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Seamus Heaney Poem Commentaries with Activities

Intelligent commentary notes with activities to support the exploration of all 15 poems; perfect as a basis for a structured GCSE learning programme and as handy hand-outs for students. Also includes useful student advice and practice questions for the examination!

A very attractive resource, both visually and by way of content... Encourages independent learning, research and discussion through a variety of tasks and opportunities

D Massey, Private English Tutor & Peer Reviewer
For each poem:
  1. Support comprehension and analysis of the poem’s form, structure, language and themes with commentaries and study notes
  2. Stimulate individual interpretations and encourage close reading with comprehension questions and creative activities

An excellent resource with great detail, it is useful for students to improve their independent study

K McCord, Private Tutor & Peer Reviewer

Be prepared for the examination with:

  • Student-friendly exam advice
  • Top 10 Exam Tips
  • Practice exam questions – Higher and Foundation!

Includes bonus material such as biography, reading activities, a glossary and a sample exam essay

Poem Selection:

An Advancement of Learning
Ancestral Photograph
A Constable Calls
Blackberry Picking
Death of a Naturalist
Digging
Follower
Mid-Term Break
Punishment
Scaffolding
Serenade
Servant Boy
The Early Purges
The Summer of Lost Rachel
Wheels within Wheels

What do teachers say about this resource? (4755)

Overall, this resource is excellent for students studying Seamus Heaney because of its discussion questions which encourage you to rethink your interpretation of the poems. It caters for students at different levels as it asks questions for Foundation and Higher Tier...
Moreover, this resource uses appropriate poetic terminology, enabling students to fully understand how to use it within their essays... and the glossary at the end helps students to understand the language... I also particularly liked the activities since they are tailored for students with different learning styles, such as auditory and kinetic... The analysis is very detailed [and] encourages students to think about the effects of Heaney's choice of words and to analyse the poem in terms of tactile, auditory, visual, and olfactory... Furthermore, the questions encourage independent thinking, as well as research opportunities for students... An excellent resource with great detail, it is useful for students to improve their independent study. K McCord, Private Tutor and Ind. Reviewer

K McCord, Private Tutor & Peer Reviewer

A very attractive resource, both visually and by way of content, which thoroughly prepares
students of GCSE in their study of Heaney's poems and poetry overall... The layout and content are consistent, well organised and user-friendly. The teacher's introduction clearly states the aims and benefits of the resource, all of which are met by the resource itself... The background information about the poet clearly illustrates links between the poet's life and individual poems... The resource not only provides enthusiastic and comprehensive knowledge of Heaney's poetry, but prepares students and teachers on how to relate the poems to the assessment objectives of the relevant section of the GCSE exam. It encourages independent learning, research and discussion through a variety of tasks and opportunities. The annotated exam practice could be useful for both teachers and students alike. and the glossary is excellent addition... I wish I'd had access to this resource earlier!

D Massey, Private English Tutor & Peer Reviewer