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Thinking AloudEnglish Blog
An occasional blog concerned with the world of English Language and Literature. Featuring insights from examiners and past students as well as encouraging and inspiring everyone to pick up a book and get lost in a new world.
The Power of Maggie O'Farrell
If I Am, I Am, I Am is about the individual’s fight for survival, Hamnet is about the collective weight of loss.
Sophie Welsh
Jan 73 min read
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New Year, New (English) Skills: Fun Resolutions for GCSE Success
Ah, January - the time of year we vow to eat kale, embrace exercise, and Marie Kondo our lives, only to end up binge-watching TV...
Sophie Welsh
Dec 31, 20243 min read
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Mock Literature Revision Looming?
The game at iGCSE/GCSE level is all about how they handle the question, develop an argument, and structure their essay.
Sophie Welsh
Dec 15, 20242 min read
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Pushing Boundaries: Lessons from Bacon, Bowie, and the Brave
There’s nothing quite like a Francis Bacon exhibition to remind you that life is equal parts grotesque, tragic, and utterly captivating.
Sophie Welsh
Dec 10, 20242 min read
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Why We Need to Stop Squirming at Compliments (and how it can improve higher level essays)
Because here’s the thing: good literature essays demand a belief in your argument.
Sophie Welsh
Nov 28, 20242 min read
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Structural Analysis: The Parallel Parking of the English GCSE
For many , structural analysis is the academic equivalent of parallel parking: everyone agrees it’s important, but few are confident.
Sophie Welsh
Nov 20, 20243 min read
19 views
1 comment
The Buddha of Suburbia - Theatrical Triumph and Timeless Tale of Growing Up.
What a treat - theatre night out in London with pals. And hurrah, the RSC’s production of The Buddha of Suburbia was nothing short of...
Sophie Welsh
Nov 12, 20242 min read
14 views
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Mock Exams: What do the Grades Mean and How to Help Your Child use them for Success
So, your child’s slogged through the mock exams and the results are in. You’re feeling a rollercoaster of emotions about them.
Sophie Welsh
Nov 8, 20242 min read
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Beyond the Book: 'Purple Hibiscus', Why Wider Reading is your Secret Weapon at A Level / IB English Lit
Let’s be honest - securing those top grades at A Level or IB English Lit isn’t about your child nodding earnestly at Hamlet.
Sophie Welsh
Oct 22, 20243 min read
14 views
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VIP Treatment or a Learning Squad?: The English Online Tuition Dilemma
Tuition. That golden ticket to better grades, fewer exam jitters, and the occasional boast at the school gates.
Sophie Welsh
Oct 14, 20243 min read
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How to Win at Literature Essays (Spoiler: Plan First)
Here’s the secret: with a solid plan, your child will breeze through their English essay faster and with fewer bumps along the way.
Sophie Welsh
Oct 7, 20242 min read
7 views
0 comments
Tile by Tile: Engaging Teens with Scrabble and the English Lexicon
Scrabble. The ultimate arena where vocabulary triumphs and three-letter words go to die. And a great game to boost your vocabulary!
Sophie Welsh
Oct 2, 20242 min read
20 views
4 comments
Getting Your Teenager to Read... Is It Even Possible?
“You want the A*? Read.” So, how do you actually get kids to read? Spoiler alert: it’s easier than you think, and it's critical.
Sophie Welsh
Sep 24, 20242 min read
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The Topic Sentence: Signpost to Excelling in English Literature Exams with The LangLit Studio
Is your child staring blankly at their English Lit essay, fear not - The LangLit Studio Literature tuition is here to help.
Sophie Welsh
Sep 16, 20242 min read
64 views
4 comments
Last night I dreamt of Arthur Miller
There he was, in all his intellectual glory, stretching like a cross between Socrates and Usain Bolt.
Sophie Welsh
Sep 9, 20243 min read
3 views
0 comments
Raring to Go?
September’s Prize-Winning Books for Discerning Parents as well as A-Level / IB Literature Students and their Discerning Parents
Sophie Welsh
Sep 2, 20244 min read
7 views
0 comments
What's on offer ** new timings coming for group classes
Well it’s official. We have had the summer holidays. I hope you had fun. Now it is time to get back to work!
Sophie Welsh
Aug 26, 20242 min read
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Page to Stage - the unwritten adaptation (just as the West End beats me to it)
Shush, I know we shouldn’t have favourites. But if I had to choose, go on then, it would undoubtedly be the IB’s Literature and Performance
Sophie Welsh
Aug 19, 20242 min read
9 views
1 comment
Shakespeare Reworked
Shakespeare is nothing if not a crackingly good storyteller. That he stole most of his plot lines is neither here nor there, just don’t ask
Sophie Welsh
Aug 13, 20243 min read
7 views
0 comments
A Trip of a Lifetime, with a Nice Little PhD Attached
There's an unmatched thrill in perusing the dusty shelves of a second-hand bookshop, where the scent of old paper and the promise of...
Sophie Welsh
Aug 5, 20243 min read
15 views
0 comments
Theresa, Abu Dhabi
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