What beginning to learn Arabic has taught me about teaching ‘English as a Second Language’

What beginning to learn Arabic has taught me about teaching ‘English as a Second Language’

Our school is wonderfully tight-knit which comes from the small through-school qualities and has fostered more primary/secondary collaborations than I had experienced in the UK. As an English teacher, my day-to-day teaching was greatly affected by the change in cohort comparably: my previous UK schools were in deprived areas with predominantly white working-class families with [...]

Story Mountain

Our free Story Mountain Resource aids students in mastering narrative structure for effective storytelling. It outlines key stages—exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution—supporting KS2 and KS3 writers. Ideal for teachers and parents, this tool simplifies lesson planning while enhancing writing skills and character development.

Quotation Retention Challenge: Week 2

Quotation Retention Challenge: Week 2

The Week 1 content provides rationale and initial quotations, which will be reviewed in the Week 2 recap. Users can download Week 2 of the To Kill a Mockingbird Quotation Retention Challenge along with a 3 Week Bundle. Related posts are also available for further exploration.

Exemplar Character Analysis: ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’

Bob Ewell Characterisation: Bob Ewell is presented by Harper Lee as abusive and dichotomously, both uneducated and revealing an innate sense of superiority which is borne from “his skin was white.” As the “little bantam cock of a man rose and strutted to the stand” p.187 Harper Lee highlights her socio-political critique of the parochial [...]

Reflections: To Kill a Mockingbird Quotation Retention Challenge: Week 1

Reflections: To Kill a Mockingbird Quotation Retention Challenge: Week 1

To effectively memorize quotes for closed book exams, frequent repetition and deeper analysis are essential. Students should engage in consistent revision over a week, utilizing mind maps and visual connections to enhance retention. This practice helps establish thematic links between quotes, fostering confidence in interpretations and supporting evidence.

Word of the Week

We have been introducing to our students since the beginning of the year. It builds into our formative knowledge curriculum and the importance of explicitly teaching vocabulary exploration; as @Doug_Lemov describes it in 'Reading Reconsidered': “making a case study out of certain words and their application.” Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week [...]

200 Word Challenge

Boost Writing Skills with the 200 Word Challenge – Engaging and Effective! Looking for a quick and powerful way to improve students’ writing? The 200 Word Challenge is the perfect resource to develop concise, impactful storytelling and descriptive writing. Designed to build creativity, vocabulary, and writing fluency, this challenge encourages students to craft compelling responses [...]

Edexcel Poetry Anthology: ‘Half-past Two’

Edexcel Poetry Anthology: ‘Half-past Two’

Example Analysis of 'Half-past Two' in the Edexcel iGCSE examined unit. U. A. Fanthorpe’s “Half-past Two” presents the concept of time through the eyes of a child. Here the poet puts forward the abstract notion of Time as viewed by a child in the concrete, who does not fully comprehend it and therein finds himself [...]