English

Nowadays, genre fiction has an unfortunate reputation for being formulaic and undemanding. But some of the classics of English literature are examples of genre fiction, including Bram Stoker’s horror classic Dracula.

To introduce your students to the idea of genre, and the literary devices which define particular genres, we’ve taken this activity from our KS3 English presentation on 'Genre' for you to try out.

Featuring an audio-transcript of an extract from Stoker’s Dracula, and click-and-reveal annotation of the key literary devices used by Stoker to create a sense of horror, this format allows you to work through the extract at a pace to suit your class, helping students of all abilities to recognise a variety of literary devices and their narrative effects.

With a wealth of extension activities and differentiated worksheets accompanying Boardworks KS3 English, your lessons can easily be adpated for students of different levels. Order your free sample disc to find out more about how Boardworks English resources can be adapted to suit the needs of your class.

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Below is an archive of our most popular free English resources. To download this content all you need to do is click on the links below and you will be prompted to register some additional details with us.

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With the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Dickens on the 7th February 2012 and with Dickens adaptations filling our TV screens, there’s never been a more apt time to introduce your students to one of Victorian literature’s most popular authors.

To help you introduce your students to studying Dickens, we’ve produced some free resources on the opening of Great Expectations.

Ideal as an introduction to studying themes at AS-Level, or for stretching your KS4 students, these resources will help your students to recognise significant themes and examine their importance to the 'destination' of a text. By learning how to track key themes, students can approach any text they are studying with more confidence.

Download the free resources by clicking the button below.

Audio-enhanced slides, such as the ones included in this presentation, feature throughout Boardworks English resources, bringing the text alive for auditory and non-auditory learners alike. To find out more about the enhanced content of Boardworks English resources, order your free sample disc today!

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Following our lesson plan vote last term, you can now download the winning lesson plan on ‘Writing for spoken language’, written by English teacher Sam Guineas.

Ready to use with your KS4 students this spring term, Sam’s lesson uses a variety of activities to reinforce students’ knowledge of the literary conventions used when writing spoken language. Increasing in complexity, these activities culminate in an analysis of an extract from Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House.

To download the lesson plan and the Boardworks slides, click the buttons below.

Like the use of A Doll’s House to teach written dialogue conventions, Boardworks KS4 English Language contains a wealth of licensed articles, adverts and videos to help contextualise various key features of the English language. To find out more, why not order your free sample disc?

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'Although radio drama is required learning, it is alien territory for many students, requiring a level of aural concentration that is increasingly rare in this visual age… This lesson provides a fun way in to this understanding, and may even encourage some students to listen to radio drama itself.'

English teacher Sam Guineas has written a lesson plan introducing students to the often unfamiliar techniques of radio drama.

Emphasising the importance of sound effects in setting the scene, Sam's lesson allows students to experiment with different types of sound effect, culminating in the creation of a 'sound effects only' playlet.

To download the lesson plan and the Boardworks slides, click the buttons below.

If you enjoyed using this resource and like sharing your ideas with other teachers, why not write a lesson plan for Boardworks? We're currently looking for practising or experienced teachers to work with us writing lesson plans about the ways they use Boardworks material in their lessons. To find out more, visit our authors page.

And to keep up-to-date with all our latest news, including new free resources and lesson plans, follow us on Twitter @BoardworksLtd.

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From September 2012, the Government is planning to award specific marks for spelling, punctuation and grammar in GCSEs with a sufficient written English element.

To get your students ahead, we’ve produced a free presentation on spelling, punctuation and grammar. Use it to:

- test your students how to spell tricky words
- help your students identify which punctuation marks should be used in a piece of writing
- encourage students’ ability to complete compound sentences with the correct coordinate conjunctions.

To download it, click the button below:

We also publish an English Grammar Toolkit, which offers an interactive approach to teaching essential grammar, spelling and study skills at KS3. Try out the online sample here or order your free sample disc.