With the increased focus on children's language in Early Years education, poetry can be a valuable tool in enhancing speaking, listening and communication. This book provides parents and practitioners with a guide on how and where to start with using poetry with children. Combined with practical suggestions on finding and using poems with children of differing ages and language ability, it also offers advice on how to encourage children to create and develop their own poems. Exploring Poetry with Young Children includes an anthology of a wide range of poems to use with children based on their everyday experiences, ensuring that adults can enhance the learning experience as it happens and enrich the language development of the children in their care. Divided into two parts, this book covers: the nature of poetry and why it can be such important part of our well-being; ways of using and sharing poetry with babies and toddlers; how to share poetry with children as they become confident users of language; the rhyming aspects of verse and ways in which these can be used to develop children's phonic awareness; the importance of establishing a poetic awareness in young children. This will be an essential guide for all Early Years practitioners, students and parents who are interested in using poetry to develop the speaking, listening and communication skills of young children.

Part of a series of Shakespeare editions, providing the complete original text as well as support materials for teachers and pupils. It features a National Curriculum study programme with activities before, during and after encountering the text.

"The Two Gentlemen of Verona "is commonly agreed to be Shakespeare's first comedy, and probably his first play. A comedy built around the confusions of doubling, cross-dressing, and identity, it is also a play about the ideal of male friendship and what happens to those friendships when men fall in love. William Carroll's engaging introduction focuses on the traditions and sources that stand behind the play and explores Shakespeare's unique and bold treatment of them. Carroll first explores the early modern discourse of male friendship and relates it to the play's unsettling ending. Special attention is given to the strong female figure of Julia and the controversial final scene. He goes on to discuss various other relevant topics: the influence of the Prodigal Son story on the play, the problem of using a boy in drag (for the first time in a Shakespearean comedy) to depict Julia, and Shakespeare's debt to Ovid and John Lyly in using the theme of metamorphosis. Next, the editor explores the use of letters; the portrayal and breed of Crab, the play's infamous dog; the complex geography of the story; and the play's dramaturgy. Carroll concludes with an extensive look at the play's theatrical and critical afterlife, and a discussion of the original text and date. This edition of "The Two Gentlemen of Verona" also includes one appendix (a casting chart), and a list of abbreviations and references. The Arden Shakespeare has developed a reputation as the pre-eminent critical edition of Shakespeare for its exceptional scholarship, reflected in the thoroughness of each volume. An introduction comprehensively contextualizes the play, chronicling the history and culture that surrounded and influenced Shakespeare at the time of its writing and performance, and closely surveying critical approaches to the work. Detailed appendices address problems like dating and casting, and analyze the differing Quarto and Folio sources. A full commentary by one or more of the play's foremost contemporary scholars illuminates the text, glossing unfamiliar terms and drawing from an abundance of research and expertise to explain allusions and significant background information. Highly informative and accessible, Arden offers the fullest experience of Shakespeare available to a reader.

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.

We're often told that there are no quick fixes in teaching. This isn't entirely true... And post-lockdown, we need speedy fixes more than ever to get our students of English back on track. This book will show you how set texts can be reduced in a way that makes them richer. It will reveal how seemingly obscure literary theory can help learners of all abilities achieve rapidly. And it will help us prepare and revise for dreaded unseen texts, using the precious days we have with students in the most efficient way. Emma Stott uses her experience as a teacher of early entry students and as a Research Lead to gather eight strategies that enable students to be better readers and critics of literature in general; not just of the same (outwardly!) threadbare set texts. Speedy Reading promises to make you excited about those worn texts, the pleasures of unseen reading and even about the challenges to come.

After a courtship voyage of a year and a day, Owl and Pussy finally buy a ring from Piggy and are blissfully married.

Each play in this collection has been chosen for use in the classroom because of its adaptable content. Two stories in the book have already been specially adapted and dramatized for this purpose. This volume is part of a series which uses classroom drama to teach English as a second language. Speaking the parts helps children to increase their confidence with English and no sophisticated equipment is needed.

The full comprehension of the plays is gained from the line-by-line modern English translation given on facing pages. Understanding of the plays is increased as pupils take part in the variety of related activities included in each book. The significance of the plays is reinforced by sections discussing Shakespeare's life, works and theatre. Pupils are encouraged to understand the language, characters, structure and themes of the plays by completion of practical exercises.

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.

Celebrating 50 years of Theatre Centre Edited and Introduced by Rosamunde Hutt Foreword by Pam St. Clement Listen To Your Parents by Benjamin Zephaniah | Precious by Angela Turvey | Look At Me by Anna Reynolds | Gorgeous by Anna Furse | Glow by Manjinder Virk | Souls by Roy Williams A challenging and culturally diverse collection of new plays by some of the UK's foremost writers. dealing with topics such as domestic violence, eating disorders, mother/daughter relationships and sibling rivalry, written by some of Britain's foremost writers. Beautifully written and tested in performance, these plays which deal with topics such as domestic violence, eating disorders, mother/daughter relationships and sibling rivalry, will become essential texts for theatres, schools, colleges and youth centres.

This unabridged, unexpurgated edition has been prepared in the belief that the student can reach a clear understanding of the play only through close and careful reading of the text. To this end, the commentary facing each page of text. To this end, the commentary facing each page of text has been designed so that, while providing semantic glosses and suggesting critical interpretation of the play, it is not fully comprehensible without a prior reading of the text to which it refers. Teachers and students should bear in mind that there are almost as many divergent interpretations of each play as there are critics of the play, and that they need therefore have no qualms about departing from the reading offered in this edition. We have, throughout, been concerned about our series as a teaching instrument; one that would give as much background material as practicable so that the teacher and student would be assisted with the complex ramifications of Shakespeare's plays.

"I sat down in assembly one day and started to read this book to my two hundred and forty students, deciding that I would stop when restlessness became too obvious. I went on...and on... and on. In the end I had to stop before the school seized up, and still the children clamoured for more." Gerald Haigh, TES

An engaging classroom playscript. Nat is a young actor performing as Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream. As the rehearsals intensify, Nat's health begins to fail and the cast is horrified to hear that he has been rushed to hospital with bubonic plague. 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.

An engaging classroom playscript. Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale of gothic horror has now been adapted for secondary students. Written by classroom favourite Adrian Flynn, the play will thrill students with its story of a doctor whose scientific experiments lead him to get in touch with his darker side... 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.

Focusing on the core assessment objectives for GCSE English Literature 9-1, The Quotation Bank takes 25 of the most important quotations from the text and provides detailed material for each quotation, covering interpretations, literary techniques and detailed analysis. Also included is a sample answer, detailed essay plans, revision activities and a comprehensive glossary of relevant literary terminology, all in a clear and practical format to enable effective revision and ultimate exam confidence.

This beautifully illustrated book shows how sunshine effects our everyday lives. Stars of Africa is an exciting reading series for learners from Grade R to Grade 7. The series contains a wonderful selection for Foundation Phase learners to build their confidence as readers, widen their knowledge as learners and increase their reading pleasure.

• There are two types of books in the series:
• Stories: The stories are beautifully illustrated in full colour, set in urban and rural envrionments in countries all over Africa, and include titles to appeal to every child.
• Info (Information) Books. The info books introduce concepts and content from all learning areas and are illustrated in full colour to stimulate reading and learning.

• The books are divided into four levels:
• Starting - for Grades R and 1
• Practising - for Grades 2 and 3
• Improving - for Grades 4 and 5
• Independence - for Grades 6 and 7

• Within each level, the books have been graded further for difficulty into three sub-levels: A, B and C.

• For learners in Grades R-3, Stars of Africa has:
• books with no text, and beautiful illustrations
• books with very simple, repeated text
• Big Books, for teachers to use with a whole class
• stories and information books
• books with simple captions
• books with photographs
• counting books and alphabet books
• a book with rhymes, poems and song
• books about life and growing up in Africa
• books that provide knowledge of and encourage a love for the environment
• a dictionary activity book
• a book that deals with the experience of AIDS
• a book that celebrates children's rights
• a personal dictionary Activity Book that learners can use to compile their own word list for each letter of the alphabet.

Please note this title is suitable for any student studying: Exam Board: OCR Level: GCSE Subject: English Literature First teaching: 2015 First exams: 2017 This Literature Student Book develops the key skills that students will be assessed on in the OCR GCSE English Literature qualification. Structured around the exam Components, the book offers comprehensive support for tackling modern prose and drama texts, 19th Century fiction, Shakepeare and poetry. Through the focus on the Assessment Objectives and skills, students will be equipped with strategies for analysing both their set texts and unseen texts. A range of activities throughout the book will provide opportunities to put these skills into practise with an emphasis on how to write about texts. Clear outcomes from the activities will build up into a useful set of notes that students can use for revision ensuiring that they are fully prepared for the exam. The book includes example texts, activities, stretch and support features as well as tips and key terms, and helps students of all abilities develop their literature response skills.

This collection of stories is for key stage 4. Each genre includes a pre-twentieth century story and tales by twentieth century writers. Genres include: Horror, Crime and Detection, Ghosts and Mystery, Love, Science Fiction. Each section includes activities for comparison work as well as suggestions for student's own creative writing.