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Browse by Grade: Year 12

United Kingdom · National Curriculum Attainment Targets

Year 12 English

This course bridges the gap between GCSE and university level English by exploring the intersection of linguistic frameworks and literary criticism. Students develop sophisticated skills in analyzing how language choices shape meaning and power across diverse texts and historical periods.

9 units·72 topics·Ages 16-17

01The Power of Voice in Modern Drama

8 topics·Autumn Term

An exploration of how playwrights use colloquialisms and stage directions to construct identity and social critique.

Sociolect and Character Status

Investigating how specific speech patterns and social dialects define character status and relationships on stage.

Hot SeatFishbowl DiscussionSocratic Seminar
Stage Directions as Narrative Voice

Analyzing how dramatic structures reflect or challenge the prevailing social hierarchies of the contemporary era.

Role PlayChalk Talk
Directorial Interpretations and Linguistic Impact

Examining how different directorial interpretations can alter the linguistic impact of a written script.

Case Study AnalysisExpert Panel
Dialogue and Subtext in Pinter

Exploring Harold Pinter's use of pauses, silence, and ambiguous dialogue to create tension and meaning.

Socratic SeminarRole Play
Monologue and Soliloquy in Contemporary Plays

Investigating the function of extended speeches in revealing character interiority and thematic concerns.

Hot SeatThink-Pair-Share
Symbolism in Stage Design

Analyzing how visual elements of the stage contribute to the play's thematic and linguistic impact.

Gallery WalkConcept Mapping
Brechtian Alienation Effects

Exploring how Bertolt Brecht's techniques challenge audience immersion and encourage critical reflection.

Case Study AnalysisPhilosophical Chairs
Absurdist Drama: Language and Meaninglessness

Investigating how playwrights of the absurd use fragmented language and illogical dialogue to reflect existential themes.

Socratic SeminarWorld Café

02Linguistic Frameworks and Everyday Discourse

8 topics·Autumn Term

An introduction to the systematic study of language in real-world contexts including digital and spoken interaction.

Lexis and Semantics in Digital Spaces

Analyzing how technology has shifted the way we use vocabulary and create new meanings in online environments.

Case Study AnalysisGallery Walk
Pragmatics and Politeness Theory

Studying the unwritten rules of social interaction and how we use language to manage face and relationships.

Think-Pair-ShareRole Play
Grammar and Syntax in Persuasion

Evaluating how sentence structure and grammatical choices are used to influence and manipulate audiences.

Case Study AnalysisRAFT Writing
Discourse Analysis: Spoken vs. Written

Comparing the structural and linguistic features of spoken and written discourse.

Document MysteryJigsaw
Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA)

Applying CDA to uncover hidden ideologies and power structures in texts.

Case Study AnalysisSocratic Seminar
Corpus Linguistics and Language Patterns

Introduction to using large text databases to identify patterns in language use.

Problem-Based LearningExpert Panel
Multimodal Communication

Exploring how meaning is created through the combination of different semiotic modes (e.g., image, sound, text).

Gallery WalkCase Study Analysis
Phonetics and Phonology: Sounds of English

An introduction to the study of speech sounds and sound systems in English.

Chalk TalkStations Rotation

03The Evolution of Narrative Prose

8 topics·Autumn Term

A comparative study of prose fiction focusing on the development of narrative perspective and gothic conventions.

The Unreliable Narrator

Exploring how authors create tension and ambiguity through limited or deceptive narrative viewpoints.

Socratic SeminarSave the Last Word
Gothic Tropes and Symbolic Landscapes

Analyzing how setting and atmosphere function as extensions of character psychology and societal fears.

Gallery WalkJigsaw
Critical Perspectives on Gender

Applying feminist and queer theory to understand the representation of gender roles in classic fiction.

Four CornersFishbowl Discussion
Narrative Structure and Plot Devices

Examining different narrative structures (e.g., linear, non-linear, episodic) and their effects.

Timeline ChallengeConcept Mapping
Character Archetypes and Development

Studying recurring character types and how authors develop complex, multi-dimensional characters.

Hexagonal ThinkingRole Play
Realism and Naturalism in Prose

Exploring the literary movements of Realism and Naturalism and their stylistic conventions.

JigsawSocratic Seminar
Postmodern Narrative Techniques

Investigating experimental narrative forms, metafiction, and intertextuality in postmodern novels.

Document MysteryWorld Café
The Bildungsroman: Growth and Development

Analyzing novels that focus on the psychological and moral growth of the protagonist from youth to adulthood.

Case Study AnalysisTimeline Challenge

04Crafting Arguments and Rhetorical Writing

8 topics·Spring Term

Developing student proficiency in writing high-stakes persuasive texts and analytical essays.

The Art of the Op-Ed

Learning to construct a compelling argument for a specific publication and target audience.

RAFT WritingPeer Teaching
Structural Logic in Academic Writing

Mastering the organizational patterns required for complex literary and linguistic analysis.

Concept MappingChalk Talk
Voice and Tone in Professional Contexts

Adapting register and style for different professional and formal writing tasks.

Simulation GameGallery Walk
Rhetorical Devices and Persuasion

Identifying and analyzing the impact of various rhetorical devices (e.g., anaphora, antithesis, chiasmus).

Case Study AnalysisFormal Debate
Structuring a Research Essay

Developing skills in formulating research questions, gathering evidence, and constructing a sustained argument.

Project-Based LearningDecision Matrix
Avoiding Logical Fallacies

Identifying and critiquing common errors in reasoning that undermine argumentative validity.

Mock TrialDocument Mystery
Writing for Digital Platforms

Adapting writing style and structure for online audiences and digital media.

Collaborative Problem-SolvingFlipped Classroom
Summarizing and Synthesizing Information

Developing skills in condensing complex information and integrating multiple sources into a coherent argument.

JigsawConcept Mapping

05Poetic Forms and Linguistic Innovation

8 topics·Spring Term

A deep dive into the technical aspects of poetry and how poets manipulate language to evoke sensory experiences.

Metre, Rhythm, and Meaning

Analyzing how the mathematical structure of verse contributes to its emotional and thematic impact.

Role PlayChalk Talk
Imagery and Extended Metaphor

Exploring how poets build layers of meaning through complex figurative language and conceits.

Gallery WalkHexagonal Thinking
The Speaker and the Addressee

Investigating the relationship between the poetic voice and the intended or implied listener.

Hot SeatSocratic Seminar
Symbolism and Allegory in Poetry

Analyzing how poets use symbols and allegories to convey deeper, often abstract, meanings.

Concept MappingJigsaw
Modernist Poetic Experimentation

Exploring how modernist poets broke from traditional forms and language to reflect a changing world.

Document MysteryWorld Café
Postcolonial Voices in Poetry

Examining how poets from postcolonial contexts use language to reclaim identity and challenge colonial narratives.

Socratic SeminarExpert Panel
The Sonnet: Form and Evolution

A detailed study of the sonnet form, its historical development, and variations.

Timeline ChallengeRAFT Writing
Romantic Poetry: Nature and Emotion

Exploring the key characteristics of Romantic poetry, focusing on themes of nature, individualism, and emotion.

Gallery WalkSocratic Seminar

06Language, Power, and Identity

8 topics·Spring Term

An examination of how language reflects and shapes social identity, focusing on accent, dialect, and gender.

Accent and Dialect Prejudice

Critically evaluating the social stigmas associated with regional varieties of English.

Case Study AnalysisFormal Debate
Language and Gender Performance

Analyzing the theories surrounding how men and women use language and how these patterns are evolving.

Fishbowl DiscussionCase Study Analysis
The Global Spread of English

Investigating the impact of English as a 'lingua franca' and the development of World Englishes.

World CaféJigsaw
Language and Social Class

Exploring the relationship between linguistic choices and socio-economic status.

Socratic SeminarPhilosophical Chairs
Language and Ethnicity

Examining how language is used to construct and express ethnic identity.

Case Study AnalysisExpert Panel
Political Correctness and Language Change

Debating the impact of 'political correctness' on language use and social attitudes.

Formal DebateTown Hall Meeting
Language and the Law

Investigating the specialized language of legal discourse and its implications for justice.

Mock TrialCase Study Analysis
Language and Media Representation

Analyzing how language in news, advertising, and social media shapes public perception and identity.

Case Study AnalysisGallery Walk

07Shakespeare: Language and Legacy

8 topics·Summer Term

A deep dive into Shakespeare's linguistic genius and enduring influence on English language and literature.

Shakespearean Vocabulary and Neologisms

Exploring Shakespeare's contribution to the English lexicon and the evolution of word meanings.

Document MysteryGallery Walk
Iambic Pentameter and Blank Verse

Analyzing the rhythmic and structural choices in Shakespeare's dramatic verse.

Role PlayChalk Talk
Rhetoric in Shakespearean Speeches

Deconstructing famous speeches to understand Shakespeare's mastery of persuasive language.

Socratic SeminarFormal Debate
Tragedy: Hamartia and Catharsis

Exploring the conventions of Shakespearean tragedy, focusing on the tragic hero and audience response.

Fishbowl DiscussionPhilosophical Chairs
Comedy: Disguise and Deception

Investigating the conventions of Shakespearean comedy, including mistaken identity and resolution.

Role PlayJigsaw
Shakespeare in Adaptation

Examining how Shakespeare's plays are reinterpreted across different media and cultural contexts.

Case Study AnalysisExpert Panel
Shakespeare's Sonnets: Love and Time

A close reading of selected sonnets, focusing on themes of love, beauty, mortality, and poetic immortality.

Socratic SeminarSave the Last Word
Historical Context of Shakespeare's Plays

Exploring the social, political, and cultural backdrop that influenced Shakespeare's writing.

Document MysteryTimeline Challenge

08Literary Criticism and Theory

8 topics·Summer Term

An introduction to major schools of literary criticism and their application to diverse texts.

Formalism and New Criticism

Analyzing texts through close reading, focusing on intrinsic literary elements and structure.

Socratic SeminarDocument Mystery
Reader-Response Criticism

Exploring how the reader's experience and interpretation shape the meaning of a text.

Four CornersFishbowl Discussion
Marxist Literary Criticism

Applying Marxist theory to analyze texts for representations of class struggle, ideology, and economic power.

Case Study AnalysisFormal Debate
Psychoanalytic Criticism

Using Freudian and Jungian concepts to explore character motivations, symbolism, and authorial psychology.

Hot SeatConcept Mapping
Poststructuralism and Deconstruction

Challenging fixed meanings and exploring the inherent instability of language in literary texts.

Socratic SeminarWorld Café
Ecocriticism and Environmental Literature

Analyzing texts through an ecological lens, focusing on human-nature relationships and environmental themes.

Gallery WalkProject-Based Learning
Applying Multiple Critical Lenses

Practicing the application of various critical theories to a single text to gain multifaceted insights.

JigsawCollaborative Problem-Solving
Feminist Literary Criticism

Analyzing texts through a feminist lens, focusing on gender roles, patriarchy, and female representation.

Four CornersFishbowl Discussion

09Creative Writing Workshop

8 topics·Summer Term

Developing practical skills in various creative writing forms, focusing on craft and voice.

Developing Character Voice

Experimenting with different narrative voices and perspectives to create compelling characters.

RAFT WritingRole Play
Crafting Effective Dialogue

Learning to write realistic and purposeful dialogue that advances plot and reveals character.

Think-Pair-ShareHot Seat
Show, Don't Tell: Sensory Details

Mastering the technique of using vivid sensory details to immerse the reader in a scene.

Gallery WalkGraffiti Wall
Poetry: Image and Metaphor

Developing skills in crafting powerful imagery and extended metaphors in poetic forms.

Hexagonal ThinkingRAFT Writing
Short Story Structure and Plotting

Learning the conventions of short story writing, including plot arcs, conflict, and resolution.

Concept MappingCollaborative Problem-Solving
Flash Fiction and Micro-Narratives

Exploring the art of extreme conciseness and implied meaning in very short stories.

Academic Speed DatingGive One, Get One
Editing and Revision Strategies

Developing systematic approaches to self-editing and peer feedback for creative work.

Peer TeachingLearning Contracts
Writing Personal Narratives and Memoirs

Focusing on techniques for crafting compelling true stories, exploring voice, reflection, and structure.

RAFT WritingSocratic Seminar