Cultural Context Comparative Study Pack (Sive, Small Things Like These, The Shawshank Redemption)

This complete Leaving Certificate Higher Level Comparative Study resource focuses on the Cultural Context mode using Sive (John B. Keane), Small Things Like These (Claire Keegan), and The Shawshank Redemption (Frank Darabont).

Designed to help students understand, connect, and write confidently about the “world of the text,” this pack breaks down the key elements of Cultural Context in clear, accessible language.

What’s Included:

• Step-by-step explanation of the Comparative Study and Cultural Context mode
• Thematic comparison tables linking the three texts
• Detailed summaries of each text’s cultural world
• Model 70-mark essay structure and sample essay with examiner-style annotations
• Past exam question analysis (2021–2025)
• Comparative vocabulary bank and linking phrase lists
• Practice tasks for building topic sentences and rewriting questions
• “Killer sentences” for essay writing
• Key quote banks for each text with explanations
• Planning grids and templates for essay preparation

Perfect for:

Higher Level Leaving Certificate students (2026–2027 Comparative modes)
Teachers teaching Sive, Small Things Like These, and The Shawshank Redemption
Revision and essay practice ahead of mock or final exams

This resource guides students from understanding to insight - helping them link ideas across texts while staying focused on the question.