EMC CPD Webinar: Developing Critical Readers for GCSE (Language and Literature)
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Availability -
Places available
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Price - £45 per place
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Location - Online
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Duration - 2-3.30pm
See Booking Details for how to take advantage of our 2 for 1 offer.
Course details
Preparing students for the very specific and deliberate forms of response required for GCSE requires a pragmatic approach which can, sometimes, make it hard to keep authenticity and enjoyment at the heart of teaching about texts. This webinar will explore some ways to do so, ensuring that students are developing as thoughtful, critical readers who are able to root analysis in genuine, personal responses to texts.
The webinar will touch on:
- Task design which avoids the closing down of possibility
- The framing of questions which challenge and engage
- Classroom talk which is open and exploratory
- Implications for curriculum design at Key Stage 3, as well as Key Stage 4.
NB: This is a repeat course.
This course will be recorded but attendees will not be audible or visible.
EMC's Webinar Packages
- This webinar is included in EMC's Webinar Packages. Click here for details of the EMC Termly Webinar Package – Spring 2026 and to order for your department.
- See 'Further Details' for how to join this webinar if your department has bought a package (EMC Annual Webinar Package 2025-26 or EMC Termly Webinar Package – Spring 2026).
Online, via Zoom. Details of how to join will be sent before the session.
- If relevant, course materials will be sent the day before the course in the email with your joining instructions. Please either print these out or have them available on screen during the session.
- After the session you will receive the PowerPoint presentation and any resources used on the course.
- After the session you will receive a link to register to watch a recording of this session on-demand until 30th April 2026.
How to join this course if your department has bought the webinar package
- To join the live session, register using the registration link sent to the departmental key contact. You can register to join the live session right up to the start of the webinar. Use the unique link sent by [email protected] to join the webinar on the day.
- To watch the recording on-demand, register using the on-demand registration link sent to the departmental key contact the day after the live session. This email will also include the PowerPoint presentation and any additional resources. On-demand access expires 30th April 2026.
I was unable to make it live, but have appreciated it on-demand today. It’s always as if I’ve been on an energising, invigorating brisk Autumn walk when I’ve taken part in any EMC course, and this breath of fresh air was no exception! It reminds me of why I’m an English teacher in the first place and has given me a nudge back on track to stop getting sucked into the vortex of AOs and PEEL paragraphs! Phew! Emma Smith, Derby High School, Developing Critical Readers for GCSE – Language and Literature, 2025
It got the fire burning in me again after a few months of tediously annotating non-fiction passages in a mechanical, closed way. Hannah Ryan, Canford, Developing Critical Readers for GCSE – Language and Literature, 2025
James Durran
James Durran is a part-time Senior Education Adviser in North Yorkshire, with 25 years’ experience teaching English, media and drama in state secondary schools. He has been a Head of English and an Advanced Skills Teacher, has lectured on initial teacher training courses and has tutored on MA courses for the Institute of Education (UCL) and the British Film Institute. An experienced trainer, James has delivered seminars, lectures and practical workshops across the country and abroad on the teaching of English, media and literacy, for both secondary and primary teachers. He has published a number of books for teachers and students, including (with Andrew Burn) Media Literacy in Schools.
EMC's Webinar Packages
- This webinar is included in EMC's Webinar Packages. Click here for details of the EMC Termly Webinar Package – Spring 2026 and to order for your department.
- See 'Further Details' for how to join this webinar if your department has bought a package (EMC Annual Webinar Package 2025-26 or EMC Termly Webinar Package – Spring 2026).
Booking this course as a 'one-off' purchase
- Bookings for this course will close at 8am (London, UK) on Friday 6th March, or when capacity is reached, whichever is the sooner.
- This course is part of our 2 for 1 offer
- Book a place on this course and you’ll be sent a voucher code entitling you to book a further place on the same course for a colleague at your school. Your code will be emailed to you as soon as we have received your booking.
- Please note: bookings for this course close at 8am on Friday 6th March. The 2nd free place must be booked before the closing date, so please make sure you give yourself enough time!
- Your voucher can only be redeemed online and is only eligible against this course.
(Any issues please email Lucy.)
- This course must be booked and paid for online. Payment by invoice is not available for this session. Please note: your fee is non-refundable.
- To book this course you must be signed into one of the following accounts (registering an account first if you need to):
- UK Trust/Academy – Head Office (purchasing)
- UK Educator Admin (purchasing)
- UK Teacher – Home Address Only
- UK Private Individual
- Overseas
- If you have a UK Educator Standard account you will not be able to book the course. Sign in to your account and add it to your Wishlist. See the list of people able to book courses at your organisation by clicking ‘My Account’, then ‘Our Admin Users’.
- Click 'Book now’ (right-hand column).
- Add the number of places you need.
- Fill in the names and email addresses of the people attending. To secure your place, please make sure you add the attendee details immediately and checkout within 24 minutes. Otherwise the booking will expire and you will have to begin the process again.
- Click submit and then Go to basket.
- Checkout. (Payment by invoice is not available for this session.)
- IF TAKING ADVANTAGE OF OUR 2 FOR 1 OFFER, PLEASE WAIT TO BE SENT YOUR CODE BEFORE BOOKING YOUR 2ND PLACE.
- Once you have booked your place, you will see a screen indicating your order has been successful. You may want to make a note of your order number. The person making the booking and the attendee will receive an automatic acknowledgement of your booking.
- Instructions on how to join the course (including Zoom login details) will be sent from [email protected] for the first time on the day bookings close. Reminders, including any course handouts, will be sent the day before and one-hour before the course. Please check your junk or promotions folder. Still no luck? Email us before 1pm on the course day [email protected].
Cancellation and amendments
- Afternoon and twilight webinars must be paid for by card at the time of booking.
- The fee is non-refundable.
- However, the webinars are recorded. Anyone who books a place on the course will be sent a link to register to access the recording of the webinar until 30th April 2026, regardless of whether they attended live.