Developing inference and precise explanations through practical writing. In my work teaching GCSE English Language to autistic and other neurodivergent students, I often encounter a difficulty that becomes more apparent once a student has learned the expected shape of an analytical answer. They can select a relevant quotation and identify a feeling or impression, but … Continue reading Teaching GCSE English Language Analysis for Autistic and Neurodivergent Students
GCSE English Language
Teaching GCSE Transactional Writing for Autistic and Neurodivergent Students
AQA GCSE English Language Paper 2, Question 5 asks students to present a viewpoint for a specified audience, purpose and form. The question may require an article, letter, speech or other piece of transactional writing. The task carries 40 marks: 24 for content and organisation and 16 for technical accuracy. Students therefore need to generate … Continue reading Teaching GCSE Transactional Writing for Autistic and Neurodivergent Students
GCSE English Language November resit: a focused Question 4 revision strategy
I have created a pair of structured worksheets for students who gained a grade 3 in GCSE English Language in the summer and are preparing to take the November resit examinations. The resource focuses on Question 4 from both AQA papers, using repeatable methods that can be taught and practised within the relatively short resit … Continue reading GCSE English Language November resit: a focused Question 4 revision strategy
The Structured Descriptive Writing Workbook
Step-by-Step Creative Writing for Autistic and Neurodivergent Students, and Students with Anxiety. I have recently published my latest workbook, The Structured Descriptive Writing Workbook, which is now available on Amazon. The book grew out of my work with students who find open-ended writing tasks difficult. Descriptive and creative writing are often presented as tasks that … Continue reading The Structured Descriptive Writing Workbook
Descriptive Writing Opening Paragraphs: A Structured Workbook for KS3 and GCSE English
Starting a piece of descriptive writing can be one of the hardest parts of the task. Students are often told to “create atmosphere”, “use ambitious vocabulary”, or “zoom in on detail”, but those instructions can still leave the actual writing process feeling vague. For many students, particularly autistic and neurodivergent learners, the challenge is not … Continue reading Descriptive Writing Opening Paragraphs: A Structured Workbook for KS3 and GCSE English
Teaching GCSE Descriptive Writing for Autistic and Neurodivergent Students: Why Structure Matters
Descriptive writing at GCSE English Language is often framed as a creative task. Students are encouraged to “paint a picture with words”, “engage the reader”, and “use imaginative language”. Yet for many learners, the difficulty is not a lack of imagination – it is knowing how to organise their ideas, where to begin, and how … Continue reading Teaching GCSE Descriptive Writing for Autistic and Neurodivergent Students: Why Structure Matters
When Praise Turns: Heremod and Modthryth in Beowulf
One of the most difficult ideas for students of English to grasp is that meaning is not located solely in events, but in how those events are described, framed, and judged. At GCSE level, this sits at the heart of language analysis: writers shape reader response not just through what happens, but through voice, viewpoint, … Continue reading When Praise Turns: Heremod and Modthryth in Beowulf
Making AQA GCSE English Language Question 3 Accessible for Autistic Learners
Kate Coldrick explains how autistic learners can approach AQA GCSE English Language Question 3 on structure with an inclusive, accessible strategy. From summer 2026, AQA are revising Paper 1, Question 3. Instead of the familiar open-ended “How has the writer structured the text to interest you as a reader?”, the question will now specify a … Continue reading Making AQA GCSE English Language Question 3 Accessible for Autistic Learners
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