After achieving an A* in 2017, I am sharing my quality revision notes, essays, templates and tactics to help ambitious students reach their goals. These resources have proven a hit across the globe with students and teachers alike - download yourself to see why!
Chat with me on twitter @astarlevels or just drop me an email... happy revising!
After achieving an A* in 2017, I am sharing my quality revision notes, essays, templates and tactics to help ambitious students reach their goals. These resources have proven a hit across the globe with students and teachers alike - download yourself to see why!
Chat with me on twitter @astarlevels or just drop me an email... happy revising!
I’ve created a comprehensive set of notes for every topic in A Level English Language. They are full of theorists, linguists, facts, stats, examples, real world application and more. I used these notes only alongside practice questions & achieved an A* in 2017.
Why they work:
Easy to learn, concise, bullet point revision notes
Omitted endless details on methodology and results
Replaced these with meaningful comments on each study to form the basis of your argument in the exam (crucial to enter top bands!)
Summary sheet includes:
Fairclough on bosses
Covert power
Small talk (Holmes, Levine)
Face theory
Swales on discourse communities
Nelson, business language
Kim & Elder
Doctor slang!
Leidner on styling
Examples of jargon i.e. paramedics
Notes for all six topics in A Level English Language
Model essays for all topics in A Level English Language
Top band, student written model answer for A Level English Language.
This essay demonstrates how to convey understanding of linguistic ideas by evaluating and challenging the views presented in the question and by other linguists. Students of all abilities will benefit from an example of effective essay writing which they can emulate in their own work. There is also a marking activity at the end & opportunity for students to plan their own answer to the question.
Why it works:
Shows how to select, arrange & argue the most important ideas in essays
Produced by a student who achieved an A* in 2017
Can be reworked as a template for your future (brilliant!) essays
Follow my twitter to stay updated with more essential free resources and news - @astarlevels
Check out my shop for more essays and revision resources: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/astarlevels
I’ve created a comprehensive set of notes for every topic in A Level English Language. There are 9 pages full of theorists, linguists, facts, stats, examples, real world application and more. I used these notes only alongside practice questions & achieved an A* in 2017.
Why they work:
Easy to learn, concise, bullet point revision notes
Omitted endless details on methodology and results
Replaced these with meaningful comments on each study to form the basis of your argument in the exam (crucial to enter top bands!)
Summary sheet includes:
introduction as to why english is a world language
how English spread - inner, outer and explanding circle (kachru’s model)
English and India case study
English and the Caribbean case study
English and Australia case study
American English case study
Advantages and disadvantges of a world language
Singlish
Chinglish
Hinglish
the rise of outer circle english speaking countries and the impact this will have on English in the future
MLE
pidgins and creoles
Tok Pisin
Pitcairnese
and more…
Possible essay questions
Notes for all six topics in A Level English Language
Model essays for all topics in A Level English Language
Have you seen this? https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/world-english-revision-and-example-essay-a-level-english-language-new-spec-11873520
Includes this summary sheet, an example world english essay, an example student article, a revision checklist and a bank of loads of practice essay questions for you to try.
A* notes for every topic in Paper 2 for A Level English Language!
I’ve created a comprehensive set of notes for every topic in A Level English Language. They are full of theorists, linguists, facts, stats, examples, real world application and more. I used these notes only alongside practice questions & achieved an A* in 2017.
Why they work:
Easy to learn, concise, bullet point revision notes
Omitted endless details on methodology and results
Replaced these with meaningful comments on each study to form the basis of your argument in the exam (crucial to enter top bands!)
Essentially, they includes lots of key studies/ ideas/ theories – a total set of notes for each topic. Read them, learn them, practice writing essays with them and use them in the exam - you’ll be on your way to success!
I also have model essays for every topic in this paper!
Model essays for all topics in A Level English Language
I created this revision resource so that I had a pre-prepared headline, strapline and engaging opening for every opinion article that could crop up. Produced by a student who achieved an A* in 2017.
Struggling to open your articles quickly with a creative headline and opening? This is the resource for you!
Why it works:
Be inspired to create a witty opening for every article
See how to address Text A & B in your openings (crucial for A Level exam)
Save time in the exam getting stuck on a headline
Versatile headlines and openings that could be re-worked no matter the topic
Model top band opinion articles for every topic
6 top band, model articles and a worksheet helping students create engaging headlines, straplines and openings. Produced by a student who achieved an A* in 2017.
Why they work:
* Shows how to assess ideas from the texts within your own article
* Demonstrates how to balance engaging writing with linguistic content
* Produced by a student who achieved an A* in 2017
* Can be reworked as a template for your future (brilliant!) articles
Includes:
- 4 example articles (gender, occupation, sociolect, accent & dialect)
- 1 article on language diversity that draws on ideas in Text A & B
- 1 article on world English & non std varieties
- 1 article revision sheet helping students plan engaging openings
A complete set of notes for child language acquisition full of theorists, linguists, facts, stats, examples, application and more. I used these notes only alongside practice questions to achieve an A* in 2017.
Why they work:
Easy to learn, concise, bullet point revision notes
Show different lines of arguments that can be used to ‘evaluate’ an idea which is crucial to enter the top bands
Omitted endless details on methodology and results
Replaced these with meaningful comments on each study to form the basis of your argument in the exam (crucial to enter top bands!)
Summary sheet includes:
The stages of acquisition
Different things to pick out in a transcript given in the exam & what to say about them
Nativist approach
Constructivists
Nurture approach
Cognitive approach
Notes for written & multi modal language acquisition
Full revision for Paper 1
Model essays for all topics in A Level English Language, including child language
Check out my shop for more: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/astarlevels
I’ve created a comprehensive set of notes for every topic in A Level Psychology. This includes 23 pages of colourful, concise notes & 80 flashcards covering the entire specification . I used these notes only alongside practice questions & achieved an A* in 2017.
Why they work:
Organised according to, and covering entirely, the AQA specification for year 1 & 2 exams
Based off mark scheme points so directly relevant to exams
Presented in a concise and memorable way<br />
Includes 80 card flashcard set & link to a quizlet so you also have an interactive version
Please note that the booklet only covers first year content & the flashcards cover both years. This shouldn’t make any difference as all information for every part of the specification over both years is provided here, just letting you know its in different formats!
Check out my shop for more AQA A Level Psychology resources: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/astarlevels
A checklist of all the research methods content needed for the year one and year two exams (AQA). It is split into what is needed for first year and second year for your convenience :-)
Check out my shop for all the revision resources i used to get an A*: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/astarlevels
Top band, student written model opinion article for A Level English Language. Produced by a student who achieved an A* in 2017.
This model article demonstrates how to convey understanding of linguistic ideas by evaluating and challenging the views presented in the text and by other linguists. Students of all abilities will benefit from an example of effective article writing which they can emulate in their own work.
Why it works:
Shows how to assess ideas from the texts within your own article
Demonstrates how to balance engaging writing with linguistic content
Produced by a student who achieved an A* in 2017
Can be reworked as a template for your future (brilliant!) articles
Easily turned into an assessment because text A & B are included. The model article can be used for reflection afterwards
I have also included a powerpoint that encourages students to look at each text in detail, make meaningful comments on it & then use these ideas to plan an opinion article answer. Would work well as the premise of a lesson but is not a full lesson powerpoint.
Model essays for all topics in A Level English Language
Write an opinion article about language diversity and variation in which you assess the ideas and issues raised in Text A and Text B and argue your own views.
Fill in the gaps - language and gender.
simple way to cement theory into memory
learn how to structure an essay on the topic
fast highly effective revision
includes answer sheet
A great starter, or, once complete, model answer packed with AO2!
Includes two transcripts with accompanying activity sheet & top band model essay response based on the data included.
Why it works:
Activity sheet guides students through the initially daunting task of analysing large chunks of data
Example essay shows students how to approach the question and balance data analysis with child language acquisition theories
Easily turned into a mock question since data is included
Essay can be used as a marking activity
Notes on spoken & written CLA, transcript activity and example essay bundle
Rated 5*!
Top band, student written model answer for A Level English Language.
This essay demonstrates how to convey understanding of linguistic ideas by evaluating and challenging the views presented in the question and by other linguists. Students of all abilities will benefit from an example of effective essay writing which they can emulate in their own work. There is also an opportunity for students to plan their own answer to the question.
Why it works:
Shows how to select, arrange & argue the most important ideas in essays
Produced by a student who achieved an A* in 2017
Useful as a concise summary of key theories in essay format
Marking activity for student reflection
Can be reworked as a template for your future (brilliant!) essays
Follow my twitter to stay updated with more essential free resources and news - @astarlevels
Check out my shop for more essays and revision resources: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/astarlevels
Written by an a student who got an A* in 2017 and download, used and loved by countless students and teachers across the country. Download to get the full essay PDF. Small sample section deliberately shown in preview
25 practice essay questions for A Level English Language covering gender, accent & dialect, sociolect, world English & ethnicity and language change.
Neat & tidy table checklist design so takes up little space and easy to keep track of how many answers have been planned/ written.
You may also be interested in an essay question workbook with space to plan each answer. Find it here: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/english-language-practice-essay-question-workbook-11877669
For AQA A Level Psychology Research Methods. This is a revision poster that helps students answer exam questions requiring them to identify a statistical test, to justify the use of a certain test or to decide if a result from a test is significant.
Brightly coloured, clear, big, with an acronym and instructions. Best used looked at regularly i.e. on classroom or bedroom wall.
If you’re studying A Level Psychology or English language, you need astarlevels!
Chat on twitter @astarlevels
Follow my tes https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/astarlevels
Example student written model articles on gender, accent & dialect, social group/ sociolect & occupation.
Why they work:
Top band articles show how to balance engaging style with linguistic theories
Ideas of headlines, straplines & openings
Use as a style model for your future (brilliant!) articles!
I also made a resource with a headline, strapline & engaging opening for every topic that you could be required to write an article on. This is a great tool for students to avoid wasting time starting articles and getting straight on with it. Find it here
I’ve created a comprehensive set of notes for every topic in A Level Psychology. They completely cover the specification, condensing all the key theories, studies, applications and evaluations into one booklet. I used these notes only alongside practice questions & achieved an A* in 2017.
Why they work:
> Organised according to, and covering entirely, the AQA specification.
> All AO1 and AO3 ready to answer exam questions
> Presented in a concise and memorable way - easy to learn!
Includes:
• Problems in defining crime. Ways of measuring crime, including official statistics, victim surveys and offender surveys.
• Offender profiling: the top-down approach, including organised and disorganised types of offender; the bottom-up approach, including investigative Psychology; geographical profiling.
• Biological explanations of offending behaviour: an historical approach (atavistic form); genetics and neural explanations.
• Psychological explanations of offending behaviour: Eysenck’s theory of the criminal personality;
cognitive explanations; level of moral reasoning and cognitive distortions, including hostile attribution
bias and minimalisation; differential association theory; psychodynamic explanations.
• Dealing with offending behaviour: the aims of custodial sentencing and the psychological effects
of custodial sentencing. Recidivism. Behaviour modification in custody. Anger management and restorative justice programmes.
Check out my shop for more AQA A Level Psychology resources: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/astarlevels
Everything I think that I did, that others might not have, that helped me achieve an A* in 2017. Techniques and advice, student to student, to make revision effective, efficient and relevant to the exam. I truly believe that anyone can do well with the right approach. So here we go!
My article links you to other free resources i have, like mock exams, templates and essays, which can be downloaded with a TES account.
I have written five pages that explain my unique approach to:
saying something useful about studies/ theories
analysing data/ grammar
getting AO3 marks
planning essays and using these to hack the exam <-- game changer!
reducing workload
memorising theory
Follow my twitter @astarlevels and check out the linked resources at the end that will no doubt help you revise.
Good luck you can do it!!! :-)
Worksheet offering five loaded & varied opinions on accent and dialect for discussion. Extension asks students to link theories to the different parts of each opinion.
L00K: “Evaluate the idea that some accents and dialects are viewed more favourably than others” A* model student answer with examiner commentary: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/accent-and-dialect-a-example-essay-aqa-english-language-a-level-11682959
Leave a review & follow my twitter @astarlevels
This template is designed to guide students through close language analysis. I found this kind of approach the fastest and most effective way to label language features for AO1 and then to score really good AO3 with in depth analysis and links to wider ideas and meaning. Slide one is a blank template and the second slide is an example of how the template can help analyse a quote.
Hi! If you came from Twitter, thanks for all the retweets, this blew up! If you want to try out the technique yourself, download this resource for free :-) Download to get an editable copy of the BLANK template!
Made for A Level but can be adapted for any level really. Even year 7s or GCSE will benefit from this technique.
Please leave a review!
Follow my twitter to stay updated with more essential free resources and news - @astarlevels