English INSET/Consultancy

Caroline has been an English adviser and observes a large number of lessons every year. She has examined for A Level and GCSE for a number of board. She runs a large amount of training for English teachers, Departments and Local Authorities on making English teaching effective, exciting and engaging. If your Department or Authority has an area that they are keen for some practical guidance on then Caroline can be booked for twilight training, Inset or as a guest speaker at conferences. She also runs revision sessions directly with pupils. Please see here for details. Popular sessions delivered in the last year include:

a) Strategies for teaching writing more effectively. This course can be tailored for GCSE, Key Stage 3 or A Level.

A practical session that considers what teachers can do in the classroom to help pupils write in a more engaging and successful way. Teachers receive a host of practical suggestions and lessons ideas that they can put into practice in the classroom the very next day. The training offers a careful of blend of writing strategies, innovative ideas and a thorough reminder about what pupils need to do to become better writers. Your staff will be excited to try out these strategies.

b) Strategies for teaching reading skills more effectively

Do your pupils often struggle to read between the lines? Do they give limited answers lacking in detail and miss the subtleties of language? This session looks at interesting and engaging ways for pupils to improve their reading skills so that they are able to write well about language and in sufficient detail. It provides plenty of examples of practical lessons ideas as reminding teachers about the key areas pupils need to master.

c) Teaching Shakespeare and Challenging Texts.

A training session for staff which includes plenty of innovative ideas for getting pupils to engage with the text, write about language and most of all enjoy Shakespeare. This session can be tailored to your set text, or KS3 play or as an introduction to Shakespeare teaching at Key Stage 2 and provides plenty of helpful resources that your department can use to make Shakespeare teaching more engaging, enjoyable and successful.

d) How to manage marking in English

English teachers have a huge marking burden and it is important to have effective strategies for making the marking process practical, helpful and manageable. This training focuses on strategies for making English marking manageable and effective as well as ensuring consistency across the team. The session includes: focus marking, developing peer and self-assessment and formative comments.

e) Consultancy for Heads of English

Caroline is an experienced Local Authority reviewer and has Ofsted experience. She can provide practical consultancy working alongside Heads of English helping them monitor, review and develop their departments. Activities can include: joint lesson observations, reviewing schemes of work, book scrutiny, advice on aspects of the curriculum (particularly raising results at GCSE/Key Stage 3) and department self-evaluation.