Ash on a Young Man’s Sleeve: Study Guide for GCSE
Dannie Abse’s gripping novel Ash on a Young Man’s Sleeve spans an eight-year period and traces the rise of fascism in Europe, social unrest, unemployment and war. Yet it is Abse’s use of real people’s names and the Cardiff in which he grew up that will allow students to build a strong appreciation of the novel and its themes of loss and grief, religion and prejudice, and art and the imagination. Unravel every astonishing section with targeted, detailed notes and analysis.
Content is great: apt, perceptive, fluent, knowledgeable....
...Activities are excellent: imaginative, clear, varied.
- Walkthrough – Build understanding of the chosen text with insightful and relevant commentary and analysis. All sections are concisely summarised, then examined in detail.
- Whole-text Analysis – Explores: Characterisation • Relationships • Setting • Themes • Ideas and Messages • Language • Form • Structure • Context
- Student-friendly plot summary
- Key quotations for each section
- Key term glossary
- Further reading suggestions
- Original illustrations
- Teacher tips throughout
Woven into the analysis throughout you will find:
- Discussion prompts to encourage debate and individual interpretation
- Active learning tasks to deepen understanding
- Essay tips and questions for excellent exam practice
- Key term definitions and ‘did you know?’ boxes to ensure students grasp difficult concepts
Suggested answers are provided for questions and activities.
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What do teachers say about this resource? (11472)
I liked this resource. It has even inspired me to reread the novel... The teacher’s introduction was very helpful... I particularly liked the plot summary... The resource could enhance learning by reassuring pupils, particularly the less able, that all aspects of the work have been covered. Its educational value is to improve skills of literary appreciation while not ignoring the basics. It thus lays a sure foundation for future studies at A Level/IB. It would also be educationally valuable for revision/private study... The layout/presentation were clear... It was user friendly... I also liked the key terms eg p18 and the opportunity for cross curricular work with History and RS... It interprets and matches the specification well... I would definitely buy this resource. There was huge variety.
Content is great: apt, perceptive, fluent, knowledgeable. Activities are excellent: imaginative, clear, varied... High quality, and suitable for the target audience... Contains analysis which is sufficiently detailed and insightful to provide teachers with useful material, and to stretch and challenge students, but written very clearly and in appropriate register... An excellent resource. The student activities... are imaginative, well-presented, well-focused, clear and useful. The analysis is thorough, insightful, knowledgeable and intelligent. This is a valuable and useful resource.