No. 14 ‘In the midst of things’: COVID-19 and English

Issues in English, Pandemic

After the events of the past few months, it seems entirely appropriate that this edition of Issues should focus on the effect of COVID-19 on the discipline of English, both in schools and in universities, and reflect on what is happening and how we are responding while we are, as Ben Davis so aptly puts it, ‘in the midst of things’. This issue catches contributors’ experiences of the initial phase of the pandemic: our abrupt and discombobulating transition to life online.

AQA GCSE English Literature: Power and Conflict poetry commentaries

Resources for Teachers
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AQA GCSE English Literature: Love and Relationships poetry commentaries

Resources for Teachers
You must be a member to access this area of the website. Join us now to benefit from access to our publications and teaching resources, podcasts, videos and more! If you are already a member, you can log in using the email address and password that you use for self-service. Click on the blue member log in button below. Having trouble? Drop us a line on hello@englishassociation.ac.uk.

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My Top 5 Reads for Children: Marcus Sedgwick

top5authors

Marcus Sedgwick Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson I think this is one of those books that people underestimate, either because they’ve forgotten they’ve read it, or never have. Maybe there’s too much Disney in people’s memories of it. The original book is powerful, dark, compelling and sinister and I love it. In the Night Kitchen by…

Interview with Marcia Williams

Interview

Margaret Mallett last interviewed Marcia for an article entitled ‘Marcia Williams’ books for children: classic retellings and innovative information picturebooks’ published in English 4-11 Number 33, Summer 2008. Marcia’s books cover a particularly rich range of subjects and genres and are greatly valued by teachers and children. This interview is to catch up with Marcia’s…

Interview with Ian Whybrow

Interview

A former teacher, Ian Whybrow has been publishing children’s books since 1989. When you start to write a book, do you know how it will end? Seldom – though sometimes I start from the end. Do you base your characters on real people? Not always, though it’s useful to be able to hook certain characteristics…

Interview with Beth Webb

Interview

Beth Webb is an author and performance storyteller who has published over a dozen books for children and teenagers. She has been teaching writing to young people since 1990 and has some invaluable advice for writers on her website. Where does your inspiration come from? Everything and anything. In ‘The Dragons of Kilve,’ I was…

Interview with Ruth Walton

Interview

Ruth Walton is the author of the Let’s Find Out series – an original and innovative series of illustrated non-fiction books that introduces children to the world that surrounds them from the starting point of very familiar activity. The books feature a quirky style of illustration and design, which combines photographic textures and collage effects and…

Interview with Jean Ure

Interview

Jean Ure’s first book was published when she was sixteen and still at school. Since then she has published over 170 books for children. She has become very popular with female teenage readers around Britain with novels such as Shrinking Violet, Family Fan Club and Passion Flower. Where does your inspiration come from? Short answer: anywhere and everywhere!…