This section contains the professional learning materials and supporting resources which can be used to support individual and school-led professional development across all areas of Senior Cycle English.
Overview of the English Cluster Professional Learning Material 2023/24
Session 1 – This session is titled ‘A Way with Words: Developing Students’ Vocabulary and Writing Skills’ and begins with a look at how we can support the development of student vocabulary in our individual contexts. We will also consider how modelling the writing process in class, with our students, can benefit their learning.
Session 2 – This session offers a choice of two workshops. These are gathered on our Google site. The workshops are designed to be navigated independently and you can enjoy the workshop of your choice at your own pace. You will have the choice of a vocabulary workshop or a film workshop.
Part 2 of this session involves each departments working together with a focus on designing a learning experience for the classroom. The aim here is to align the classroom learning experience with the intended learning and the assessments that students will inevitably face. Click on the video to find out more about the workshops before making your selection.
Session 3 – This session is titled ‘A Way with Words: Deepening Student Engagement with Texts’ and explores how we can generate conversation in the classroom. We look at opportunities to engage students in conversations about meaningful and interesting topics in their lives in order to further enhance their vocabulary development and confidence.
Click on the tabs below to access the materials from this year’s cluster workshops, including the Google site which hosts many additional supports and resources for both Junior Cycle and Senior Cycle English.
Overview of the English Cluster Professional Learning Material 2024/25
Session 1 – This session is titled ‘Engage, Express, Converse: Language Dynamics in the English Classroom’ . In this session, participants will explore using oracy and critical conversations to engage. There is a focus on exploratory talk, around texts and topics in the English classroom.
Session 2 – This session is called ‘Engaging Language and Literature: Practical Strategies for Reading in the Classroom’. In this session we explore practical and applicable strategies for reading. Throughout this session, teachers are offered ideas for pre-reading and preparation, active reading to understand and inference and a range of verbal, visual and written ideas post reading
Session 3 – This session is titled ‘Creating Connections: A Narrative Writing Workshop’. In this session we look at linking listening and speaking to narrative writing. Again, there are opportunities for shared practice with activities around a narrative writing workshop.
Click on the tabs below to access the materials from this year’s cluster workshops, including the three accompanying booklets which host many additional supports and resources for both Junior Cycle and Senior Cycle English.
Webinar – Engaging Strategies for Teaching Shakespeare
Below you will find the slides presentation for our autumn webinar which focuses on various classroom strategies for engaging students with a variety of Shakespearean texts on the prescribed lists for both Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate English. You will also find the supporting booklet which contains classroom supports and resources which may lead to further engagement with the language and texts of William Shakespeare.
The Wellread National Award
The Wellread National Award was inaugurated in 2015 to honour the fantastic promotion of reading for pleasure by schools across the country. The Wellread National Award aims to promote the development of a reading culture in school communities. The award requires the involvement of all stakeholders including students, teachers, parents and the wider community in reading and associated activities. The registration window for schools is now opening.
The Wellread National Award was inaugurated in 2015 to honour the fantastic promotion of reading for pleasure by schools across the country. The Wellread National Award aims to promote the development of a reading culture in school communities. The award requires the involvement of all stakeholders including students, teachers, parents and the wider community in reading and associated activities. The registration window for schools is now opening.