This 21 slide powerpoint is a walkthrough of paper 2, question 4. It uses two shortened texts, one pre-1914 and one contemporary and the lesson focuses on clear comparison and explaining how the writers’ words, phrases and patterns convey their feelings about zoos.

This is a straightforward comprehension activity using a short excerpt from Charles Kingsley’s re-telling of Greek Myths (public domain). There are ten questions. This could be set for cover or for homework. Alternatively, the questions could be used to structure a guided reading session.

Planned for a year 8 class as part of a unit of work on Charles Dickens, this lesson focuses on Dickens’s use of setting for characterisation. The extract used (a short one; printable is on slide 11); prior to that, the pupils are asked to look at the description of the Chocolate Room from ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’, explaining how Dahl’s use of colour suggests the character of Willy Wonka. There is then a focus on concrete nouns and pupils are asked what these suggest about Willy Wonka - what aspect of his personality they might reflect. Having built confidence in this skill, the focus then shifts to the more challenging text - from ‘Great Expectations’. Having gone through some text marking, pupils are then asked to share what they think the setting suggests about Miss Havisham - then pick one aspect of that setting and write up an analytical paragraph. For homework, pupils are asked to describe a room that gives the reader clues as to their own character - describing the room’s colour, temperature, listing at least 3 concrete nouns and mentioning the view from the window.

This is an activity that I created for a year 7 class as part of their home learning. It uses an excerpt from Alice in Wonderland in which Alice meets the Caterpillar and a worried pigeon. There are five tasks, four for reading and one for writing. The reading tasks increase in difficulty and focus on (in turn) information retrieval, inference, analysis and evaluation. The writing task asks the children (hopefully inspired by the extract) to write a short descriptive piece, describing the landscape of a dream. Could be used for cover or set as homework.

Created as a homework task as part of a unit on gothic horror, this would also work as a cover activity. It uses a short extract from “The Mysteries of Udolpho” by Ann Radcliffe and there are 8 questions, most requiring a more extended answer, focusing on analysis. Useful for honing the reading skills that will be tested at GCSE and for exploring a less common text from the genre of gothic horror.

This uses an extract from Arthur Machen’s story, written in 1914, (it is in the public domain) in which a group of English soldiers are facing a mighty German advance. There are 12 questions. The questions cover the reading skills of information retrieval, inference and explaining the effect of the writer’s methods. This task could be used for cover or for homework. Alternatively, the questions could be used to structure a guided reading activity. Suggested answers are provided - which means that this task could also be set for a student working from home who would like to do some self-assessment.

Useful for a homework task or for cover, this uses the description from “Dracula” where Jonathan Harker is being driven through the Transylvanian darkness to Dracula’s castle. The questions are divided into four sections: vocabulary, information retrieval, inference and the effect of the writer’s methods. This worksheet could be used to structure a guided reading session.

This activity uses an extract from “Carmilla” (public domain text) and there are ten questions which could be used in class, as cover or set as homework. Alternatively, they could be used to structure a guided reading session. Might be of use as part of a unit on gothic literature.

A powerpoint lesson on the opening of “The Speckled Band”, planned for a middle-ability year 8 class but suitable at any point in KS3. The lesson begins with a settler activity looking at the word ‘axiom’ and drawing an inference about Sherlock Holmes from his maxim. Pupils are then guided through Watson’s opening narration, making inferences from selected evidence. The focus then turns to Helen Stoner whereupon the inference is developed into deduction and pupils’ attention is turned to what can be inferred and deduced from the simile - and how that simile can be linked to other aspects of the description. Finally, pupils are asked to draw an inference from the way in which two paragraphs of the story have been structured.

In which Jonathan Harker attempts to leave Dracula’s castle but cannot… This worksheet has the excerpt from chapter 4 of Stoker’s novel together with ten questions which are intended to elicit close reading and thinking. The questions focus on inference, the writer’s methods and their effect and on vocabulary. Useful for homework or to set as cover. The questions could also be used to structure a guided reading session. Handy as part of a unit on gothic horror.

This is a comprehension activity based on the description of Fagin scuttling through the darkness to Bill Sikes. The Word document is editable so you can tailor the questions to suit the ability level of your class, if necessary. There are ten questions, some of which require extended answers, so this would be a useful activity for a cover lesson. Alternatively, the questions could be used to structure a guided reading activity.

This is a straightforward comprehension activity using an excerpt from Conan Doyle’s gothic horror story, “Lot 249”. At this point in the story, Smith is being pursued by a re-animated mummy! There are ten questions. These could be set for homework or as cover as part of a unit on gothic horror. Alternatively, the questions could be used to structure a guided reading session.

A simple and straightforward revision activity. 20 questions (suggested answers provided on a separate sheet). Could be used in class as a springboard for more developed answers through discussion. Useful for homework or cover. Created as a revision activity to enable students to identify gaps in their knowledge so that they can focus their next steps.

This is a straightforward comprehension activity, useful for developing students’ understanding of the context of “A Christmas Carol” and why “some would rather die” than go to the workhouse. There are 10 questions and the activity could be used in class, as a cover activity or for homework. Suggested answers are provided.

This is a straightforward worksheet using Thomas Hood’s poem, “I Remember I Remember”. The intention is that once the students have worked through the 9 questions, they will be furnished with ideas to support them in answering the exam-style question that’s printed above the title - How does the poet present the speaker’s ideas about childhood? The sheet can be used to guide paired or group discussion in class. Alternatively, it could be used for homework so that students are prepared for a timed essay in class. Planned for a year 10 class but this could be used to support an introduction to unseen poetry at key stage three.

This powerpoint guides students through the AQA GCSE English Language paper question by question (in that there are example questions and some guidance). There’s too much here for an hour’s lesson - could be extended over two or even three lessons. The text is a heavily abridged segment from “Casino Royale” by Ian Fleming in which Bond faces his enemy, Le Chiffre at the casino.

Created for a year 7 class as a homework to go alongside our class reader of 'Love That Dog', this is a comprehension (close reading and response) activity based on the segment from "The Call of the Wild" in which Buck fights Spitz to become top dog. There are 14 questions in total, focusing on vocabulary, inference and the effects of language. This would be a good cover activity or the questions could be used to structure a guided reading session.

Aim: to comment on the effect of some of Owen’s specific language in “Anthem for Doomed Youth”. Lesson plan originally created for year 9 to develop their skills of writing a P.E.E structured answer, exploring the effect of Owen's language choices in the poem. Includes an opportunity for a whole-class model answer which then forms the basis for some independent responses.

This is a very bog-standard powerpoint using some questioning to support students’ recall of Hardy’s ‘Neutral Tones’ and ‘Singh Song’, “Love’s Philosophy” and Sonnet 29 - prior to asking them to tackle a question about the presentation of feelings about romantic relationships. Might come in useful as a starting point for revision. If you find this of use, I would very much appreciate you taking the time to leave a review.

This is a revision powerpoint, more didactic than interactive, best used in year 11 for revision.