Structured Essay Support for Edexcel A Level

Literary Texts & Films

Suitable for Edexcel AS and A Level:
2016 specifications

Available for French, Spanish and German

A comprehensive introduction to the study of literary texts and films. Help students prepare effectively for essay writing in Paper 2 regardless of the work(s) studied!

A resource every A Level teacher should have
to teach literature or film

A Falconer, Head of German & Peer Reviewer

PART 1: Before tackling essay writing, students are introduced to key concepts of literary texts and films to inform their understanding.

Preparation is key!

Examination of a literary text or film at AS Level is new for the 2016 spec. Questions are now specific to the book or film, rather than generic, at both AS and A Level. Ideal for teachers who are new to cultural topics OR experienced teachers who want a clear breakdown of key features with helpful examples.

An effective introduction for students transitioning from GCSE who have never thoroughly studied literature or cinema. In-depth descriptions of key features enable more-capable students to learn important terminology.

  • Includes: plot; themes; characters; cultural, social and political context; structure; narrative; symbols; and more! Carefully crafted activities consolidate understanding.

PARTS 2–5: Focus on the essential techniques needed to write an effective essay, including:

  • Planning an essay
  • Organising and developing ideas
  • Critical and analytical commentary
  • Justifying personal opinions
  • Model essays, and more!

With examples of literary texts by authors on the 2016 Edexcel AS and A Level specifications. Students familiarise themselves with the authors’ styles, techniques and genres while applying this knowledge to their own studied work(s).

Recommended for use in the classroom or as independent study and revision for students. For use prior to or in conjunction with our Getting to Know… range.

What do teachers say about this resource? (9910)

A resource every A Level teacher should have to teach literature or film. It is a lot more than just a structured essay support and could be used as a framework to deliver content while teaching all the necessary skills required to successfully write an A Level essay. I have been searching for a resource like this for years and I believe this has the potential to enhance the quality of teaching and add further variety to resources already available. An added bonus is that the resource can be used as teaching materials in the classroom, as homework or independent study tasks, which is ideal for any A Level teacher who needs flexibility to adjust teaching materials to the needs of their students. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the author for producing such an outstanding resource which I am sure many many German A Level teachers will be very grateful for.

A Falconer, Head of German & Peer Reviewer

Great resource. Very extensive and well thought out piece. This is highly recommended for teachers teaching AS and A Level.

R Henry-Grant, Teacher of MFL and Peer Reviewer

Easy to use. It sets out the main aspects of studying a literary work quite well and gives a clear introduction to the main themes. It would serve as an excellent 'pre-text' introduction and would also suit very well to students studying at home by themselves. Good focusing pupils on literary terms. This is often an area which they struggle with. Developing literary techniques using word association is an effective way of enabling students to make the jump from GCSE style German, where it’s very descriptive, to the more analytical concepts required at A Level. 

C Hennessy, HoD and Peer Reviewer

What do teachers say about this resource? (8569)

In general I love the resource as it has lots of useful exercises for students to succeed in the exams. I like the fact that it gives students opportunity to analyse in depth their chosen literary work- film by breaking it down using the “w” question words, such as “who, when, what, where, how” etc. The resource enhances learning as students can learn useful expressions to use in their Edexcel A level exams and they can analyse their chose literary text-film so that they can tackle the exam questions with confidence.

J Ermina, Teacher & Peer Reviewer

I really liked the resource, how it takes the topics from the basic notes that students will have on the topics and turn them into an essay for the exam. There is a huge variety of activities and well-planned progression. Not only does it help students to organise, plan and write the essay for their text or film, it also allows them to understand the author/director in more depth as their other works are used as examples.

J Tipton, Teacher, Examiner and Peer Reviewer