Term 1 and Term 2: A Christmas Carol & English Language
Students will study nineteenth century text 'A Christmas Carol' by Charles Dickens. We will focus on analysing the ways in which Dickens uses form, structure and language in key parts of the novel. Students will also learn how to answer the ‘whole-text’ question, which focuses on how Dickens presents and develops characters and themes over the whole of the novel.
For English language, students will recap all question types for the GCSE exam and practise answering questions based on a range of unseen fiction and non-fiction.
English Literature: mock examination in November for Literature Paper 2 (A Christmas Carol and Poetry)
English Language: mock examinations in November for English Language Papers 1 and 2.
Dialogue
Conversation between two or more persons.
Personification
The attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something
non-human.
Metaphor
A thing regarded as representative or symbolic of something else, e.g. She was a
dragon.
Simile
Comparing two things using 'like' or 'as', e.g. He was as hard as nails.
miser
a person who hoards wealth and spends as little money as possible.
Poor Laws
in British history: a body of laws undertaking to provide relief for the poor
workhouse
In Britain, a workhouse was a total institution where those unable to support themselves were offered accommodation and employment. They were known for having poor conditions.
benevolence
the quality of being well meaning; kindness.
charity
the voluntary giving of help, typically in the form of money, to those in need.
misanthropy
a dislike of humankind
social reform
A reform movement is a type of social movement that aims to bring a social or political system closer to the community's ideal.
upper class
the social group that has the highest status in society, especially the aristocracy.
working class
the social group consisting of people who are employed for wages, especially in manual or industrial work.
poverty
the state of being extremely poor
parsimonious
unwilling to spend money or use resources.
remorse
deep regret or guilt for a wrong committed.
antithesis
a person or thing that is the direct opposite of someone or something else.
malevolent
having or showing a wish to do evil to others
surplus
an amount of something left over when requirements have been met; an excess of production or supply.
redemption
the action of saving or being saved from sin, error, or evil.
novella
a short piece of fiction - longer than a short story, but shorter than a novel.
narrator
a person who narrates something, especially a character who recounts the events of a novel or narrative poem.
Develop the individual:
The study of A Christmas Carol and the lessons learnt by the protagonist encourage students to think about the society in which we live, and whether welfare goes far enough. Students consider the history of welfare and encourages them to empathise with the suffering of the poor.
Create a supportive community:
Students develop their understanding of different social classes, encouraging empathy and understanding of people from all social backgrounds.
Term 3 and Term 4: Literature and Language Revision
Students will revise all of the skills and texts covered since the start of Year 10 and practise a range of questions for English Language and Literature.
Mock examinations in February covering English Literature Paper 1 (Macbeth & Journey's End/Boys Don't Cry) and English Language papers 1 and 2.
Empathy
The ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
Justice
Just behaviour or treatment.
Imperative
Giving an authoritative command.
Declarative
Of the nature of or making a declaration.
Exclamative
A word or sentence that denotes an exclamation.
Interrogative
Having the force of a question.
Antithesis
A person or thing that is the direct opposite of someone or something else.
Juxtaposition
The fact of two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect.
Connotation
An idea or feeling which a word invokes for a person in addition to its literal or primary meaning.
Symbolism
The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities.
Metaphor
A figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable.
Gender Expectation
A gender role is a social role encompassing a range of behaviours and attitudes that are generally considered acceptable, appropriate, or desirable for a person based on that person's biological or perceived sex.
Honour
Honour is the idea of a bond between an individual and a society as a quality of a person that is both of social teaching and of personal ethos, that manifests itself as a code of conduct, and has various elements such as valour, chivalry and honesty.
Virtue
Behaviour showing high moral standard.
New Poor Law
The new Poor Law was meant to reduce the cost of looking after the poor and impose a system which would be the same all over the country. Parishes were grouped into unions and each union had to build a workhouse if they did not already have one.
Benevolence
The quality of being well meaning; kindness.
Corporal Punishment
Physical punishment, such as caning or flogging.
Social Status
A measurement of social value. More specifically, it refers to the relative level of respect, honour, assumed competence, and deference accorded to people, groups, and organisations in a society.
Lamentable
Regrettable or unfortunate.
Lustre
A gentle sheen or soft glow.
Shakespearean Tragedy
Put simply, a play in which the central character has a downfall
Pathetic fallacy
Using the weather or setting to create a mood
Non chronological narrative
Doesn't follow a chronological narrative; uses flashbacks
Tragedy
an event causing great suffering, destruction, and distress
Protagonist
The main character
Disorientated
Feeling confused or lost
Firing squad
a group of soldiers ordered to shoot another soldier as punishment
Identity
the qualities of a person or object that makes them unique
Perspective
The viewpoint or experience of a character
Flashback
Going back in time to a certain moment
Emotive
Something that causes the reader to feel an emotion
narrator
a person who narrates something, especially a character who recounts the events of a novel or narrative poem.
novella
a short piece of fiction - longer than a short story, but shorter than a novel.
surplus
an amount of something left over when requirements have been met; an excess of production or supply.
redemption
the action of saving or being saved from sin, error, or evil.
malevolent
having or showing a wish to do evil to others
antithesis
a person or thing that is the direct opposite of someone or something else.
remorse
deep regret or guilt for a wrong committed.
parsimonious
unwilling to spend money or use resources.
poverty
the state of being extremely poor
working class
the social group consisting of people who are employed for wages, especially in manual or industrial work.
social reform
A reform movement is a type of social movement that aims to bring a social or political system closer to the community's ideal.
misanthropy
a dislike of humankind
charity
the voluntary giving of help, typically in the form of money, to those in need.
benevolence
the quality of being well meaning; kindness.
lyrical poetry
Lyric poetry is a formal type of poetry which expresses personal emotions or feelings, typically spoken in the first person. The term derives from a form of Ancient Greek literature, the lyric, which was defined by its musical accompaniment, usually on a
ballad
The ballad is a poem that is typically arranged in quatrains with the rhyme scheme ABAB. Ballads are usually narrative, which means they tell a story. Ballads began as folk songs and continue to be used today in modern music.
archaic language
Words and phrases that were used regularly in a language, but are now less common or no longer used.
emotive language
Emotive language is the term used when certain word choices are made to evoke an emotional response. Emotive language often aims to persuade the reader or listener to share the writer or speaker's point of view.
opinion
a view or judgement formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge.
Fact
something that is known to have happened or to exist
Internal conflict
An emotional conflict that plays out in someone's mind
Sonnet
A 14 line poem, typically about love
Hierarchy
Order of power or importance
Patriarchal society
A society ruled by men
Oxymoron
words or phrases that contradict each other, e.g. 'loving hate'
Dramatic irony
When the audience knows something that characters on stage do not
Foreshadowing
a warning or hint of something that will happen later in the play
octave
an eight line stanza
sestet
a six line stanza
quatrain
A stanza with four lines. Quatrains are the most common stanza form.
repetition
Repetition is a literary device that repeats the same words or phrases a few times to make an idea clearer and more memorable.
anaphora
the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or lines
ballad
A ballad is a form of narrative verse that can be either poetic or musical. It typically follows a pattern of rhymed quatrains. It represents a melodious form of storytelling.
Epic
An epic poem is a lengthy, narrative work of poetry. These long poems typically detail extraordinary feats and adventures of characters from a distant past.
dugout
a trench that is dug and roofed over as a shelter for troops.
desertion
In the context of war: the action of illegally leaving the armed forces.
hero worship
excessive admiration for someone.
symbolism
an object or image that represents something else
stage directions
advice printed in the text of a play giving instructions regarding movements, gestures, expression of characters as well as how the stage would look.
idiom
an expression that does not mean what it literally says
comic relief
humorous episodes or moments inserted in tragic or serious dramas that provide emotional relief for the audience
Standard English
Correct English with no use of slang.
Simile
Comparing two things using 'like' or 'as', e.g. He was as hard as nails.
Metaphor
A thing regarded as representative or symbolic of something else, e.g. She was a
dragon.
Revenge
The action of hurting or harming someone in return for an injury or wrong suffered at
their hands.
Hierarchy
Ranking society in order of power and authority
tone
The general character or attitude of writing or speech
purpose
The reason something is done
evidence
Facts or information to support a view or belief
argue
To put forward reasons for and against something
rhetoric
The art of effective or persuasive speaking and writing
debate
Arguing about a subject in a formal manner
audience
The people to whom the speech is directed
speech
Addressing an audience
Syntax
Word order and sentence structure.
Internal rhyme
A rhyme created by two or more words in the same line of verse.
Hyperbole
Obvious and intentional exaggeration.
Couplet
A pair of successive lines of verse, especially a pair that rhyme and are of the same length.
Stanza
An arrangement of a certain number of lines, usually four or more, sometimes having a fixed length, meter, or rhyme scheme, forming a division of a poem.
Tangible
Capable of being touched; discernible by the touch; substantial.
rhetorical question
A question that is designed to make the reader/listener think and does not require an answer.
verse
writing arranged with a metrical rhythm, typically having a rhyme.
repetition
Saying/writing a word more than once
direct address
A technique used in persuasive speeches where the orator speaks to the audience directly.
prose
written or spoken language in its ordinary form, without metrical structure.
Repetition
Repeating a word or phrase draws attention to it. For instance, in Act 5, Scene 2, Beatrice says: "Foul words is but foul wind, and foul wind is but foul breath" The word 'foul' is repeated to show how unhappy Beatrice is.
Repartee
Repartee is when characters give quick, witty replies. We see this most often with Beatrice and Benedick. For instance, when they argue in Act 1, Scene 1, they are able to twist the other person's words around. And both want to have the final word.
pun
A lot of jokes are puns: a play on words using words that sound similar but have different meanings. So, when Beatrice says Claudio is "civil as an orange", she plays on the similarity between 'civil' and 'Seville'. (Seville oranges are bitter!)
Personification
Where something is described as if it is human. Beatrice talks about how a "star danced", and Leonato says "happiness takes his leave".
Metaphors
When one thing is called something else, such as Claudio calling Hero a "jewel".
iambic pentameter
The term describes the rhythm that the words establish in that line, which is measured in small groups of syllables called "feet". The word "iambic" refers to the type of foot that is used, known as the iamb, and "pent" refers to there being five feet.
cyclical
Something that recurs or happens in cycles
foreshadowing
be a warning or indication of a future event
Adjective
A word that describes a noun
Adverb
A word that describes a verb
Verb
a doing or being word - denotes an action or a state
Noun
A naming word - a person, place, thing, or idea
Interrogative sentence
A sentence that asks a question
Exclamative sentence
A sentence that expresses a strong feeling or emotion
Imperative sentence
A sentence that gives a command
Declarative sentence
A sentence that makes a statement
Connotation
An idea or feeling which a word invokes.
Denotation
The literal or primary meaning of a word, in contrast to the feelings or ideas that
the word suggests.
Develop the individual:
Create a supportive community:
Term 5: Literature and Language Revision
Students continue their revision and preparation for their GCSE exams in English Language and English Literature (Edexcel). Teaching focuses on growing students' independence in their ability to analyse and evaluate a range of unseen texts, and build their confidence in doing so within timed conditions. Lessons are tailored to the needs of students and equip them with the skills they need for the final exams.
NA: students are preparing for their final GCSE examinations.
Implicit
Suggested though not directly expressed.
Explicit
Fully and clearly expressed or demonstrated; leaving nothing merely implied; unequivocal.
Infer
To derive by reasoning; conclude or judge from premises or evidence.
Deduce
To derive as a conclusion from something known or assumed; infer.
Protagonist
The leading character, hero, or heroine of a drama or other literary work.
Empathy
The psychological identification with or experiencing of the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of another.
Ambiguous
Open to or having several possible meanings or interpretations; equivocal.
Internal monologue
A form of stream-of-consciousness writing that represents the inner thoughts of a character.
Metaphorical
A figure of speech in which a term or phrase is applied to something to which it is not literally applicable in order to suggest a resemblance.
Interpretation
To give or provide the meaning of; an explanation of the meaning of another's artistic or creative work, or ideas.
trench warfare
Trench warfare is a type of land warfare using occupied fighting lines consisting largely of trenches, in which troops are significantly protected from the enemy's small arms fire and are substantially sheltered from artillery.
propaganda
information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote a political cause or point of view
patriotism
the quality of being patriotic; vigorous support for one's country
conscription
Compulsory enrollment of persons for military or naval service; draft.
enlisting
To enroll, usually voluntarily, for military service.
cowardice
Lack of courage to face danger, difficulty, opposition, pain, etc.
Gothic
A style of literature characterised by a gloomy setting, grotesque, mysterious, or violent events, and an atmosphere of degeneration and decay.
discrimination
Treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction in favour of or against, a person or thing based on the group, class, or category to which that person or thing belongs rather than on individual merit
alliteration
The occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words.
hyperbole
Obvious and intentional exaggeration.
persuasion
The act of persuading or seeking to persuade.
anecdote
A short account of a particular incident or event, especially of an interesting or amusing nature.
emphasis
Special and significant stress of voice laid on particular words or syllables; stress laid on particular words, by means of position, repetition, or other indication.
characterisation
The creation and convincing representation of fictitious characters, as in a literary work.
rhyme
Similarity in sound of some part, especially the end, of words or lines of verse.
syllable
A single unit of written or spoken word, an unbroken sound used to make up words.
subplot
A secondary or subordinate plot, as in a play, novel, or other literary work; underplot.
Iambic Pentameter
A common meter in poetry consisting of an unrhymed line with five feet or accents, each foot containing an unstressed syllable and a stressed syllable.
Empathy
The ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
Justice
Just behaviour or treatment.
Double Entendre
A word or phrase open to two interpretations, one of which is usually risqué or indecent.
Imperative
Giving an authoritative command.
Declarative
Of the nature of or making a declaration.
Exclamative
A word or sentence that denotes an exclamation.
Interrogative
Having the force of a question.
Antithesis
A person or thing that is the direct opposite of someone or something else.
Juxtaposition
The fact of two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect.
Connotation
An idea or feeling which a word invokes for a person in addition to its literal or primary meaning.
Symbolism
The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities.
Metaphor
A figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable.
Gender Expectation
A gender role is a social role encompassing a range of behaviours and attitudes that are generally considered acceptable, appropriate, or desirable for a person based on that person's biological or perceived sex.
Honour
Honour is the idea of a bond between an individual and a society as a quality of a person that is both of social teaching and of personal ethos, that manifests itself as a code of conduct, and has various elements such as valour, chivalry and honesty.
Virtue
Behaviour showing high moral standard.
Magnanimous
Generous or forgiving, especially towards a rival or less powerful person.
Humanely
In a way that shows compassion or benevolence.
Inexorable
Impossible to stop or prevent.
Remonstrance
A forceful complaint.
Lamentable
Regrettable or unfortunate.
Kinsman
A person's blood relation.
Lustre
A gentle sheen or soft glow.
Confounded
Used for emphasis, especially to express anger or annoyance: "he was a confounded nuisance".
context
Context illuminates the meaning and relevance of the text, and may be something cultural, historical or political.
Internal monologue
a narrative technique that exhibits the thoughts passing through the minds of the protagonists
Ambiguous
open to more than one interpretation; not having one obvious meaning.
Motif
Motif is a literary technique that consists of a repeated element that has symbolic significance to a literary work.
Supernatural
What is above nature, mysterious, inexplicable.
Shakespearean Tragedy
Put simply, a play in which the central character has a downfall
Tragic Hero
A main character cursed by fate and possessed of a tragic flaw.
Syntax
The ordering of words into meaningful verbal patterns such as phrases, clauses, and sentences. Poets often manipulate syntax, changing conventional word order, to place certain emphasis on particular words.
Disillusioned
Disappointed in someone or something that one discovers to be less good than one had believed.
Inequality
Lack of equality.
Prejudice
preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience
Discrimination
The unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex.
Pathetic fallacy
Using the weather or setting to create a mood
Non chronological narrative
Doesn't follow a chronological narrative; uses flashbacks
Epistolary
A play or books that contains letters
Vulnerable
Someone at higher risk of being harmed
Paternal
Fatherly, having the responsibility of a father
Tragedy
an event causing great suffering, destruction, and distress
Protagonist
The main character
First person perspective
A story told from a character's viewpoint
Flashback
Going back in time to a certain moment of event
Atrocity
An evil act, normally involving physical violence
Firing squad
a group of soldiers ordered to shoot another soldier as punishment
Separation
Being moved apart or away
Homesick
A longing or desire to be at home during a period of absence
Emotive
Something that causes the reader to feel an emotion
Identity
the qualities of a person or object that makes them unique
redemption
the action of saving or being saved from sin, error, or evil.
surplus
an amount of something left over when requirements have been met; an excess of production or supply.
malevolent
having or showing a wish to do evil to others
antithesis
a person or thing that is the direct opposite of someone or something else.
parsimonious
unwilling to spend money or use resources.
remorse
deep regret or guilt for a wrong committed.
poverty
the state of being extremely poor
upper class
the social group that has the highest status in society, especially the aristocracy.
working class
the social group consisting of people who are employed for wages, especially in manual or industrial work.
social reform
A reform movement is a type of social movement that aims to bring a social or political system closer to the community's ideal.
misanthropy
a dislike of humankind
charity
the voluntary giving of help, typically in the form of money, to those in need.
benevolence
the quality of being well meaning; kindness.
lyrical poetry
Lyric poetry is a formal type of poetry which expresses personal emotions or feelings, typically spoken in the first person. The term derives from a form of Ancient Greek literature, the lyric, which was defined by its musical accompaniment, usually on a
ballad
The ballad is a poem that is typically arranged in quatrains with the rhyme scheme ABAB. Ballads are usually narrative, which means they tell a story. Ballads began as folk songs and continue to be used today in modern music.
archaic language
Words and phrases that were used regularly in a language, but are now less common or no longer used.
neologism
a newly coined (invented) word or expression
rule of three
The rule of three is a writing principle that suggests that a trio of events, ideas or characters is more humorous, satisfying, or effective than other numbers.
emotive language
Emotive language is the term used when certain word choices are made to evoke an emotional response. Emotive language often aims to persuade the reader or listener to share the writer or speaker's point of view.
opinion
a view or judgement formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge.
Fact
something that is known to have happened or to exist
Internal conflict
An emotional conflict that plays out in someone's mind
Sonnet
A 14 line poem, typically about love
Hierarchy
Order of power or importance
Patriarchal society
A society ruled by men
Oxymoron
words or phrases that contradict each other, e.g. 'loving hate'
Subservient
Obeys without question
Dramatic irony
When the audience knows something that characters on stage do not
Protagonist
the main character
Discrimination
the unjust of prejudiced treatment of different groups/types of people
Foreshadowing
a warning or hint of something that will happen later in the play
SC: Colloquialism
a slang word
SC: Tension
Creating an emotional reaction in the reader, normally anxiety or concern for a particular character or situation
dugout
a trench that is dug and roofed over as a shelter for troops.
Epic
An epic poem is a lengthy, narrative work of poetry. These long poems typically detail extraordinary feats and adventures of characters from a distant past.
desertion
In the context of war: the action of illegally leaving the armed forces.
hero worship
excessive admiration for someone.
stage directions
advice printed in the text of a play giving instructions regarding movements, gestures, expression of characters as well as how the stage would look.
idiom
an expression that does not mean what it literally says
Standard English
Correct English with no use of slang.
realist
Theatre that looks at people in everyday situations. It aims to present life as it really is.
onomatopoeia
The sounds of words to express or underline their meaning, eg 'crunch', 'pop'.
futility
pointlessness or uselessness.
neuralgia
intense, typically intermittent pain along the course of a nerve, especially in the head or face
prose
written or spoken language in its ordinary form, without metrical structure.
imagery
visually descriptive or figurative language, especially in a literary work. Includes similes, metaphors and personification
tyrant
A villainous ruler and one who has overthrown the legal ruler to take control, by using aggressive and cruel tactics
regicide
The act of killing a king
blank verse
Is a literary device defined as unrhyming verse written in iambic pentameter
hubris
Excessive pride and ego
hamartia
A fatal flaw leading to the downfall of a tragic hero or heroine. E.g. "Macbeth's hamartia is his ambition and pride."
equivocation
the use of ambiguous (unclear) language to conceal the truth
Jacobean era
The time period in which Macbeth was written. The Jacobean era refers to the period in English and Scottish history that coincides with the reign of James VI of Scotland who also inherited the crown of England in 1603 as James I.
soliloquy
an act of speaking one's thoughts aloud when by oneself or regardless of any hearers, especially by a character in a play.
Great Chain of Being
The belief that all creatures exist in a hierarchy, with God at the top, followed by kings, then men, with women below them. It was a sin to try to 'climb' the Great Chain of Being, e.g. for a woman to act as a man, or a man to want to be king.
Divine Right of Kings
The Jacobean belief that kings were ordained or chosen by God
ominous
to give an impression of doom or imply bad things will happen
phantoms
spirits or illusions
jovial
cheerful and friendly
charity
the voluntary giving of help, typically in the form of money, to those in need
poverty
the state of being extremely poor
omniscient
having complete or unlimited knowledge, awareness, or understanding; perceiving all things
miserly
being ungenerous, particularly with money
supernatural
attributed to some force beyond scientific understanding or the laws of nature.
superstition
a widely held but irrational belief in supernatural influences, especially as leading to good or bad luck, or a practice based on such a belief
refugee
a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster
patriarchy
a system of society or government in which men hold the power and women are largely excluded from it
Fake news
Collins' dictionary's 2017 word of the year, meaning false, often sensational, information disseminated under the guise of news reporting
Orator
a public speaker, especially one who is eloquent or skilled
direct address
A technique used in persuasive speeches where the orator speaks to the audience directly.
repetition
Saying/writing a word more than once
rhetorical question
A question that is designed to make the reader/listener think and does not require an answer.
verse
writing arranged with a metrical rhythm, typically having a rhyme.
prose
written or spoken language in its ordinary form, without metrical structure.
Repetition
Repeating a word or phrase draws attention to it. For instance, in Act 5, Scene 2, Beatrice says: "Foul words is but foul wind, and foul wind is but foul breath" The word 'foul' is repeated to show how unhappy Beatrice is.
Repartee
Repartee is when characters give quick, witty replies. We see this most often with Beatrice and Benedick. For instance, when they argue in Act 1, Scene 1, they are able to twist the other person's words around. And both want to have the final word.
pun
A lot of jokes are puns: a play on words using words that sound similar but have different meanings. So, when Beatrice says Claudio is "civil as an orange", she plays on the similarity between 'civil' and 'Seville'. (Seville oranges are bitter!)
Personification
Where something is described as if it is human. Beatrice talks about how a "star danced", and Leonato says "happiness takes his leave".
Metaphors
When one thing is called something else, such as Claudio calling Hero a "jewel".
dialect
a particular form of a language which is peculiar to a specific region or social group.
cyclical
Something that recurs or happens in cycles
allegory
a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one
Adjective
A word that describes a noun
Linear
progressing from one stage to another in a single series of steps; sequential
Adverb
A word that describes a verb
Verb
a doing or being word - denotes an action or a state
Noun
A naming word - a person, place, thing, or idea
Develop the individual:
Students are taught the discipline of organising their time, prioritising tasks, creating a revision timetable and sticking to it. Students continue to engage with a range of texts that cause them to think deeply about their own responses as well as the responses of audiences at the time of publication or performance. Students' consideration of historical and social contexts develops their understanding of their heritage and that of those around them.
Create a supportive community:
Students collaborate and work in groups to revise. Pair work helps students test out their ideas and interpretations on texts, while building their confidence.