Differentiated listening assessments we use with S1-3 high school pupils. Based on the first episode of Tales by Light on Netflix which focuses on the amazing photographyby Simon Lister of children across the globe in challenging circumstances.

A short reading assessment. The topic is about what happens when you lose your mobile phones. Pupils find it interesting and we use it as a high school test with lower ability sets in S1-3

After studying a play with first year high school pupils, we get them to do this group discussion and poster task which they all enjoy.

A passage and question based on a newspaper article about the dark side of Roald dahl’s stories. We use it with S1 - 3 (age 11 - 14) high school pupils.

Close Reading passage and questions with use with S1 -3 (age 11-14) lower ability sets. (NB. there is a more challenging Roald Dahl test available)

A quiz for 6 teams based on the Scottish set text poems: Originally Valentine Mrs Midas War Photographer The Way my Mother Speaks In Mrs Tilscher’s Class My class really enjoyed this as a revision activity

A short project based on the film ‘Philomena’ starring Judi Dench and Steve Coogan. I’m using it in a Scottish secondary school with S3/4 pupils - age 14-16 - as part of a project on protagonists and antagonists. Tasks include group discussion of a key scene, analysis of screenplay excerpt, studying two film reviews and writing a review.

A single A3 sheet to support pupil revision of key quotations in each of the set text poems

A unit of work - designed to be used with any level of secondary school class - that lasts for 3 weeks. Our pupils enjoyed doing this online over lockdown, but also suitable for a homework booklet or classroom work. Choices of tasks for each week : one writing task and one design task from lists of options. Thoughtful instructions to aid reflection.

A worksheet designed to accompany the stunning episode of ‘Tales by Light’ about child labour. Children in need, episode 1. I created it for use in our English dept as part of a thematic project on ‘Our Planet’

A worksheet to help pupils build on their skills of writing for information and sequencing. My pupils really enjoyed doing this after reading the scene in which Billy describes the process of training Kes. They worked in pairs to complete the sheet in their own words.

A unit of work for S1 pupils (age 11-13) based on the play by Anne Fine. Questions on each act and discussion activities.

Created for my S2 class (age 13/14) who are doing a thematic about identity which includes analysing song lyrics. After we’ve studied a few songs I get them to do a presentation on their own favourite song and what it means to them. Pupils always really engaged with this task, and I also show them the film ‘Walk the Line’.

A detailed set of notes for my seniors in preparation for writing a Shakespeare essay based on minor characters in two of his plays. Tracks Camillo’s appearances throughout the text and includes quotations printed in bold. (See also my notes on Paulina from ‘The Winter’s Tale’ and Caliban from ‘The Tempest’.

A detailed set of notes about Caliban, focusing on his pivotal role throughout the whole of the play. Important quotations recorded in bold with text references. Summary of his key contribution to the drama. My pupils collaborated on this, in preparation for writing an essay about significant characters in two plays (see my other notes on Camillo and Paulina from 'The Winter’s Tale).

A set of detailed notes about the significance of Paulina, with all important quotations typed in bold, collated in preparation for our senior school study of ‘The Winter’s Tale’. Part of preparation for the Advanced Higher English exam in Scotland.

This is a powerpoint which contains all the information pupils need to help them write an essay about two Shakespeare plays that are thematically linked. My Advanced Higher pupils had a lot of success with this and found the topic really interesting.

A powerpoint for senior pupils to support a comparative study of ‘The Winter’s Tale’ and ‘The Tempest’. It focuses on the spectrum of power: the gulf between tyranny and impotence, with Leontes and Prospero initially characterising these polarised traits. Concludes with some reflection on the theme of redemption as explored in Shakespeare’s later plays. An excellent resource for studying the theme of power, kingship and authority. It also draws connections to King James 1 treaty: Basilikon Doron and his reflections on ideal kingship.

A good introduction to ‘The Winter’s Tale’, offering historical context, characters, themes, plot synopsis and some youtube link to give pupils a taster of what’s to come.

After studying ‘The Highwayman’ poem by Alfred Noyes, this is a fully scaffolded helpsheet to enable pupils to write a detailed evaluation of the poem, focusing on poetic techniques used to create atmosphere.