Y11 English - I come from

This assignment has now been set and you should be working on it. The deadline for drafts is Friday 11th July, then the finished product should be completed over the summer .

Y11 English - Fourth Plinth Project

Fourth Plinth speaking and listening task has begun, the link is 4th Plinth.

Already, it has become clear, my idea is the best: human statues created entirely of British regional cheeses.

Car Okay

Car is okay.

My lovely car

As you know, I make no secret about how much I love my Mitsubishi. Today - in what can only be described as a tragedy of epic proportions- Mrs Lewis has filled my lovely diesel car (exactly the same as the one above - except even nicer!) full of petrol by mistake, it is at the menders and I am too upset to write further...

y11English I come from

Assignment has now begun, I look forward to reading them. Drafts in on or before July 3rd.
All the resources are on on , er, resources. Remember what I said about attention to detail and the need to write accurate, engaging English - just like wot I does!

Y11 English

Genius is almost finished and so we will move on to a writing assignment. we're going to be doing work based on the writings of Bill Bryson.

Y11 Drama Sitcoms

Part One COURSEWORK

This is a written essay. IT IS DUE IN ON Monday 22nd June 2009

It should be at least 750 words – there is no upper limit.
You should do one of these for every piece of Coursework submitted
You MUST do a Part one for this piece and the next otherwise you will not have enough to choose from

The title is …

COMPARE YOUR SITCOM WITH A “REAL” SITCOM OF YOUR CHOICE


But what do I write about?

(These things are exactly the same things that you need to cover in the exam EXCEPT that you do not need to COMPARE two things in the exam!)

You must tackle …

· Compare and contrast Social, Cultural, Political Context of the time the texts were written about
· Explain how you have INTERPRETED YOUR IDEA
· Explain in detail your own characters characterisation – how you portrayed the character.
· Talk in detail about the STYLE of the texts think about the “REAL SITCOMS” use of music etc plus how you’ve used the stage.
· Look at different relationships – do both TEXT share similar character types – idiots, pompous etc etc
· How does each sitcoms “situation” affect the characters and the comedy
· What types of comedy do both texts use – verbal- physical – satirical
· Do the sitcoms follow a particular structural pattern – problem, crisis , resolution etc or do they have similar gags per minute

Welcome Back

For those thousands of you who were happily reading my blog only to find that yesterday it disappeared, I'm sorry. This one is much better although, in my haste to change locations, I have lost all my old posts and will have to start again!

About Me

This year 2009-2010 I'm teaching...

Y7 ICT
Y10 GCSE English Literature
Y11 GCSE English
Y11 GCSE Drama
Y11 GCSE History

Oh! I'm also Head of ICT.

FAQ's updated

F.A.Q. ‘s

What is your favourite colour?
#0000FF – this is a joke for fellow geeks

Did you really work for the BBC?
Yes I actually did. I worked in news; I was on the radio and everything.

Were you really in the SAS?
Cannot say, still classified I’m afraid.

You always seem tired/irritable/poor, why is that?
I have three children aged 10, 8 and 4, that’s why.

Favourite film
Blazing Saddles is a comedy masterpiece. Also like Sunshine by Danny Boyle

Is Blu-ray much better than DVD?
Yes, it most certainly is.

Music?
Yes please. As a younger person I was really into music then I got fed up with it until Elbow rekindled my interest; I’m now scarily obsessed with them.

Is Mrs Lewis, the teacher, your wife?
Amazing though it may seem, yes she is. I hope she doesn’t come to her senses any time soon.

What’s the best thing about GCSE English Lit?
Seamus Heaney.

Are Macs better than PCs?
Of course they are. They work all the time and do everything you ask of them- but where’s the fun in that? Give me PC any day!

What’s the best KS3 novel?
The Machine Gunners.

What books do you read?
When I have time, which isn’t very often, I’ll read pretty much anything. I don’t like overly ”worthy” books, in fact I do like a bit of entertainment. I really like an author called G.W. Dahlquist who writes “steam punk” novels.

Who is the most famous person you’ve ever met?
When I was 17, I met Michael Stipe from REM. I once saw, Verve front man, Richard Ashcroft in our doctor’s surgery.

Where were you born?
In God’s own city of Bristol.

Favourite TV show?
There was a show on when I was a kid about a Spanish boy who kept a laser in a box; his friend was a talking goose. That just set the bench too high for other shows to compete with. Do like Ashes to Ashes, Spooks, Hustle and love Wallender. I have never seen an episode of Heroes, The Apprentice, 24, and it’s too late to start now.

Comedy?
I like comedy. Historical faves include Alexi Sayle, Jeremy Hardy, Eddy Izzard but I also like lots of more “current” stuff. Again, got very obsessed with “The Mighty Boosh”, seems to have worn off now, something will, no doubt, take its place soon.

Are you vegetarian?
From time to time, I make the startling claim to be vegetarian. Sometimes I am, sometimes I’m not. Depends what’s on offer, if it’s snake for tea I’ll take the Quorn pies thanks very much.

Dr Who or Primeval?
Primeval. Dr Who is just too pleased with itself.

Why don’t you like football?

Because it’s really boring. Why would I want to watch overpaid, inarticulate, fashion models run about on a field? I just don’t get it. Having said that, I do tend to get caught up in the mindless fervour of the World Cup.

Greatest person in History?
Whoever said, “You see those two computers over there, why don’t we join them together and create a sort of network?” first! Opinions are divided, but at a pinch, Tim Berners –Lee. Guy Garvey may well be second.

What’s good about Britain?
Radio 4, Howies, driving on the left, countryside, jam, Elbow, Adam and Joe on BBC 6 Music.