'Here's a knocking indeed ' says the Porter in Shakespeare's Scottish play (Act II, Scene 3) and immediately puts himself into role in order to deal with the demands of such an early call after a late night of drinking and carousal: 'If a man were porter of hell-gate...'. But what roles does the porter of curriculum-gate take on in order to deal with drama's persistent demands for entry? Ah, that depends upon the temperature of the times. We, who have been knocking for what seems to be a very long time, know well that when evaluation and measurement criteriaare demanded as evidence of drama's ef cacy, an examiner stands as gatekeeper. When the educational landscape is in danger of overcrowding, we meet a territorial governor. And how often has the courtesan turned out to be only a tease because the arts are, for a brief moment, in the spotlight for their abilities to foster out-of-the-box thinkers? In this text, we meet these 'commissionaires' and many more. The gatekeeping roles and what they represent are so familiar that they have become cliches to us. We know them by their arguments, ripostes, dismissals, their brief encouragement and lack of follow-up. And we know that behind each one (however rmly they think they keep the keys) is a nancial and political master whose power controls the curriculum building and everything in it."

What is the je-ne-sais-quoi? How-if at all-can it be put into words? In addressing these questions, Richard Scholar offers the first full-length study of the je-ne-sais-quoi and its fortunes in early modern Europe. He describes the rise and fall of the expression as a noun and as a topic of debate, examines its cluster of meanings, and uncovers the scattered traces of its 'pre-history'. The je-ne-sais-quoi is often assumed to belong purely to the realm of the literary, but in the early modern period it serves to articulate problems of knowledge in natural philosophy, the passions, and culture, and for that reason it is approached here from an interdisciplinary perspective. Placing major figures of the period such as Montaigne, Shakespeare, Descartes, Corneille, and Pascal alongside some of their lesser-known contemporaries, Scholar argues that the je-ne-sais-quoi serves above all to capture first-person encounters with a 'certain something' that is as difficult to explain as its effects are intense. When early modern writers use the expression in this way, he suggests, they give literary form to an experience that twenty-first-century readers may recognize as something like their own.

The Heinemann Plays series offers contemporary drama and classic plays in durable classroom editions. Many have large casts and an equal mix of boy and girl parts. This play is a dramatization of Daniel Keyes's story about a retarded adult who desperately wants to be able to read and write.

This handsomely illustrated series presents Shakespeare in such a lively and accessible manner that students and young readers will find themselves wishing to read all his plays. Readers learn to enjoy these immortal works as they follow the story, get to know the characters, and explore the historical background of each play. Packed with color illustrations and portraits of the main characters, and enhanced with quotations, these are eye-opening introductions for students as well as valuable tools for teachers.

The complete and comprehensive way to support your studies and assessments in 2021 and exams in 2022. Get straight to the heart of the text with crystal-clear notes, focused analysis and expert summaries. Quickly demystify historical contexts and get to grips with the text's form, language and structure. Efficiently unpick plots, contexts and themes and sharpen your memory of key facts, quotations and characters. Power up your essay-writing skills, learn how to write top-grade answers and feel fully ready and equipped to excel in any test or assessment. York Notes are the long-established experts in English Literature, and we take your success seriously. So whether you're studying The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare for GCSE at home, online or in the classroom, York Notes is your best bet for the best grades. Packed with more powerful features than any other guide, this essential The Merchant of Venice study companion is easy to use, brimming with essential info and will quickly become your go-to buddy as you navigate your GCSE course, build your confidence, stay motivated and get ready to impress in any test, assessment or exam. To make sure you feel really ready for the unique challenges of assessment and to get the grades you know you deserve, why not use this Study Guide with the York Notes Workbook for The Merchant of Venice? Just search for 9781292236810.

Which exam? AQA GCSE (9-1) English Literature First teaching: September 2015 First assessment: June 2017 A targeted way to build key skills for the new AQA GCSE (9-1) English Literature exams (assessment from 2017). To create this workbook, we identified the most common barriers that students face when they're studying A Christmas Carol. Target's structured approach develops the key skills you need to overcome these obstacles and work towards your expected grade at GCSE. Target workbooks' unique approach builds, develops and extends key exam skills. Step-by-step exercises get you exam-ready, with each book providing 70+ pages of structured practice. Full of ready-to-use examples and activities. Designed for those working towards Grade 5, but with stretch to reach Grade 6. See your progress easily, with step-by-step exercises and exam-style questions that build key skills. Focus on the parts of the text that you find difficult - each workbook addresses a range of common problems and misconceptions. Use the workbooks in class or at home - the exercises are easy to use independently. Visit our website for the full range of Target English and English Literature workbooks.

Encompasses the poetry requirements in National Curriculum programmes of study for Speaking and Listening, Reading and Writing. The text identifies eight ways for children to experience poetry: listening; speaking; reading; memorising; conversation; through the arts; writing; and performing. It then shows how teachers can use all these modes to develop pupils' perceptions and responses to poetry, including planning programmes and assessing outcomes.

In her own voice, acclaimed author and poet Nikki Grimes explores the truth of a harrowing childhood in a compelling and moving memoir in verse. Growing up with a mother suffering from paranoid schizophrenia and a mostly absent father, Nikki Grimes found herself terrorized by babysitters, shunted from foster family to foster family, and preyed upon by those she trusted. At the age of six, she poured her pain onto a piece of paper late one night - and discovered the magic and impact of writing. For many years, Nikki's notebooks were her most enduing companions. In this accessible and inspiring memoir that will resonate with young readers and adults alike, Nikki shows how the power of those words helped her conquer the hazards - ordinary and extraordinary - of her life.

Which exam? AQA GCSE (9-1) English Literature First teaching: September 2015 First assessment: June 2017 A targeted way to build key skills for the new AQA GCSE (9-1) English Literature exams (assessment from 2017). To create this workbook, we identified the most common barriers that students face when they're studying Romeo and Juliet. Target's structured approach develops the key skills you need to overcome these obstacles and work towards your expected grade at GCSE. Target workbooks' unique approach builds, develops and extends key exam skills. Step-by-step exercises get you exam-ready, with each book providing 70+ pages of structured practice. Full of ready-to-use examples and activities. Designed for those working towards Grade 5, but with stretch to reach Grade 6. See your progress easily, with step-by-step exercises and exam-style questions that build key skills. Focus on the parts of the text that you find difficult - each workbook addresses a range of common problems and misconceptions. Use the workbooks in class or at home - the exercises are easy to use independently. Visit our website for the full range of Target English and English Literature workbooks.

The Heinemann Plays series offers contemporary drama and classic plays in durable classroom editions. Many have large casts and an equal mix of boy and girl parts. This is an adaptation of Dickens's popular Christmas story for reading aloud and performing.

Feel confident, ready and fully prepared for the 2021 assessments and 2022 exams. Feel confident, prepared and totally ready for any test, exam or assessment. Beat your nerves by getting familiar with test and assessment-style questions. Seven sample tests for you to work through so you can eliminate your worries and feel ready to impress. Maximise your full potential and aim for the best possible assessment grade by comparing your work against the sample answers provided. York Notes are the long-established experts in English Literature, and we take your success seriously. So if you're studying Macbeth by William Shakespeare for your GCSE and are looking for some essential test practice before you're fully assessed, you can trust this book to get you up to speed. Proper practice is crucial if you want to perform at your best in formal tests, exams or assessments, and this is the only book of practice tests dedicated solely to Macbeth. Use it to test all your skills and knowledge, to target your revision, and to make sure you are as ready, prepared and confident as possible when it comes to assessment time. Why not use these GCSE Practice Tests with a York Notes Study Guide and Workbook for the most complete study, practice and revision solution? Just search for 9781447982203 for the Study Guide, and 9781292100814 for the Workbook.

The course of true love never did run smooth... A magical retelling of Hermia, Helen, Demetrius and Lysander's classic story - and of the impish fairy Puck, who meddles in their tangled web of love with hilarious consequences... With notes on Shakespeare and the Globe Theatre, and Love and Magic in A Midsummer Night's Dream. The tales have been retold using accessible language and with the help of Tony Ross's engaging black-and-white illustrations, each play is vividly brought to life allowing these culturally enriching stories to be shared with as wide an audience as possible. Have you read all of The Shakespeare Stories books? Available in this series: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, Hamlet, Twelfth Night, Antony and Cleopatra, Much Ado About Nothing, The Merchant of Venice, Henry V, Julius Caesar, As You Like It, Othello, The Taming of the Shrew, Richard III, and King Lear.

Gary Paulsen, a three-time Newbery Honor winner, has written over 175 books for young adults and adults for over twenty years. His stories of adventure and survival are beloved by readers, teachers, librarians, and critics. This volume examines a sample of the most widely-known and widely-studied books by Paulsen. A biographical chapter demonstrates how Paulsen's life experiences, notably the Iditarod, have influenced his writing. Each book is analyzed for plot, characterization, setting, and themes, written at a level that is accessible for young readers, yet providing in-depth information for older readers. Books analyzed in this volume include: -Brian's Winter -Dogsong -Hatchet -The Island -Winter Room

This superb Poetry Guide covers all the skills students will need for success in Unseen Poetry exam questions - and it's fully up-to-date for WJEC Grade 9-1 GCSE English Literature! It includes a wide range of full poems, with warm-up questions and exam-style comparison questions. There's also a section of in-depth advice on how to analyse and compare poems in the exam, including how to write a good answer and top tips for targeting Grades 8-9. Plus, we've given some sample answers to Unseen Poetry questions, ready for students to mark themselves with a sample mark scheme - ideal for helping them identify what's required to achieve each grade. And to top it all off, there's a whole section of exam-style practice for realistic test preparation (with all the answers included of course). And if they like to take their poetry practice on the go (who doesn't?), there's a free Online Edition included too. Don't miss our brilliant GCSE English Literature WJEC Eduqas Anthology Poetry Guide (9781782943631).

This brilliant book is the ultimate guide to the Love and Relationships cluster from the AQA GCSE English Literature Anthology of Poetry! The full text of every poem is included, with clear, concise notes on the meaning, form, structure, language and context - plus questions to help students develop their personal responses. Since it's crucial to be able to compare the poems, we've included in-depth sections dividing the poems by the themes and poetic techniques found in the cluster. There are practice questions and exam-style questions at the end of each section, and the book is rounded off with plenty of detailed exam advice, including a section specifically focused on targeting those top 8-9 Grades. What's more, we've also included top tips based on real Examiner's Reports, so students know exactly what markers are looking for! As the cherry on top, the CGP wizards have concocted some brilliant online extras to give their revision a super-boost - audio recordings of the poems, insightful discussions about every poem and a digital quiz. Plus, it can all be taken on the road with the free Online Edition included too! Just use the code printed in the book to unlock. For even more practice this Poetry Guide matches our Love and Relationships Poetry Workbook (9781782948209) and Revision Question Cards (9781789083705).

This CGP Text Guide contains everything you need to write top-grade essays about Jane Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice'. It's suitable for all GCSE English exams, including the new ones starting in summer 2017. Inside, you'll find clear, thorough notes on the novel's context, plot, characters, themes and the writer's techniques - with quick questions, in-depth questions and exam-style questions included at the end of every section. There's also detailed exam advice to help you improve your grades, plus a cartoon-strip summary to remind you of all the important plot points!

This CGP Complete Revision & Practice book is a superb all-in-one guide to success in Grade 9-1 GCSE English Language and English Literature! It's packed with clear study notes and examples that explain every reading and writing skill (including in-depth advice on spelling, punctuation and grammar), plus detailed sections covering prose, drama and poetry. There's a huge range of practice on offer in each section, including warm-up questions and exam-style questions for every topic. The book is rounded off with a full set of Language and Literature practice exams for students to try for themselves - ideal for final preparation ahead of the real tests. A free Online Edition is also included - just use the unique code printed in the book to access it on your PC, Mac or tablet.

This 11 plus English book provides practice for fact-finding style questions. Comprehension skills are at the heart of 11 plus and Common Entrance exams and approximately 80% of questions in exams focus on fact-finding. The questions in this book are designed to test a child's ability to extract explicitly stated information from the text to answer questions. This book contains 50 exercises comprising 35 fiction passages and 15 non-fiction passages, each with six questions. For further practice on fact-finding style comprehensions, see 11+ Essentials English: Mini Comprehensions Fact-Finding Book 1, and our 11+ Essentials English Mini-Comprehensions Inferencerange

This CGP Text Guide contains everything you need to write top-grade essays about Willy Russell's 'Blood Brothers'. It's suitable for all GCSE English exams, including the new ones starting in summer 2017. Inside, you'll find clear, thorough notes on the play's context, plot, characters, themes and the writer's techniques - with quick questions, in-depth questions and exam-style questions included at the end of every section. There's also detailed exam advice to help you improve your grades, plus a cartoon-strip summary to remind you of all the important plot points!

Explains how the study of poetry, by providing experiences similar to those produced by poetry therapy, can help students discover themselves and develop their potential to effect change in the world.

Walter Dean Myers, acclaimed author of African American books for children and young adults, published his first book, "Where Does the Day Go?" in 1969. He is most widely known for his coming-of-age novels including the Newbery Honor books Scorpions (1989) and Somewhere in the Darkness (1993). A prolific author of both fiction and nonfiction, novels and historical works examined here include Fallen Angels, The Glory Field, Monster, and Shooters. Myers has written over 70 books, the most recent also illustrated by his son Christopher. He volunteers at local schools to encourage students in their reading and writing.

"This fantastic CGP Poetry Guide covers the entire Grade 9-1 GCSE Edexcel English Literature Conflict Anthology. The full text of every poem is included, with clear, concise notes on the meaning, form, structure and language - plus questions to help students develop their personal responses. And since it's crucial to be able to compare the poems, we've included in-depth sections on the themes and poetic techniques. There are practice questions and exam-style questions at the end of each section, detailed exam advice, and the chance to improve and mark sample answers using a realistic mark scheme - perfect for getting to grips with exactly what the examiners are looking for! Don't miss CGP's fantastic Poetry Guide for the Unseen Poetry section of the GCSE Edexcel English Literature exams (9781782949992). "

This CGP Text Guide contains everything you need to write top-grade essays about William Golding's 'Lord of the Flies'. It's suitable for all GCSE English exams, including the new ones starting in summer 2017. Inside, you'll find clear, thorough notes on the novel's context, plot, characters, themes and the writer's techniques - with quick questions, in-depth questions and exam-style questions included at the end of every section. There's also detailed exam advice to help you improve your grades, plus a cartoon-strip summary to remind you of all the important plot points!