This is a book about the power of poetry to speak about the central themes of what it is to be a human being. The first part is an anthology of specially selected poems; the second part provides detailed notes for teachers on how to use these poems in the classroom.;The poems in the book are about morality: how we get on, or don't get on, with each other; how we feel when we are alone; the destruction of the world we live in; childhood; celebration; fear; death; mystery. Sharing these poems helps us to understand ourselves, and to express ourselves. The poems are selected to help to break down the barriers between curriculum subjects, and to be specially useful for religious education and personal, social and moral education. There is a mixture of the classic, the traditional and the new here, but all of the selected poems show the true power of poetry to express feelings about things that matter.

What is narrative? How does it work and how does it shape our lives? H. Porter Abbott emphasizes that narrative is found not just in literature, film, and theatre, but everywhere in the ordinary course of people's lives. This widely used introduction, now revised and expanded in its third edition, is informed throughout by recent developments in the field and includes one new chapter. The glossary and bibliography have been expanded, and new sections explore unnatural narrative, retrograde narrative, reader-resistant narratives, intermedial narrative, narrativity, and multiple interpretation. With its lucid exposition of concepts, and suggestions for further reading, this book is not only an excellent introduction for courses focused on narrative but also an invaluable resource for students and scholars across a wide range of fields, including literature and drama, film and media, society and politics, journalism, autobiography, history, and still others throughout the arts, humanities, and social sciences.

Professional poets spend many hours crafting a finished piece of work, yet we expect children in school to sit down and write when they are told to, whether they feel inspired or not. This series of four books is a toolkit to help you build a positive framework for children to read, write, understand and enjoy poetry - to bring a creative spark to the poetry classroom. A combination of featured poems, creative ideas, structured lesson plans and differentiated photocopiable activity sheets gives the series a uniquely flexible approach - which means you can use the materials in any classroom context. If you're wary of poetry, if you think it's boring, or if you're nervous about teaching poetry, then you've chosen the right book. Key themes covered in BOOK 4: Language and Performance are moods and feelings through the use of effective language; nonsense and humorous verse; the continuity and links between ancient and modern, between nursery and playground rhymes and Shakespeare; whatever our ability, there is a place for everyone on the poetry 'ladder'; and performance poetry. Other books in the series are: BOOK 1:Words and Wordplay; BOOK 2: Rhymes, Rhythms and Rattles;and BOOK 3: Style, Shape and Structure.

Get your learners reading! Spot On readers contain delightful South African stories, a variety of interesting characters and beautiful illustrations to get learners excited about reading. Spot On readers are developed by a team of language specialists and teachers. The readers use sight words, phonics and high frequency words to ensure that learners quickly and easily gain the reading skills required in Grade 1.

All eight titles are available as Big Books for shared reading as well as small books for independent reading. Spot On readers are the latest addition to Heinemann's best-selling Spot On series, which is approved by the Department of Education. Spot On readers are available from Grades 1-3 in Afrikaans, English, IsiXhosa, IsiZulu, Sepedi and Setswana.

Enid Blyton's name is synonymous with children's stories, none being more famous than NODDY. David Wood, the acclaimed children's dramatist, draws upon the most entertaining and instructive of the twenty-four books for this popular adaptation. Exploiting the excitement of life theatre with imaginative staging, music, light, puppetry and lots of audience participation, the play will be a hit with all, whether they know Noddy or not.

Thirty-two poems that reflect aspects of the African American experience.

A winsome, user-friendly introduction to all things Dickens from former Children's Laureate Michael Rosen, with lively interior illustrations by Sarah Nayler. Dickens brought life to some of our favourite characters: his rogues' gallery includes the Artful Dodger and his avaricious boss, Fagin, the miserly Mr Scrooge, and the spiteful Miss Havisham. During Dickens's lifetime, his novels sold in their thousands, and his touring one-man show was an international hit. Now, 145 years after his death, Dickens's fame has only grown - his books are read all over the world, and have been adapted for both stage and screen. So what is it about Dickens's writing that keeps his readers coming back for more? Join Michael Rosen on a whistle-stop tour of Dickensian London. Featuring a richly detailed summary of Dickens's childhood and career, a witty recap of his best-known novels, and lively black-and-white illustrations from Sarah Nayler, this book is the perfect introduction to the work and world of Charles Dickens.

Designed for practicing and student teachers working with a wide range of narrative fiction in infant and junior classrooms, this book highlights the creative and expressive aspects of children's engagement with literature, is written in the context of National Curriculum English at Key Stages 1 and 2 and with full attention paid to the National Literacy Framework, and provides Literacy Hour projects complete with lesson notes and plans for each age group.

The author shows how storytelling, drama and the arts can be used to bring texts to life, making the acquisition of literacy skills a more enriching and enduring experience. This text is a companion to Teaching Poetry in the Primary School by the same author.

Crime Fiction provides a lively introduction to what is both a wide-ranging and hugely popular literary genre. Using examples from a variety of novels, short stories, films and televisions series, John Scaggs: presents a concise history of crime fiction - from biblical narratives to James Ellroy - broadening the genre to include revenge tragedy and the gothic novel explores the key sub-genres of crime fiction, such as 'Rational Criminal Investigation', The Hard-Boiled Mode', 'The Police Procedural' and 'Historical Crime Fiction' locates texts and their recurring themes and motifs in a wider social and historical context outlines the various critical concepts that are central to the study of crime fiction, including gender, narrative theory and film theory considers contemporary television series like C.S.I.: Crime Scene Investigation alongside the 'classic' whodunnits of Agatha Christie. Accessible and clear, this comprehensive overview is the essential guide for all those studying crime fiction and concludes with a look at future directions for the genre in the twentieth-first century.

The launching of Sputnik in 1957 sparked an education movement that stressed the importance of curricular rigor and standardization as a means to improve education and bolster national defense. Within six months of Sputnik's launch, Congress passed the National Defense Education Act (NDEA) that approved an unprecedented amount of federal funding toward the math, science, and foreign language disciplines. The teaching of English was left out and through the leadership of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), the discipline maneuvered public relations and political connections in its quest to acquire federal funds. In doing so, the NCTE mimicked strategies that galvanized funding for math, science, and foreign language disciplines by arguing the importance of the teaching of English for national security and advocating for a teaching model that aligned with Cold War Era pedagogical trends. These tactics marked a major shift in how the NCTE advocated for the teaching of English. In the early twentieth century, the organization embraced student-centered education practices connected to the ideas of progressive educators. This perspective continued with the creation and expansion of life adjustment education during the 1930s and 40s. During this era, many NCTE authors recommended this movement that advocated connecting education to future adult experiences. Following Sputnik, NCTE leaders supported content-centered reforms. Instead of curriculum recommendations based in discovering and fostering relevant student experiences, the NCTE's focus became adjusting student learning to predefined skills it thought all students should possess. This trend was supported by conceptions of Cold War education models, including those advocated by their rival English organization, the Modern Language Association (MLA). The MLA had successfully worked with federal actors in attaining funding for foreign language training institutes and the NCTE's collaboration with the MLA represented a shift in adopting ideas it was previously opposed to promoting. Despite their efforts, the NCTE was not a part of NDEA reauthorization in 1961 the federal government, led by U.S. Commissioner of Education, Sterling McMurrin, funded teacher-training institutes for the study of English through a program called ""Project English."" The 1960s continued with the NCTE representing stronger content-centered ideas before shifting in less than a decade as indicated by the materials produced by the 1966 Anglo- American Conference on English at Dartmouth. Here, NCTE leaders reassessed their beliefs after meeting with British educators who advocated student-centered curriculum models and reintroduced benefits of experiential education. These ideas would manifest into student- centered curriculum models during the late 1960s and 1970s.

New York Times bestselling author Walter Dean Myers traveled back to his roots in this memoir that is gripping, funny, and ultimately unforgettable. Don't miss this memoir by a former National Ambassador of Books for Young People!As a boy, Myers was quick-tempered and physically strong, always ready for a fight. He also read voraciously--he would check out books from the library and carry them home, hidden in brown paper bags in order to avoid other boys' teasing. He aspired to be a writer (and he eventually succeeded).But as his hope for a successful future diminished, the values he had been taught at home, in school, and in his community seemed worthless, and he turned to the streets and to his books for comfort.Here, in his own words, is the story of one of the most important voices of our time.

An engaging classroom playscript. Acclaimed Broadway playwright Ken Ludwig's humorous adaptation of this classic tale. First performed by the Bristol Old Vic in 2006. Based on Alexandre Dumas' timeless swashbuckler, The Three Musketeers tells the story of young d'Artagnan, who sets off for adventure in Paris and soon allies himself with the greatest heroes of the day - Musketeers Athos, Porthos and Aramis - to defend the honour of the Queen of France. New, innovative activities specifically tailored to support the KS3 Framework for Teaching English and help students to fulfil the Framework objectives. Activities include work on Speaking and Listening, close text analysis, and the structure of playscripts, and act as a springboard for personal writing.

This series offers a unique interactive approach that will encourage learners to become involved in the interactive process of these plays, whilst exposing them to the atmosphere and history of the age, in a fun and stimulating way. An extensive amount of background and supporting material is offered in a user-friendly way with exciting features make the plays become visually real. Each exciting page offers: -complete text done in an attractive double-page spread layout a glossary of what the words and phrases mean thought-provoking notes and activities on each page that: explain difficult language, explore characters, themes, words and images, provide useful background information and stimulate thoughts on how to stage the play. This series also offers activities at the end of each act to facilitate understanding. At the back of each book, notes are included, providing information on the world of William Shakespeare.

As a young black man in the segregated South of the 1920s, Wright was hungry to explore new worlds through books, but was forbidden from borrowing them from the library. This touching account tells of his love of reading, and how his unwavering perseverance, along with the help of a co-worker, came together to make Richard's dream a reality

An inspirational story for children of all backgrounds, Richard Wright and the Library Card shares a poignant turning point in the life of a young man who became one of this country's most brilliant writers, the author of Native Son and Black Boy.

This book is the third in a series of biographies by William Miller, including Zora Hurston and the Chinaberry Tree and Frederick Douglass: The Last Day of Slavery. All focus on important moments in the lives of these prominent African Americans.

Whether you want a super-speedy refresher, a quick and easy way to get into the text for the first time, or an exciting new way to revise, the 55 cards in this pocket-sized pack are brimming with everything you need to plan, practise and perfect your study of the poems included in the AQA anthology. In no time at all, you can whizz through all the essential info you need to quickly and efficiently refresh your knowledge and catch up. Key quotations on aspects of the poems such as settings and contexts, language imagery and themes - it's all here. Think more deeply sections invite you to answer questions such as: What is the effect of Nagra's use of voice in Singh Song? We've even included powerful quick-fire tips and practice cards to engage your brain and get your skills back up to scratch as quickly as possible. York Notes are the experts in English Literature, so if you're looking for THE ultimate smart, fast and highly effective way to get ahead with Love and Relationships AQA Poetry Anthology, then these clever cards are all you need.

This story is about a young boy, Vusi, whose father goes away to work on the mines. vusi is very sad and writes letters to his father while waiting for him to return home.

From literary studies to digital humanities, Introducing English Studies is a complete introduction to the many fields and sub-disciplines of English studies for majors starting out in the subject for the first time. The book covers topics including: * history of English language and linguistics * literature and literary criticism * cinema and new media Studies * composition and rhetoric * creative and professional writing * critical theory * digital humanities The book is organized around the central questions of the field and includes case studies demonstrating how assignments might be approached, as well as annotated guides to further reading to support more in-depth study. A glossary of key critical terms helps readers locate essential definitions quickly when studying and writing and revising essays. A supporting companion website also offers sample assignments and activities, examples of student writing, career guidance and weblinks.

Skilfully adapted from the famous original story by Hans Christian Andersen, Th e Snow Queen is the story of Gerda, a little girl who searches for her friend Kai when he is bewitched and imprisoned by the Snow Queen in her ice palace. Gerda's innocence charms all good people and animals she meets on the way. They help her to escape the Enchantress, lead her to the royal court, and on to Lapland, where, in a final confrontation with the Snow Queen's Ice Creatures, good conquers evil and the children are reunited.Large flexible cast

Teaching nineteenth-century literature can be an incredibly rewarding experience, resulting in lessons which are exciting and engaging and enable amazing levels of student progress. This essential handbook guides teachers through the key events of the period, offering theoretical approaches and a wealth of practical ideas for teaching nineteenth-century fiction and poetry in the secondary classroom. Supporting and inspiring teachers as they introduce nineteenth-century texts to their students and nurture their interest and enthusiasm for the genre, Teaching Nineteenth-Century Literature provides a grounding in the major historical events of the nineteenth century, describes pedagogical approaches to teaching fiction and poetry, and offers step-by-step guidance on the use of literary resources. Chapters offer advice on overcoming the particular challenges of the genre, including unwieldy plots, complex vocabulary and unfamiliar sentence structures, and illustrate how texts from the period can be made fully accessible to even the youngest pupils. With a range of detailed activities, photocopiable lesson plans, case studies and extracts for use in the classroom, teachers will be able to quickly and easily build a scheme of work that is stimulating and beneficial for children of varying abilities. Equipping teachers with the knowledge, understanding and resources they need to teach nineteenth-century literature in an engaging, inspiring and intellectually stimulating way, this practical and accessible text will be an invaluable resource for secondary school English teachers, students and trainees.