This is a short and simple activity that could be used as a homework, as a starter activity or for cover. It focuses on some of the reading skills that will be tested on AQA English Language Paper 2 and could be used to build students’ knowledge of the context of “A Christmas Carol”.

This is a very straightforward activity whereby the students have to match the annotations to the poem. Useful as a homework after you have taught the poem. Alternatively, this could be used as a pre-reading activity so that the basics have already been covered and the subsequent teaching can focus on more depth and subtlety.

This is a simple powerpoint intended to teach or embed the skills of analysis of an unseen poem. The aim of the lesson is to explore an unseen poem using ‘what’, ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions. The poem used is Edna St Vincent Millay’s ‘Witch-Wife’. There are ten slides using questioning - and modelling on slides 6 and 9. Could be used at KS3 or at KS4.

This is a straightforward activity using an extract from the public domain, introducing Hercules. There are six questions (suggested answers provided) intended to support children in comprehension, thoughtful reading and building reading fluency. Created as a cover activity for a mixed-ability year 7 class but also good for key stage 2. Useful as part of a unit of work on myths and legends.

This is a single powerpoint slide that could be printed off or displayed. The task asks the children to read two extracts from Kenneth Grahame’s “The Reluctant Dragon” (public domain). There are then two activities - one to test basic comprehension and the second requiring more evaluative thinking. Planned for a mixed-ability year 7 group but would also work for KS2. Useful as part of a unit on myths and legends.

This worksheet has 10 questions (suggested answers provided). The extract used is from “The Reluctant Dragon” by Kenneth Grahame which is in the public domain. The focus is on comprehension and reading fluency. Created for a mixed-ability year 7 class as a cover activity but is very accessible for KS2. Could be set for homework; alternatively, the questions could be used to structure a guided reading activity.

This is a straightforward comprehension activity using an extract written by Nathanial Hawthorne (in the public domain). There are 8 questions (answers provided). These could be used as a cover activity for children working on myths and legends. The questions could be used to structure a guided reading activity. Alternatively, it works well as a homework activity.

This reading comprehension activity uses an extract from Nathanial Hawthorne’s “The Gorgon’s Head” (public domain". There are 10 questions with answers provided. This was created for a mixed-ability year 7 class for use as a cover activity but could work at KS2. As well as being used for cover, it could form part of a unit of work on myths and legends. It could equally be used for homework or the questions could structure a guided reading activity.

This was planned as a cover activity for a year 7 class working through a unit on myths and legends. It could also be set as a homework or the activities could be used to structure a guided reading/guided writing session. The extract used is in the public domain.

Created as a cover activity for a mixed-ability year 7 class as part of a unit on origin stories, myths and legends, this uses a public domain text about Zeus unleashing the great flood on humanity (pairs well with the story of Noah’s Ark). There are ten questions focused on retrieval, inference and some basic analysis. Could be used as a cover activity, set for homework or the questions could be used to structure a guided reading session. Suggested answers are provided.

This simple activity uses a public domain poem. There is a grid of questions. Less confident readers could be asked to choose 3 questions; alternatively, all questions could be set. The questions could be used to structure a guided reading activity or the sheet could be set as cover work or for homework.

This powerpoint was planned for a mixed-ability year 7 class as part of a unit of work on “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. The focus is on the meaning of Puck’s final speech and the ideas that Shakespeare is expressing through that speech. A suggested (short) response to the writing prompt is provided on the final slide. The homework is a multiple-choice quiz on the extract, to be used after the lesson, intended to embed the pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the speech. Answers to the quiz are provided.

A simple and straightforward powerpoint, animated as it was used in a revision session. The powerpoint has a recap slide with suggested answers. (These may not match your students, in which case they’ll need editing). There are 4 suggested tasks. 3 are very straightforward; the final one is more challenging and closer to the task that students will encounter in the exam. The weather task asks students what is wrong with the sample paragraph. The answer is that it doesn’t express a clear viewpoint.

A revision powerpoint on language analysis useful for English Language GCSE preparation. The powerpoint uses a short extract from a public domain text and this is provided - together with the question - on the final two slides so that you can print it out. The powerpoint asks students to consider their choice of evidence and then goes through how to use that evidence in an answer that clearly explains how the evidence shows what it does.

On this powerpoint, slides 3 and 4 are the same for ease of printing off (2 slides per page) so that students have a copy of the poem to annotate and a copy of the question that they will be tackling once they have worked through the tasks and questions. The exam style question is: How does the poet express the speaker’s thoughts and feelings about the landscape? Prior to attempting the question, students are invited to consider the use of: semantic field, sibilance, enjambment, pace and structure. Planned for a year 11 class as a revision/practice activity. Would also suit a capable KS3 group.

This activity uses a prose retelling from “Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare” by E. Nesbit (public domain). The extract focuses on Oberon and Titania’s quarrel. There are 8 questions/activities (answer and guidance provided) testing both reading and writing skills. Created as a cover activity for a year 7 class but would also be suitable for KS2.

This multiple choice quiz uses Titania’s short speech to her fairies and there are 11 questions (answers provided). This could be used for flipped learning to test understanding to identify gaps so that subsequent teaching can be more precisely focused. Alternatively, it could be used in class or as homework. The questions could be used to structure a guided reading activity.

This powerpoint uses questioning to direct learners to some of the writer’s methods. The poem itself has an easily recognisable viewpoint and is a good one for less confident learners to practise responding to unseen poetry.

This uses Walter de la Mare’s simple poem, “Alone” and encourages an analytical response through questioning, leading to a question that could prompt a more extended response. Useful for homework, cover or for revision prior to a GCSE English Literature exam.

I created this for a year 11 class. The intention is that they use it alongside their knowledge organiser or anthology to support quick revision of the poetry. There are two questions for each poem so it should be straightforward for students to identify their own gaps for further revision.