family.
8. Macbeth PEED Paragraphs (PPT)- a guide to help pupils structure an analytical response to Macbeth, with an accompanying sample paragraph.
9. Macbeth: The Witches (Doc)- a literary and linguistic analysis of the witches in Act 1 Scene 1.
10. Macbeth Question Worksheet (Doc)- guided questions to assist pupils in their analysis of Act 1 Scene 1.
11. Macbeth: Key Quotes and Themes (PDF)- a series of key quotes and themes that will allow pupils to ascertain elements of the plot and meaning in Macbeth.
This detailed 16 slide PowerPoint has been developed to assist teachers in delivering a detailed analysis of Heaney’s “Requiem for the Croppies” to Literature students. This poem features in the CCEA GCSE Conflict Poetry Anthology.
There are detailed questions that prompt critical stanza-by-stanza analysis from pupils. Each set of questions enables pupils to focus on identifying and analysing poetic methods (AO2) and strengthening their understanding of the poem.
There are detailed and focused analyses of each stanza, focusing on poetic methods (AO2) to supplement the initial notes taken by students.
Also included in this document:
-Context on Seamus Heaney (AO3)
-Pre-reading tasks
-Initial reading questions
-Possible thematic connections to other poems in the Conflict Anthology
This detailed 15 slide PowerPoint has been developed to assist teachers in delivering a detailed analysis of Duffy’s “Last Post” to Literature students. This poem features in the CCEA GCSE Conflict Poetry Anthology.
There are detailed questions that prompt critical stanza-by-stanza analysis from pupils. Each set of questions enables pupils to focus on identifying and analysing poetic methods (AO2) and strengthening their understanding of the poem.
There are detailed and focused analyses of each stanza, focusing on poetic methods (AO2) to supplement the initial notes taken by students.
Also included in this document:
-Context on Carol Ann Duffy(AO3)
-Pre-reading tasks
-Initial reading questions
-Possible thematic connections to other poems in the Conflict Anthology
This detailed 26 slide PowerPoint explores several contextual areas of Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” to support teachers’ and students’ understanding of the novel.
This PowerPoint is aimed at A-Level students, but can also be used for high-ability GCSE students. I have used this in my teaching of CCEA’s AS Unit 2 module to help enhance students’ use of AO3 in their written responses.
Areas of Contextual Study include the following:
Biographical Context: Mary Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft, William Godwin, Percy Shelley.
Literary Context: The Gothic Novel, The Science Fiction Novel, Literary Allusions (Paradise Lost and the Prometheus Myth).
Social/Historical/Cultural Context: Age of Enlightenment, The Romantic Period/Romanticism, Scientific Discoveries and Ideas (Galvinism), Social Unrest, Gender.
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This booklet has been designed to assist pupils in their study of John Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men”.
Each chapter has been broken down into separate sections, each with specific questions to help guide pupils through their reading of the novel and extract important quotes to document and analyse in their exercise books / notebooks.
There is also a “Theme Tracker” throughout each section to help students engage thematically with the novel and organise thieir notes.
This detailed 52 page document is developed to assist both pupils and teachers in their understanding of the CCEA A Level Frost and Heaney poetry anthology, while guiding them towards a detailed analysis.
For each of the 24 poems in the anthology, there are detailed questions that prompt critical stanza-by-stanza and line-by-line analysis from pupils. Each set of questions enables pupils to focus on identifying and analysing poetic methods (AO2) and strengthening their understanding of each poem.
Also included in the document-
-specific contextual information for each poem (AO3)
-specific themes for each poem to assist in connections between poems (AO4)
-further prompt questions to analyse specific poetic devices (AO2).
My A Level students have found this document immensely beneficial in group work analysis and individual research and analysis.
Poems:
Frost-Into My Own, Mowing, Going For Water, Mending Wall, After Apple-Picking, The Road Not Taken, Birches, “Out, Out-”, For Once Then Something, Gathering Leaves, Acquainted With The Night, Desert Places.
Heaney- Personal Helicon, The Forge, The Peninsula, The Wife’s Tale, Bogland, The Harvest Bow, The Railway Children, The Summer of Lost Rachel, Postscript, ‘Had I not been awake’, The Conway Stewart, The Baler.
This resource pack contains a detailed, chapter-by-chapter summary for Nathan Filer's "The Shock of the Fall". It can be used for both teachers and students to assist in engaging with a fragmented and unconventional narrative that is difficult to follow.
Secondly, there is a document that contains detailed character notes and textual references for crucial characters within the novel, focusing primarily on the narrator, Matt. There are also quotes and page references to assist in the analysis of language, imagery etc.
Also included is a document that contains many of the key quotes from the novel and links to external sources for contextual research. There is also a detailed document that explores the narrative style of the protagonist under the following headings: Structure, Purpose of the Narrative, Unreliable Narrator and Chapter Titles.
These resources have been made to assist my pupils who will be studying this novel for their A Level Coursework for the CCEA Specification. However, as the novel is very recent and there are not many materials on it, they will assist anyone in studying it.
These detailed resources have been developed to help enhance the quality of pupils' personal writing essays.
They include a checklist for a successful personal writing response, guidance on how to plan and structure responses and many sample topics to write about. Also provided are worksheets and presentations to assist pupils in using linguistic devices, effective punctuation and varied sentence starters to enhance the quality of their writing.
I have used these resources with both KS3 and GCSE students.
This detailed 20 slide PowerPoint has been developed to assist teachers in delivering a detailed analysis of Heaney’s “The Forge” to Literature students.
There are detailed questions that prompt critical stanza-by-stanza analysis from pupils. Each set of questions enables pupils to focus on identifying and analysing poetic methods (AO2) and strengthening their understanding of the poem.
There are detailed and focused analyses of each stanza, focusing on poetic methods (AO2) to supplement the initial notes taken by students.
Also included in this document:
-Context on Seamus Heaney (AO3)
-Context on “The Forge” (AO3)
-Pre-reading tasks
-Initial reading questions
-Questions on the Themes of The Past and The Creative Process
This detailed 17 slide PowerPoint explores several contextual areas of Shakespeare’s “Othello” as a Tragedy to support teachers’ and students’ understanding of the play.
I have used this in my teaching of CCEA’s A2 Unit 1 module (Shakespearean Genres) to help enhance students’ use of AO3 in their written responses. As students are only required to comment on the Literary Context of the play, this PowerPoint focuses solely on Tragedy.
Areas of Contextual Study include the following:
Definitions of Tragedy
Aristotle and Tragedy
Key Elements of Tragedy
Structure of Tragedy
Characters in Tragedy: The Tragic Hero, The Villain
Conventions in Tragedy
Types of Tragedy: Jacobean/ Senecan Revenge Tragedy, Political Tragedy, Domestic Tragedy
Shakespearean Tragedy
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