Charles Dickens' timeless story is brought to life in this vibrant new version by the award-winning playwright Neil Duffield. Christmas, the most wonderful time of the year! Well, it is for everyone except the miserable Scrooge. He prefers to spend Christmas all alone in his large house, instead of celebrating with mistletoe and merriment. Bah, humbug! But one cold, dark Christmas Eve Scrooge is surprised by the ghost of Marley, his former business partner. Marley warns Scrooge that he will be called upon by three spirits - each will take him on a mysterious and magical journey to show him the error of his ways... Can Scrooge discover the true wonder and meaning of Christmas before it's too late?

This revised version of Willy Russell's much loved play won rave reviews when it opened in Liverpool in 2009. Slightly updated and featuring more songs, it retains all the humour and appeal of the original. This educational edition in Methuen Drama's Critical Scripts series has been prepared by national Drama in Secondary English experts Ruth Moore and Paul Bunyan. Building on a decade of highly effective work and publications endorsed by national organisations and supported by teachers and consultants across Britain, each book in the series: meets the new requirements at KS3 and GCSE (2010) features detailed, structured schemes of work utilising drama approaches to improve literary and language analysis places pupils' understanding of the learning process at the heart of the activities will help pupils to boost English GCSE success and develop high-level skills at KS3 will save teachers considerable time devising their own resources. Mrs Kay's Progress Class are off to Alton Towers - until Mr Briggs gets on board. The destination might have changed in this new version of Willy Russell's classic play, but mixing humour, lively songs and the poignancy of the original, this drama of a class day out to remember is ideal for Year 9 and above.

For teachers and lovers of Shakespeare, ShakesFear and How to Cure It provides a comprehensive approach to the challenge and rewards of teaching Shakespeare and gives teachers both an overview of each of Shakespeare's 38 plays and specific classroom tools for teaching it. Written by a celebrated teacher, scholar and director of Shakespeare, it shows teachers how to use the text to make the words and the moments come alive for their students. It refutes the idea that Shakespeare's language is difficult and provides a survey of the plays by someone who has lived intimately with them on the page and on the stage.

Award-winning Zakes Mda's The Madonna of Excelsior tells the shocking story of a family at the heart of the notorious 1971 case in which nineteen citizens of Excelsior in the Free State were charged with breaking apartheid's Immorality Act, which forbade sex between black and white. Niki, the fallen Madonna, Popi, her daughter by an eminent white citizen of the town, and Viliki, the betrayed son, all have to come to terms with the repercussions of the events, but find resolution in surprising ways. Features include: study notes will guide learners and teachers through exploring the novel and are an invaluable guide in preparing for examinations; they include information on the historical and political background of the Excelsior incident; an outline of the important characters and themes; chapter-by-chapter summaries, highlighting the focal points of the story; and questions, plus the answers, to guide successful study of the novel.

"This book adopts an approach to the sensitive world of the poet, similar to the approach of Enjoying Poetry. Enjoying More Poetry is suitable for junior secondary students.Contents include:The five sensesIn the outbackSimilaritiesFolks and familyMetaphorsChalk and talkPersonificationThe world of animalsWriting your own poemsHumorous poemsSound-wordsAround the neighbourhoodRhyme

A little boy's father buys a fancy new bicycle called a Space Racer. it has a silver bell and six reflectors that flash like fire sparks. This is a fun story about his father's escapades on his new bicyle.

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.

Illus. in full color.

An exciting story about a boy called Peter who loved Midnight, the bull. One night there is a terrible storm and it begins to flood. Can Peter save Midnight and the other cow?

Build up to better results With its flexible and progressive approach, this unique 3-Step Test Booster book is the ultimate way to help children test their grammar, punctuation and spelling skills whilst efficiently and effectively preparing them for the official tests. Practise and prepare for SATs success Fast 10-minute tests will help children get to grips with SATs-style questions. As they advance to the more challenging 20- and 30-minute tests they'll quickly begin to build their stamina and feel pride in their progress as they get plenty of practise putting their grammar, punctuation and spelling to the test. Boost skills and confidence Children can mark and track their achievements throughout using the expert answer key and feedback notes to identify their weaknesses and build on their strengths. As they work step-by-step through each test they'll finish feeling confident, prepared and ready to sit their KS2 English SATs.

Over the past few decades there have been intense debates in education surrounding children's literacy achievement and ways to promote reading, particularly that of boys. The Harry Potter book series has been received enthusiastically by very many children, boys and girls alike, but has also been constructed in popular and media discourses as a children's, particularly a boys', literacy saviour. Children's Literacy Practices and Preferences: Harry Potter and Beyond provides empirical evidence of young people's reported literacy practices and views on reading, and of how they see how the Harry Potter series as having impacted their own literacy. The volume explores and debunks some of the myths surrounding Harry Potter and literacy, and contextualizes these within children's wider reading.

A collection of literature anthologies and reference books for Key Stage 3 onwards. This anthology has two main objectives: to introduce students to a wide range of poetry in English from the last 400 years, and to provide them with guidance on how to approach poetry examinations. The poems are divided into six collections, not by theme or by historical period, but as satisfying small anthologies of twenty-two poems each. Following each of the six collections is a section intended to help students in their writing about poetry. In this notoriously difficult area, clear guidance is given on what is expected in an essay for a poetry examination, and actual answers are reproduced which help the student analyse what kind of response gets good marks and why.

Designed to help teachers and group leaders create dynamic and supportive play environments, this book features completely different games than the first one. These improvisational, noncompetitive games encourage involvement and cooperation the participants gain as much as they contribute. By expressing themselves physically and emotionally and by exploring a range of possibilities, players gain self-confidence and a greater awareness of the feelings and experiences of others. 39 black-and-white illustrations are included.

A robin cheerfully greets the day at dawn.
A horse nibbles grass under the heat of the midday sun.
A rabbit stands still, disappearing into the grass at dusk.
As evening falls, a frog tells the world that he's the king of the pond.

During one summer day, these and other creatures tell their tales, celebrating their ordinary -- but extraordinary -- lives in verse. Young readers will be entranced by the many voices created by renowned poet Marilyn Singer. They will be encouraged to look more closely at the surprising world around them -- morning, noon, and night.

A collection of twenty-eight poems grouped to represent the four seasons.

"Fear and worry about the tense situation in the township haunted Kanakana's dreams. His mind rolled like an old film, round and round, showing endless clips of the sights he had seen since he came back. The riot police, the mellow-yellow trucks, the hippos, the nyalas. The teargas that drifted in the wind and the smell of burning tyres ... The film rolled endlessly until he thought he would go mad. Would it always be like this? Would anything ... ever... change?" This exciting story by new author, Thiathu Nemutanzhela, takes place at the height of the struggle against apartheid. Set in Alexandra township, Johannesburg, we follow the dramatic events in the life of the young student, Kanakana. Will he achieve his dream to further his studies and become a lawyer, while the township around him is on fire? Or will the persuasive voices of the comrades draw him into the struggle? Bua, Comrade! will give the youth of today insight into a slice of South African history as they explore the dilemmas and conflicts that faced the youth of the 1980s. This novel is accompanied by notes and activities, to help learners and teachers meet the requirements of the new curriculum for literature study.

Get your students to be gansters in this great play which has been specially adapted for schools from the popular film and it even includes still photographs. So join all the characters: Bugsy, Fat Sam, Tallulah and Dandy Dan for great fun with the whole class. Students will relish this opportunity to play a cast of Prohibition-era mobsters. Fat Sam, who runs one of the most popular speakeasies in town, is in danger of being closed down by his 'business rival' Dandy Dan. Enter baby-faced Bugsy Malone, a killer with the ladies and a definite asset to Fat Sam. Unfortunately, Bugsy has also caught the eye of Sam's girlfriend Tallulah - though he's set his designs on the showgirl Blousey Brown. This play lends itself perfectly to school performance with its large mixed cast and consistent humour. The book contains a stimulating playscript suitable for classwork and school production, accompanied by resources including background material and lively activities.

From Maria Edgeworth, Dr Seuss and Lewis Carroll to Sherman Alexie, Sharon Flake, and Gene Luen Yang, this is a comprehensive introduction to studying the infinitely varied worlds of literature for children and young adults. Exploring a diverse range of writing, The Bloomsbury Introduction to Children's and Young Adult Literature includes: - Chapters covering key genres and forms from fiction, nonfiction, and poetry to picture books, graphic novels and fairy tales - A history of changing ideas of childhood and adolescence - Coverage of psychological, educational and literary theoretical approaches - Practical guidance on researching, reading and writing about children's and young adult literature - Explorations of children's and young adult film, TV and new media In addition, "Extending Your Study" sections at the end of each chapter provide advice on further reading, writing, discussion and online resources as well as case study responses from writers and teachers in the field. Accessibly written for both students new to the subject and experienced teachers, this is the most comprehensive single volume introduction to the study of writing for young people.

Embed complex literary analysis skills and ensure top achievement in IGCSE & O Level Literature in English with the stretching approach from examiner and subject expert Mark Pedroz. This new edition is fully aligned with the latest IGCSE, IGCSE (9-1) & O Level (0475/0992/2010) syllabuses so you can be sure of complete support. It promotes a reflective and analytical approach to the study of literature, with a focus on formative assessment and stretching opportunities for high-achievers. Engage learners with diverse literary extracts including updated set texts and develop personal responses through drama, debate and structured discussion. In addition, stretch your high achievers with regular extension material that embeds complex critical analysis skills. The accompanying support site offers extensive exam preparation with an additional unit focusing on unseen etxts and extended essay writing. It also contains focused revision advice, exam-style practice and close reading skills development.

This series of unabridged Shakespeare titles is based on the premise that students can reach a clear understanding of their work only through a close and careful reading of the text. The commentary facing each page of the text has been designed to suggest a critical interpretation of the play.

In this sweeping epic of the northernmost American frontier, James A. Michener guides us across Alaska’s fierce terrain, from the long-forgotten past to the bustling technological present, as his characters struggle for survival. The exciting high points of Alaska’s story, from its brutal prehistory, through the nineteenth century and the American acquisition, to its modern status as America’s thriving forty-ninth state, are brought vividly to life in this remarkable novel: the gold rush; the tremendous growth and exploitation of the salmon industry; the discovery of oil and its social and economic consequences; the difficult construction of the Alcan Highway, which made possible the defense of the territory in World War II. A spellbinding portrait of a human community struggling to establish its place in the world, Alaska traces a bold and majestic history of the enduring spirit of a land and its people.

What does it mean to teach Shakespeare with purpose? It means freeing teachers from the notion that teaching Shakespeare means teaching everything, or teaching "Western Civilisation" and universal themes. Instead, this invigorating new book equips teachers to enable student-centred discovery of these complex texts. Because Shakespeare's plays are excellent vehicles for many topics -history, socio-cultural norms and mores, vocabulary, rhetoric, literary tropes and terminology, performance history, performance strategies - it is tempting to teach his plays as though they are good for teaching everything. This lens-free approach, however, often centres the classroom on the teacher as the expert and renders Shakespeare's plays as fixed, determined, and dead. Teaching Shakespeare with Purpose shows teachers how to approach Shakespeare's works as vehicles for collaborative exploration, to develop intentional frames for discovery, and to release the texts from over-determined interpretations. In other words, this book presents how to teach Shakespeare's plays as living, breathing, and evolving texts.