Quiz Time!

Check out these links to some quizzes on The Merchant of Venice and test yourself!... You can practice them over Christmas so you don't forget the play !!
Quotes Quiz

Quiz on Shylock's Equality Speech

Body Language Secrets!

In Communications class we have learned how important body language is in communication. Check out this video on communicationns which analyses the body language of people in the public eye. This video shows the secrets of body language.

Shakespeare Savvy!

If you want to learn more about Shakespeare click here. This video shows The Globe Theatre, as well as information about Shakespeare's early life and education. It also gives you an idea of the time in which Shakespeare wrote his famous plays.

What a Wordsmith!

The Oxford English Dictionary records more than 1,000 examples of words that were either coined by Shakespeare or were first used by him in his plays and poems... pretty impressive! Click on the image to see the words in full.

To Coin a Phrase!

Would you believe many of the phrases we use today began life in Shakespeare's work. We use many of these phrases everyday, without realising they came from the great writer, William Shakespeare!... Click on the picture above to see all the phrases in full.

Struggling with Shakespeare?

If you are finding Shakespeare's langauge or works difficult, Here is a link to No Fear Shakespeare. This translates some of Shakespeare's most famous plays into modern, everyday language!

The Wild Swans at Coole, W.B. Yeats

Here is an interesting podcast discussing 'The Wild Swans at Coole'. It includes a reading of the poem and details some of the political and personal events in Yeats' life and Ireland at the time the poem was written. This is an interesting talk that will help you to understand the meaning behind the poem.

The Language of Persuasion

We encounter the language of persuasion around us every day, from advertisements to politician's speeches. The language of persuasion appeals to our emotions, unlike the language of argument, which appeals to our logic and reason.
One of the most powerful, modern orators (public speaker) is the American President, Barack Obama. Below I have posted the video of Barack Obama's Dublin Speech. There is also a link to the full text of the speech here. Obama uses a variety of persuasive technqiues, including humour, triadic pattern (list of three) and repetition, to name but a few. Check out the video below and see how many persuasive langauge techniques you can identify!

Poetry Revision

If you are a bit rusty on your poetry terms after the long holidays, have a listen to these podcasts on  The Patterns of Poetry on the SCC Blog. These are short, interesting and informative audioboos, which re-cap on the important poetry terms. These podcasts are particularly good for Leaving Cert. students, so get listening!

Check this Out!

Check out this award winning blog by Saint Columba's College in Dublin here. There are lots of interesting articles and links to keep an eye on and lots of topics to help you with your English course.

Short Story Writing

Writing a short story can be a challenging task.


Here is an interesting video to help you remember the important elements to include when writing a short story! Good luck with your writing!

Welcome!

Welcome to this English Blog, where you will find lots of interesting information, videos and links relating to topics you will be covering in your English class.
Take the time to look at all the posts and tabs. I am sure you will be informed and entertained by what you find!... Enjoy!