A really fun listening test to do with first year high school pupils. Text available to listen to online.

Developed to support pupils studying 'A Clockwork Orange' for Higher English in Scotland, but suitable for any teachers who want to support pupils in the writing of critical essays based on this text. It includes a pre-reading task based on Blake Morrison's fantastic introduction, and this prepares pupils really well for handling the Nadsat. Also includes discussion tasks, critical essay support sheets, tasks on themes and more...

A powerpoint to introduce Anthony Burgess's 'A Clockwork Orange'. Key information about characterisation, plot, theme, and explanations of dystopia, totalitarianism etc. Youtube links to other supporting materials.

A unit of work to support analysis of a key scene and genre conventions. Essay plans, templates for taking notes, research tasks etc. I have used this successfully with my S4 National 5 (GCSE) class to prepare for exam essays.

A great resource for World Book Day that I made up for all of first year at secondary School. Would also suit primary 6 and 7. Five rounds of questions for teams, answer grids, answer sheets and a picture round.

A unit of work to support a workshop-style approach to teaching creative writing. I’ve been working on this for a couple of years and pupils really enjoy it. We look at excerpts from a range of inspiring texts (e.g. ‘Sophie’s Choice’ by William Styron, The Kite Runner’ by Khaled Hosseini, ‘Room’ by Emma Donoghue, ‘The Snapper’ by Roddy Doyle, ‘About Grace’ by Anthony Doerr and ‘Talking Heads’ by Alan Bennett) and go on to consider how these authors have utilised key techniques such as creating tension, narrator’s voice, vivid setting description, engaging openings etc… Pupils then attempt a short writing task based on each text. Texts not reproduced for copyright reasons, but page numbers and publishers listed. I have found that many pupils go on to purchase and read these texts after looking at them here.

Teacher model of what is required for pupil presentation about a song that is important to them. Based on 'Fairytale of New York' by the Pogues and Kirsty MacColl.

A unit of work to support pupils in the analysis of song lyrics, leading to an individual presentation about a song that means something important to them. Includes tasks based on 'Small Bump' by Ed Sheeran, 'My Young Man' by Kate Rusby, 'Beds are Burning' by Midnight Oil, 'The Streets of London' by Ralph McTell and 'Another Day in Paradise' by Phil Collins. Youtube links - but lyrics not printed for copyright reasons. Powerpoint also available to model presentation.

A set of questions to accompany the fantastic short film New Boy written by Roddy Doyle.

A useful resource for a thematic unit of work on bullying. From the drama series called 'Moving On' available on Amazon.

Plot summaries, important quotations, character notes and questions on each act.

Developed for the new Higher English exam in Scotland, modelled on SQA specimens