My editor for the three Challenge English KS3 texts, Ged, has entered Steve and me into the educational writer's competition. I doubt we'll win as I imagine the competition will be pretty fierce but these things are always worth a go. You got to be in it to win it! I was also told about another competition for fiction- scripts in fact- which ties in with my current MA module and looked really interesting but, alas, the deadline is really soon so I'll be saving that one possibly for next year.
For now I thought I'd post images and talk a little about the KS3 Challenge English books seeing as they are the books of the moment.
The three KS3 Challenge English books are part of WHSmith's range of books which include KS2 and KS3 Practise, Revise, Challenge, Test and Quick Revision. The ones Steve and I wrote are aimed at the more able, the gifted and talented KS3 students (so ones in Years 7-9) who need and would enjoy a challenge beyond what would normally be encountered in school. The books aim to enrich students' understanding and experience of English.
The books are divided into reading and writing sections addressing skills loosely based on the National Literacy Framework, so things like creative writing, essay planning and writing, researching material, comparing texts, context, irony and satire, form and meaning in poetry and the writing triplets, to name a few, are addressed. Both Steve and I teach so the books are structured with the student in mind. Each unit in the reading and writing sections is divided into Get Started, Practice, Challenge and How did I do? moving from sentence and word level to text level work.
There are useful glossaries in each book and a wide range of extracts and interesting activities. All for £4.99! They should be available in your local WHSmith.
