This writing resource is perfect for use in literacy/writing lessons across the curriculum. Bright, colourful, and realistic, this resource enriches students' writing experiences whilst enabling them to showcase the skills and knowledge that they have picked up throughout their learning. This lesson is also available as a part of a larger multi-media writing template bundle from TandLGuru that includes: Facebook page template, email template, messenger template, tabloid template, broadsheet template, and a postcard template. Most are easily editable and visually stimulating for students.

This checklist provides teachers with a clear yet effective tool for planning engaging starter activities. (A full CPD on Engaging Starters, including this resource, a full visually-engaging presentation, and further resources is also available from TandLGuru.) It breaks down the four key components of 'Meaningful Engaged Learning:' - Environment; - Motivation; - Experience; - Meaning. This gives teachers and support staff a clear platform upon which they can devise and facilitate truly inspiring, motivating, differentiated, and relevant starter activities, and hence promote student engagement in learning.

For use alongside lesson observations and learning walks, this succinct performance grid enables observers to gauge and categorise teaching and learning sessions using OFSTED guidance for effective teaching. The first page of the document provides descriptors of 'outstanding', 'good', 'requires improvement' and 'inadequate' teaching within appropriately considered focus areas, for example: Questioning, Planning, Use of Additional Adults, etc. Schools that already employ this tool often opt to highlight the descriptors on this page as they observe, thus creating a bigger picture of the strengths and areas for improvement in the teaching and learning observed. Schools who still grade individual lessons have noted that this is a helpful aid in arriving at an overall judgement. The second page allows observers to further pinpoint and describe the 'www' (what went well) and 'ebi' (even better if) aspects of the lesson, in order to make feedback to teachers more clear.

Based on the popular game show 'Pointless', this resource is perfect for use as a starter activity, plenary, or revision tool. Editable, so that you can change to any other topic or change questions. Containing almost 30 slides of sound clips, engaging visuals, and suitably challenging questions, this resource is effective at both promoting engagement and enhancing learning. There are several full rounds of questions to build learning of Macbeth: 1. The characters in Macbeth 2. Quotations from the text 3. Settings, themes, and character titles 4. Murders in Macbeth The nature of the game ensures that this resource can challenge students of all levels. NOTE: You can buy this resource alone, or in a bundle of 8 Pointless games, for only £1 more!

Based on the popular game show 'Pointless', this resource is perfect for use as a starter activity, plenary, or revision tool. Editable, so that you can change to any other topic or change questions. Containing almost 30 slides of sound clips, engaging visuals, and suitably challenging questions, this resource is effective at both promoting engagement and enhancing learning. There are several full rounds of questions to build learning of Of Mice and Men: 1. The characters in Of Mice and Men 2. Quotations from the text 3. Settings, themes, and objects 4. Animals in Of Mice and Men The nature of the game ensures that this resource can challenge students of all levels.

Based on the popular game show 'Pointless', this resource is perfect for use as a starter activity, plenary, or revision tool. Editable, so that you can change to any other topic or change the questions/answers. Containing almost 30 slides of sound clips, engaging visuals, and suitably challenging questions, this resource is effective at both promoting engagement and enhancing learning. There are several full rounds of questions to build students' understanding of adjectives, including: 1. Finding synonyms of dull adjectives 2. Defining adjectives 3. Unscrambling anagrams of adjectives 4. Finding the most complex and interesting adjectives. The nature of the game ensures that this resource can challenge students of all levels. NOTE: You can buy this resource alone, or in a bundle of 8 Pointless games, for only £1 more!

I have recently taught a descriptive writing unit, and devised this assessment to gauge how students descriptive skills have progressed over the term. It includes the question paper, the mark scheme, and the reading insert. Formal enough to ensure that the students took the assessment seriously, but engaging enough to ensure that all students wanted to complete all of the tasks, (they hate some of the practice exam questions that exam boards provide on the past papers) all of my students seemed to enjoy completing this more than they normally enjoy assessments! The assessment is designed to gauge students' skill in: - Defining and giving examples of descriptive devices; - Identifying descriptive devices in texts; - Analysing the effect of descriptive writing in a vivid description of a 'Nightmare World.' - Creating their own descriptive piece about a their own nightmare world. This lesson can either be bought individually, or as part of the Descriptive Writing Big Bundle (which works out cheaper.)

For use alongside book monitoring/ work scrutiny, this succinct performance grid enables observers to gauge and categorise marking and feedback using OFSTED guidance for effective feedback. The first page of the document provides descriptors of 'outstanding', 'good', 'requires improvement' and 'inadequate' feedback within appropriately considered focus areas, for example: Frequency, Constructive Feedback, Marking for Literacy, etc. Schools that already employ this tool often opt to highlight the descriptors on this page as they complete the scrutiny, thus creating a bigger picture of the strengths and areas for improvement in the feedback observed. This can also be a helpful aid in arriving at an overall judgement, should your school opt to arrive at one. The second page allows observers to further pinpoint and describe the 'www' (what went well) and 'ebi' (even better if) aspects of the feedback, to aid teacher in improving their practice.

I have used this resource to explain the new GCSE changes to other staff, governors, and parents. Feedback has been that it is clear, concise, and answers some of the key questions. In the document, I have addressed: - What changes have already taken place? - When do the changes take place? - How do the new grades equate to the old grades? - Why are the changes necessary? - What are the changes to the English GCSE? - What are the changes to the Maths GCSE? - How will school performance now be judged? Also attached is a visual representation of how the new GCSE grades map onto the old GCSE grades. Within the PowerPoint are a number of links to key information provided by the DfE and OFQUAL. Hope this helps!

These colourful, engaging and informative posters/ help-sheets are perfect to help your students gain a broad and deep understanding of each of the key descriptive devices, thus vastly improving their textual analysis and enhancing their creative writing attempts. Each sheet displays the key word in the middle, and then answers some of the key questions surrounding the words, including: - What does it mean? - How many syllables does it have? - What are examples of it? - How do I spell it? - When would I use this? - What type of word is it? - Where does the word come from? There are sheets for: Similes, Metaphors, Hyperbole, Adjectives, Adverbs, Alliteration, Onomatopoeia, Verbs, Personification, and Verbs. These can be used as help-sheets as students write (my students love this) or blown up to A3 to use as classroom posters. I have also provided blank templates for each word, so that students can fill in the everything that they know about the words themselves, which makes for an excellent starter, plenary, or recap activity.

These colourful, engaging and informative posters/ help-sheets are perfect to help your students gain a broad and deep understanding of each of the key persuasive devices, thus vastly improving their textual analysis and enhancing their persuasive/argumentative writing attempts. Each sheet displays the key word in the middle, and then answers some of the key questions surrounding the words, including: - What does it mean? - How many syllables does it have? - What are examples of it? - How do I spell it? - When would I use this? - What type of word is it? - Where does the word come from? There are sheets for: Statistics, Personal Pronouns, Anecdotes, Rhetorical Questions, Repetition, Colloquial Language, Connectives, List of Three, Imperatives, Emotive Language. These can be used as help-sheets as students write (my students love this) or blown up to A3 to use as classroom posters. I have also provided blank templates for each word, so that students can fill in the everything that they know about the words themselves, which makes for an excellent starter, plenary, or recap activity.

This is a great resource for lesson starters, building literacy across the curriculum, plenaries, or simply for fun. Based upon the popular mobile app, this visually engaging activity is highly effective at promoting engagement and getting students thinking about words - many of whom seem to love playing the game on their phones! It is particularly useful for Literacy practitioners who are looking to expand students' vocabularies and/or raise the subject of homonyms. There are a range of challenges: Green = Beginner level Amber= Intermediate level Red = Expert level The document is easily editable, so you can also add in your own pictures and challenges. Also, all of the pictures used are licensed for commercial use, and all authors are cited.

Based on the popular game show 'Pointless', this resource is perfect for use as a starter activity, plenary, or revision tool. Editable, so that you can change to any other topic or change questions. Containing almost 30 slides of sound clips, engaging visuals, and suitably challenging questions, this resource is effective at both promoting engagement and enhancing learning. There are several full rounds of questions to build learning of Writing to Argue: 1. Identifying Arguing/ Persuasive Devices 2. Defining Arguing Devices 3. Identifying and Unscrambling Text Types and Jobs that use Structured Arguments 4. Naming Opposing Connectives (to help structure arguments.) The nature of the game ensures that this resource can challenge students of all levels.

Based on the popular game show 'Pointless', this resource is perfect for use as a starter activity, plenary, or revision tool. Editable, so that you can change to any other topic or change the questions/answers. Containing almost 30 slides of sound clips, engaging visuals, and suitably challenging questions, this resource is effective at both promoting engagement and enhancing learning. There are several full rounds of questions to build students' understanding of World War II, including: 1. Naming the combatant countries involved in World War II. 2. Identifying the key leaders and protagonists for the major warring nations. 3. Remembering key dates of major events. 4. Recalling details of the D-Day landings. The nature of the game ensures that this resource can challenge students of all levels. NOTE: You can buy this resource alone, or in a bundle of 8 Pointless games, for only £1 more!

Based on the popular game show 'Pointless', this resource is perfect for use as a whole lesson resource, enrichment option, or revision tool. Editable, so that you can change to any other topic or change questions. (I've also added a blank template so that you can make your own games from scratch). Containing almost 30 slides of sound clips, interesting tasks, and suitably challenging questions, this resource is effective at both promoting engagement and enhancing learning. There are several full rounds of questions to build or revisit knowledge of characters, plot, and themes in 'Animal Farm.' Round 1. The characters in Animal Farm Round 2. Quotations from the text Round 3. Settings and Objects Round 4. Themes in Animal Farm The nature of this game ensures that the resource can challenge students of all levels. A blank template has also been added, so that you can create your own games!

This resource is perfect for enabling students to build both their persuasive writing and their speaking and listening skills. Based upon the popular BBC series 'Dragons' Den', students have the opportunity to research, design, pitch, and evaluate arguments for their own inventions, whilst simultaneously analysing persuasive pitches, revising persuasive techniques, structuring arguments and articulating convincingly. Included is a 16 page booklet (I would say at least 4-5 hour lessons of tasks) that lead students to: - Introduce themselves and their interests; - Watch persuasive pitches (links included) and identify persuasive devices; - Analyse why persuasive devices are effective; - Structure an analysis appropriately; - Brainstorm ideas for an invention using imagination and helpful aiding questions; - Formulate an argument by considering key questions and counter arguments; - Write and present a persuasive pitch; - Peer-evaluate and self-evaluate persuasive pitches. I have also provided some examples of news stories featuring the worst and best pitches from the den, in order to provoke discussion about what makes a strong pitch. All images are licensed for commercial use and are cited throughout.

Based on the popular game show ‘Pointless’, this resource is perfect for use as a starter activity, plenary, or revision tool. Editable, so that you can change to any other topic or change questions. Containing almost 30 slides of sound clips, engaging visuals, and suitably challenging questions, this resource is effective at both promoting engagement and enhancing learning. There are several full rounds of questions to build learning of Persuasive Writing: 1. Emotive Language 2. Definitions of Persuasive Devices 3. Adding and Contrasting Connectives 4. Remembering Persuasive Devices The nature of the game ensures that this resource can challenge students of all levels. A blank template is now included, so that you can create your own Pointless games!

Based on the popular game show 'Pointless', this resource is perfect for use as a whole lesson resource, enrichment option, or revision tool. Editable, so that you can change to any other topic or change questions. (I've also added a blank template so that you can make your own games from scratch). Containing almost 30 slides of sound clips, engaging visuals, and suitably challenging questions, this resource is effective at both promoting engagement and enhancing learning. There are several full rounds of questions to build or revisit knowledge of characters, plot, and themes in 'An Inspector Calls.' Round 1. The characters in An Inspector Calls (takes approx 10 mins) Round 2. Quotations from the text (takes approx 15 mins) 3. Settings, themes, and objects (takes approx 15 mins) 4. Themes in An Inspector Calls (takes approx 10 mins) The nature of this game ensures that the resource can challenge students of all levels.

Based on the popular game show 'Pointless', this resource is perfect for use as a whole lesson resource, enrichment option, or revision tool. Editable, so that you can change to any other topic or change questions. (I've also added a blank template so that you can make your own games from scratch). Containing almost 30 slides of sound clips, engaging visuals, and suitably challenging questions, this resource is effective at both promoting engagement and enhancing learning. There are several full rounds of questions to build or revisit knowledge of characters, plot, and themes in 'Frankenstein.' Round 1. The characters in Frankenstein Round 2. Quotations from the text Round 3. Settings, themes, and objects Round 4. Who dies? The nature of this game ensures that the resource can challenge students of all levels. A blank template has also been added, so that you can create your own games!

Based on the popular game show 'Pointless', this resource is perfect for use as a whole lesson resource, enrichment option, or revision tool. Editable, so that you can change to any other topic or change questions. (I've also added a blank template so that you can make your own games from scratch). Containing almost 30 slides of sound clips, engaging visuals, and suitably challenging questions, this resource is effective at both promoting engagement and enhancing learning. There are several full rounds of questions to build or revisit knowledge of characters, plot, and themes in 'Lord of the Flies:' Round 1. The characters in Lord of the Flies (takes approx 10 mins) Round 2. Quotations from the text (takes approx 15 mins) 3. Settings, themes, and objects (takes approx 15 mins) 4. Themes in Lord of the Flies (takes approx 10 mins) The nature of this game ensures that the resource can challenge students of all levels.