English Language

How to get your students to interpret meaning: a focus on GCSE 9-1 English

The chief examiner remarked this year on the need for students to focus on interpretation as a key skill, helping students to infer meaning rather than purely summarise. Put simply, this is the ability to talk about language rather than telling us about what is written. It’s the how and… Read More

The importance of effective planning for the GCSE 9-1 English exams

In my experience of both teaching and marking GCSE English papers, you can quickly recognise from the first few sentences a response that has not been planned. I completely understand the temptation of students to feel that they are under time constraint and it’s quicker just to get straight to… Read More

Using Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde to teach Descriptive writing

Teaching descriptive writing is one of those things I always look forwards to – what English teacher doesn’t love to use language devices with flourish? – Only to often regret when it comes to marking. In my first couple of years of teaching I was always dumbfounded by the results… Read More

Welcome to Dickens’ Victorian Christmas Market!

This interactive drama lesson has been designed to support your teaching of A Christmas Carol. ‘Roll up, roll up, Ladies and Gentleman! Spend your coppers on my wares, for who wouldn’t want the gift of kindness for Christmas? Not you, Sir? Hang on, hang on, what about the chance for… Read More

How to use character mapping to promote familiarity of AO in An Inspector Calls

Starting a new text with your class is always a joy, reading collectively and hearing their opinions and reflections never fails to brighten my day. But how do you teach the text in a way that is creative and animated whilst also letting the crucial exam requirements take centre stage?… Read More

Expert guidance for the AQA GCSE (9-1) English Language papers

On the approach to the exams for the new AQA GCSE (9-1) English Language specification, we sat down with teacher, coach, and former AQA principal examiner Jo Heathcote who’s provided practical advice on how best to enable your students to secure a pass. Jo has broken down her advice for… Read More

Building on students’ knowledge: teaching tips for approaching The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Unlike many 19th century novels, students are likely to already have some idea of the central premise of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde before they read the novel – the concept of duality and the sinful double life. However, they are less likely… Read More

A message for us all from Dickens

Dickens – and the message of A Christmas Carol is everywhere – even though the season of goodwill is over four months away. He was on the lips of Labour MP David Lammy in the wake of the Grenfell Tower disaster, repurposing the title of A Tale of Two Cities… Read More

The Power of the Motif: How to Ace Descriptive Writing

After reading many torturous stories (‘and then… and then… and then…), I think that most of us have been steering our students towards the Descriptive rather than the Narrative task in the GCSE English Language Paper. The focus on one place or situation frees up many students to concentrate on… Read More

Preparing students for GCSE English Language resits – A Q&A with Jo Heathcote

With exams for the new AQA specification looming, we sat down with teacher, coach, and former AQA principal examiner Jo Heathcote to get her advice on how to best help post-16 GCSE English Language students achieve grade 5. Q. Is it possible, do you think, to keep young… Read More