Aims of the Course
The main aims of this course are to introduce students to short stories from a wide range of authors, from classics from Somerset Maugham, O Henry, Bierce, and DH Lawrence, to modern authors such as Bradbury, Helen Dunmore, Kazuo Ishiguro and Penelope Lively to name a few.
Short stories offer a bite size way of exploring a marvellous range of genre and classic authors. They are engaging, offering an open door to highly crafted texts, so students can jump right into the nuts and bolts of great literature and develop valuable skills in close reading before they are asked to perform close readings in the (much larger) space of a novel. Their length is great for building confidence. Short stories are also great family reads.
The length of the works means lessons can be scaffolded to support students with specific learning needs, or those who find longer text overwhelming at this stage. They are short enough to encourage re-reading and mastery of the text.
Homework Expectations
Add-On Options
How It Supports Your Child's Education
Who Teaches Short Stories and Novellas?
Jenny Wells holds a degree in History of Art and English from the University of York, and an MA from the Open University. She home educated her children, and has been teaching History of Art and English GCSE and A Levels at an independent Oxford sixth form college for over twelve years, including being an A level examiner for History of Art. She has a special interest in teaching and encouraging students with specific learning needs.
See all courses taught by Jenny