Editable Exam question practice with Mark Scheme A paper 1 exam with a very small text for students who don’t like to read lengthy texts - I’ve used this when my students motivation is low, it has tips on how to answer the questions and writing frames for students to follow the aim of this is simply to make students practice how to answer these questions properly and include everything they need to, to get over a level 5 or below. I also re-wrote the AQA Paper 1 Mark Scheme in as simple language as I could - in the hope that students would be able to help themselves by using the writing frames and then hopefully get an idea of what grade they would achieve. The techniques in the source are relatively easy to spot and have both language and structural techniques. This is aimed at students who already have the skills and want something straight forward to practice with.

Exam question Practice A resource designed for higher level GCSE English Language students, looks at using techniques in their writing and works on developing students work so that it achieves marks for compelling and convincing communication. should last about 40 minutes

The first page goes through the terms of narrative structure. Task 1: Looking at the narrative structure students explain which should be the most exciting part. Task 2: look at a basic plot and see if they can show where it occurs in terms of narrative structure. Investigating and using Suspense techniques. Task 3: students do a basic plan using the narrative structure model (sample answer shown first) this is aimed at encouraging the use of flashback. Task 4: students write a couple of paragraphs of their story, experimenting with structure and there is a peer/self marking table for the students to complete. Photo by Sara Aho on Unsplash

A resource called: To what extent? Task 1 - students to think of statements that have some value for debates and they have to explain to what extent they agree with it. Task 2: Students have to provide a counter argument for the first task (to show that complex ideas have more than one side of them (question 5 paper 2) Task 3: Students identify structural and language techniques in a text and then are shown where the techniques are on the next page. Task 4: Sort the techniques into a table of for or against the statement. Task: 5 Students write a PEACE paragraph using a writing frame that is provided. Self evaluation is included in the form of a tick box and students are encouraged to write a target based on this or the lesson objectives that can be ticked off from the first page of the worksheet. Please review and let me know what you think and I will make improvements if required, thanks

A full lesson on question 3 paper 1 (two hours approx) A resource staring with matching structural techniques with their definitions , moving onto using structural techniques within creative writing to showing students how to analyse a text in terms of question 3 paper 1, I provide the text and then show where the techniques would be identified on the answer sheet then I provide a sample answer selecting one of the quotes I have found in the text and give students a chance to complete their own PEACE paragraph with a peer marking table at the end.

A revision activity where students act as intelligence officers and use their skills to interpret information to make decisions revises assessment objectives: AO1, AO2, AO3 and AO5.

Exam Question Practice - Inference A lesson on a word document on the theme of the attitudes towards drug use. Starter activity - students look at attitudes and decide if they are modern or 19th C. Task 2 - read the texts and state which one is 19th and which one is 21st and see if they can explain why. Task 3 - Students list the differences between the two in a Venn diagram Task 5 - students answer an exam style question following a basic writing frame, with a peer marking/self evaluation table at the end. Extension task - How this relates to question 4 paper 2 - students find the language techniques in the text and attempt to answer question 4 following the writing frame.

A functional skills lesson going over purpose and audience that suits the new spec.

Reading skills and mini texts for functional skills new spec Photo by Nong Vang on Unsplash

A functional skills lesson designed to meet the new spec for 2019 Edexcel functional skills, looks at basic punctuation, using quotes and layout features. Lesson designed to last approximately an hour and a half depending on the ability of the class. Inference and Emphasis

A text I wrote based on personal opinions about going to university with questions to suit the level 1 functional skills reading exam for 2019 Photo by Nong Vang on Unsplash

Functional skills lesson focusing on writing development and reading skills, with some preparation towards GCSE or level 2. Goes into detail about using conjunctions, using commas, skimming and scanning

Functional Skills Level 1 Two lessons on using information and writing speeches and emails based around the idea of voting and mortgages. Reading skills - Information retrieval from texts. Synonyms

Activities designed to help students get full marks for technical accuracy showing them what they have to do in the minimal amount of writing.

A reading and writing lesson based on wilderness survival, students have to make decisions on what they should do if they crashed in a desert and then respond to an web forum. Students should learn how to use information from a text and how to argue in a web forum, combined with a Bear Grylls video it can be pretty enjoyable. Photo by Arto Marttinen on Unsplash

Level 1 functional skills lesson that suits the new specification, can also be taught to lower levels if paced out. Starter - Write a different sentence to match a specific purpose. 10 Minutes Recap - skimming and scanning activity - 10 Minutes Parts of the exam explained Purpose and auidence mini text and questions - 15 Minutes Proofreading activity - 10 Minutes Developing your answers and how to start Plenary - quiz to test learning so far. Hour and a half in total. Second lesson (included) Starter - expressing your opinion on three statements - 10 to 15 minutes (dependent on discussions) Recap - match up of purposes - 5 Minutes Plurals and then SPaG activity - 10 Minutes Comprehension activity based on fortnight - 15 minutes How to write an article Choice between two articles to write - 15-20 Minutes Plenary - Age ratings discussion on computer games.

Persuasive and analytical writing. Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash

Speaking and listening exam preparation. Looks at mark scheme for both exam tasks to suit the new spec of the Edexcel functional skills lesson. New Year comprehension included for Functional Skills level 1 but can be adapted for Functional Skills Level 2 or GCSE English.

GCSE AQA Revision looking at questions 3, 4 and 5 for paper 1. AO4 Lesson objectives based on Blooms Taxonomy, extension activities and model answers included, can last between two hours to three depending on the ability of the class. Looks at Structural techniques, Language analysis and Creative writing.