Right - here’s a massive list of GCSE English Language P2 writing tasks in case anyone is running out of ideas… (use your judgement - not all of these will be appropriate for every class)
🧵🧵🧵
1. ‘Social media platforms do more harm than good by perpetuating unrealistic standards of beauty and fostering unhealthy comparison among teenagers.’ Write a blog post for your school website to give your view on this topic.
…
2. ‘GCSE exams stifle creativity and individualized learning, promoting a one-size-fits-all approach to education.’ Write a letter to your local MP to give your view on this topic.
…
3. ‘The rise of fast fashion contributes significantly to environmental degradation and exploits labour in developing countries, making it unethical to support.’ Write an article for your local newspaper to give your opinion on this topic.
…
4. ‘The excessive use of smartphones among teenagers is leading to a decline in face-to-face communication skills and genuine social interaction.’ Write a speech for a podcast for parents of teenagers to give your view on this matter.
…
5. ‘The glorification of violence in video games and movies desensitizes teenagers to real-world violence and contributes to a culture of aggression.’ Write a blog for a local news website to give your view on this topic.
…
6. ‘The pressure to pursue higher education immediately after high school perpetuates the notion that success is solely defined by academic achievement, disregarding alternative paths to success.’ Write a speech for an audience of teachers to give your views on this topic.
…
7. ‘The consumption of meat & animal products contributes significantly to environmental degradation, and teenagers should consider adopting a plant-based diet for the betterment of the planet.’ Write a speech for an assembly at your school to give your views on this topic.
…
8. ‘The education system fails to adequately prepare teenagers for real-life challenges by prioritising outdated facts over useful practical life skills.’ Write a letter to your local MP to give your views on this topic.
…
9. ‘Celebrities and influencers promote materialism and superficial values in teenagers, undermining the importance of authenticity and genuine self-expression.’ Write an open letter to 16 year olds explaining your views on this topic.
…
10. ‘The emphasis on grades and academic achievement leads to high levels of stress and anxiety among teenagers, compromising their mental health and well-being.’ Write an article for a teen magazine to give your views on this topic.
…
11. ‘Youth activism is a key part of being an active citizen. Schools should teach students how to use their voices, protest and advocate for social change.’ Write a speech for a radio show giving your views on this matter.
…
12. ‘The influence of corporate advertising on teenagers promotes unsustainable consumption patterns and contributes to environmental degradation and climate change.’ Write an article for a local newspaper to give your views on this topic.
…
13. ‘Some teenagers are given private tuition for their GCSEs, but not all families can afford it. This perpetuates inequality in society and limits outcomes for disadvantaged teenagers.’ Write a letter to your MP to give your views on this topic.
…
14. ‘The pressure to conform to societal norms and expectations stifles teenagers' individuality and creativity, limiting their ability to express themselves authentically.’ Write a blog post for your school website on the topic of individuality and creativity.
…
15. ‘The lack of accessible public transportation in rural areas limits teenagers' mobility and infringes upon their right to access education, employment, and social services.’ Write a letter to your local MP to give your views on this topic.
…
16. ‘Teenagers today are more immature than they were in the past. They have an easier life and much less responsibility than previous generations.’ Write a speech for an audience of teenagers to give your view on this matter.
…add more suggestions if you have them!! 👇👇👇
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
My favourite vocabulary to teach (or consolidate) with Y11 in the run-up to exams...
1. At this point in the course, I like grouping words in clusters. The primary reason is that clusters of words can allow us to teach students how to make nuanced, deliberate choices...
2. ... one example:
possibly = it might be the case
arguably = there are reasons why this could be the case
clearly = it is obvious and observable that this is the case
Teaching all three of these together enables us to give students the option. We might model the same...
3. ... sentence three times and swap these three words out for each other and ask students: how has the meaning changed?
...
1. Work out basics (4+, 5+, 7+) for Lit, Lang & combined 2. Break down for all significant groups (PP, EAL, male, female - whatever is relevant in your context) 3. Compare with previous years, and with national (JCQ have now published national grade distribution by subject)… 2/
… 4. Overall P8 (hard to work out on your own, so hopefully you have school systems, SISRA or something similar which will do this for you) - for English combined, Lang and Lit 5. Break down by class, and also for significant groups
3/…
I say reluctant, but really that describes a whole host of young people who struggle to put pen to paper for a diverse range of reasons.
1/
2/ Writing is an act of commitment. Think about that. When you write something down you literally put your thoughts out there for everyone to see. It can be deemed right or wrong: clever or stupid: mature or childish…
3/… That’s quite a scary thing for a teenager who wants to fit in. So many of them want to protect themselves from embarrassment or some sense of failure.
Writing is also a physical process - one which requires fluency, speed, legibility…
I’m sorting through things in my office at home, and have found an absolute gold mine of mad stuff from the first few years of my career…
I give you: ‘STUFF I HAVE LAMINATED - A MINI-SERIES’
1. Teaching Chaucer.
Designed and laminated a full deck of 52 cards using Medieval social hierarchy (from ‘God’ to ‘Peasant’) and then let Y13 play poker for a whole double (TWO HOURS) in the hope that the kinaesthetic learners* would remember…
*LOL
2. Packs of random words from set texts. I think this is ‘Tis Pity’ at A Level.
We would mix all the words up and make poems with them. Sometimes I threw them up in the air and we looked at which ones landed face up and used them to write essay plans, cos I was EDGY 🤣
2/ I like using this grid: the most profound; the climax; the journey; the least profound; the calm; the lesson. 💭Which points in the text meet each description and why? This resource is on my website here and is explained better in this post: funkypedagogy.com/quotation-revi…
3/ Here's a really old blog about memory - lots of practical strategies in there, including revision menus and variation theory in English: funkypedagogy.com/memory-and-rec…
I felt extremely privileged to deliver the opening keynote for @FSDConferences yesterday - what a joy to do something in The North and spend the day with my lovely colleagues and other like-minded educators. Here are a few of the things I said:
⬇️⬇️⬇️
1/ Writing can be defined in many ways:
NOUN: a thing we produce
VERB: a thing we do to get better
VERB: an artistic endeavour
…and there are loads more. I wonder how often we use it as a processing tool in its own right…
2/ How often do we help our students to feel like their writing is contributing to a wider human philosophy?