ENGLISH - Channel 4

4Learning 

PO Box 400 

Wetherby 

LS23 7LG 

Telephone 08701 246 444 

www.channel4.com/learning 

ENGLISH 

Resources for 11–19 year olds 

2003/2004 

Videos 

Books 

CD-ROMs 

Websites 

Online Support 

INSPIRATION

Dear Colleague 

I’m delighted to send you 4Learning’s English Brochure for 11–19 year olds for the academic year 2003/2004. As you’ll see, our learning 

resources on CD-ROM, online, in print and on video enhance and extend the 400 hours of schools programmes we broadcast during term 

time on Channel 4. 

As a provider of high quality learning resources, we are so much more than a TV channel. 

Highlights for this year include: 

• An exciting, contemporary version of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, with Viola and Sebastian presented as asylum seekers in Illyria 

• Arrows of Desire, which traces the development of English verse through the ages, giving audiences an insight into the poet’s craft 

Please bear in mind that any title featured in this brochure bearing this logo qualifies for the DfES’ eLearning Credits (eLCs). 

For more information about eLCs, visit the FAQ section at www.channel4.com/learningshop 

If you require more copies of this brochure please call 08701 246 444. We always welcome comments and feedback, so once you start 

using 4Learning’s resources with your classes contact us at 4learning@channel4.co.uk and tell us what you think. 

My best wishes for a happy and successful year. 

Heather Rabbatts, Managing Director, 4Learning 

HOW TO ORDER YOUR LEARNING RESOURCES 

All the resources in this brochure are available direct 

from 4Learning. When ordering, please quote the prices and 

ISBNs shown alongside the product descriptions. Payments 

can be made either by cheque, credit card or debit card. 

We welcome Visa, Mastercard, Delta and Switch. 

You can order resources from 

4Learning in several ways: 

By telephone 

Call 08701 246 444 and place your order 

By post 

Complete the order form in this brochure and send it to 

4Learning, PO Box 400, Wetherby, LS23 7LG 

By fax 

Complete the order form in this brochure and send it to 

08701 246 446 

Via the Internet 

Our online shop has been designed so that you can purchase 

online securely and safely. 

Go to www.channel4.com/learningshop 

Please note that postage and packaging is charged at 

£3.90 per order received by post, phone or fax. 

Orders placed via our online shop will be charged postage 

and packaging at £2.00 per order. 

Orders for new products not released until the summer or 

autumn terms will incur additional postage charges of 

£3.90 per term. 

Prices in this brochure are guaranteed until 1 April 2004. 

All products marked with this symbol * include VAT. 

How to use this brochure 

Our resources are categorised by subject and indicate the 

age ranges for which they are suitable. 

Follow these easy icons: 

Video CD-ROM / TV-ROM 

Teachers’ Guide Poster 

Book Website 

Activity Book Programme Notes / 

Pack 

Online Extras 

You can order any of these resources in several ways: Phone: 08701 246 444 Online: www.channel4.com/learningshop 

LANGUAGE WRITING ONLINE SUPPORT 

Way With Words 

NEW 

www.channel4.com/waywithwords 

Age 11-14 

An interactive literature and language website for 11 to 14-year-old 

English students, with everything from Shakespeare to 

contemporary dialect writing. The site features eight major writers 

and more than four hours of interactive activities covering poetry, 

prose and drama. There's also a wealth of background information 

and practical guidance to enhance students' creativity and skills in 

English. Guided by dub poet Benjamin Zephaniah and cartoon 

character Lex, users will find more than 30 challenging games and 

activities which require them to analyse poems or passages of 

prose, to write in the style of a well-known children's author and 

even direct an online scene from Shakespeare. 

Using unique video-animated poetry readings, including Zephaniah's 

powerful version of Blake's The Tyger, users can also explore the 

relationship between print, sound and moving image. 

Sections on non-fiction and language introduce students to factual 

writing conventions and genres and provide opportunities to practise 

grammar and spelling. Writers featured on the site include: William 

Shakespeare, William Blake, Percy Shelley, Lewis Carroll, Lorna 

Goodison, Benjamin Zephaniah, Jacqueline Wilson and David 

Almond. All the modules are designed to help students meet the 

requirements for the national literacy strategy at Key Stage 3. 

Fairground Spells 

www.channel4.com/fairground 

Age 11–14 

Post: 4Learning, PO Box 400, Wetherby, LS23 7LG Fax: 08701 246 446 

Fairground Spells is an interactive online set of fairground rides 

and games for Key Stage 3 and Scottish level E, F English students. 

Using traditional and modern rides from the fairground as a setting 

the user can practise their English skills from English Key Stage 3 

Writing – Spelling and Punctuation. Dodgems, Mole in the Hole, 

Ferris wheels, Grabber Grammar and Fruit Machines provide 

entertaining settings for practice with suffixes and prefixes, 

punctuation and spelling. 

The fairground theme is used to provide free rides and high 

personal scores, which encourage the user both throughout the 

game, and to return at a later time to improve their skills. 

Visit the website at www.channel4.com/fairground 

1

LANGUAGE WRITING 

Middle English 

The Write Stuff 

Key Stage 3 / Scottish Level E, F 

Age 11–14 

Curriculum Relevance 

• Encourages the study of language 

• The patterns and structure of English 

• Handwriting and presentation 

• Spelling 

With Sean Hughes as the presenter and featuring John Hegley, the 

magazine-style format of these programmes delivers a lively 

investigation into three writing fundamentals. The unit combines 

practical guidance with brief histories explaining how the rules of 

writing came about. 

Video 

1. Handwriting 

2. Spelling 

3. Punctuation 

3 x 20-minute programmes 

1851449868 £19.99* 

Programme Notes 

These contain an outline of this secondary video, including 

curriculum relevance, further reading and suggestions on how it can 

be used in the classroom. Visit www.channel4.com/secondary 

2 


Henry V – England’s Captain 


Age 11–14 


• Language variation 

• Analysis and review 

• Comparison of texts, reading for meaning 

• Shakespeare 

These programmes aim to make literacy more attractive to 

reluctant readers by locating a Shakespeare play in todays world of 

football. Henry V, a set text for Key Stage 3, is about leadership and 

patriotism and many parallels can be made with football. Clips from 

Kenneth Branagh's film of Henry V and interviews with well-known 

football figures make the play even more accessible and intelligible 

to the audience. 

Video 

1. Once More Onto the Pitch 

2. Agincourt: England Win Away 


1862158142 £14.99* 

Online Extras 

These offer free additional activities that complement 4Learning’s 

videos but can also be used independently. Sections may include: 

key information for each topic; FAQ; a quiz; a key word glossary and 

student activities. Visit www.channel4.com/secondary 



Writing for Kicks 

Key Stage 3 / Scottish Level E and F 

Age 11–14 

Endorsed by the 


National Literacy 

Association's Guide 


to Literacy 

• Analysis and review 

Resources 2002 

• Writing to explore, imagine, entertain 

• Writing to inform, describe, comment 

• Comparison of texts, reading for meaning 

Appealing to both boys and girls, these new units aim to make Literacy 

more attractive by focusing on football. Sport provides a rich seam of 

exploration, with opportunities for discovering a range of writing skills 

and techniques. Teachers will observe a new level of engagement from 

even the most reluctant readers and writers of all ages. 

The programmes explore the techniques required by three different 

writing genres. 

Video 

1. Match Reports 

An experienced journalist reveals some of the tricks of the trade 

in a Saturday match report 

2. Barnsley FC Poet 

Ian McMillan plies his trade as Barnsley Football Club's Poet 

in Residence 

3. Football Fictions 

Fiction writers explain why football offers such fertile subject matter 


1862157456 £19.99* 

Online Extras 

These offer free additional activities that 

complement 4Learning’s videos but can also 

be used independently. Sections may 

include: key information for each topic; FAQ; 

a quiz; a key word glossary and student 

activities. Visit www.channel4.com/secondary 

Resource Book 

This fun and colourful Resource Book looks at 

how the language of sport grabs the attention of 

even the most reluctant reader or writer. How 

did Vinnie Jones feel when he stepped on to the 

Wembley turf for the first time? Can your pupils 

create their own match headlines? Which poems 

have been influenced by football? Find out what it 

is like to commentate on an international game, or 

to write a match report for a national newspaper. 

Packed full of writing tips, this invaluable resource also provides 

opportunities for discussion and lots of ideas for creative writing 

activities that pupils will enjoy. 

1862158126 £5.99 


LITERATURE WRITING 

Famous Footballers 

This book tells the stories of six famous footballers with one thing in 

common – they have all been brilliant players. Over the past six 

decades, each one has contributed to the history and legend of the 

game. 

A chapter of the book is dedicated to each player, in which his life 

story, his unique talents, and the challenges he faced both on and 

off the pitch are related. Each biography ends with a fact file 

summarising the player's career and achievements. The footballers' 

stories are brought to life with illustrations that echo the style of 

football comics and magazines from days gone by. 

Featured players: Sir Stanley Matthews, Pele, Denis Law, 

John Barnes, Eric Cantona and Tony Adams. 

1862158576 £4.99 

Pack of 6 books 

Get six books for the price of five 

1851448926 £24.99* 

Resource Book 

Famous Footballers Book 

3

LANGUAGE 

The Time of My Life 


Age 11–13 

A stimulating archive of interviews with older people who speak 

about what have been the most significant events and experiences of 

their lives. The programmes study a wide range of topics such as 

housing, work patterns, war and schooling. 





Coolaboola 


Age 11–14 


• Influences on spoken and written language 

• Attitudes to language use 

• Listening skills 


• The development of English 

Does the cultural dominance of West Coast America among young 

people signal the death of local languages and dialects? This threepart 

series contests that view by taking a fresh innovative approach 

to dialect within a sketch show form. 

4 

Videos 

Programmes 1–5 

1. East London, early 1900s 

2. Yorkshire Mills 1930s 

3. Ireland 1930s–1940s 

4. Fraserburgh, 

Scotland from 1939 

5. D-Day Landings 


1862159556 £14.99* 

Coolaboola is an exploration of how language is a living form 

combining comedic literary, musical and other cultural sources 

available across local and national boundaries. A key message 

emerging from Coolaboola is that no dialect or language form is 

better or worse than any other – rather, that certain forms of 

language are more appropriate than others in particular situations (or 

as Swift wrote in 1720, ‘proper words in proper places’). 

Identifying the influences of Gaelic, Old and Middle English and 

Ulster Scots on contemporary vernacular speech, this series 

emphasises how dialect can provide positive cultural identities. 

Video 


1862157901 £19.99* 

Programmes 6–10 

6. Tiger Bay, Cardiff 1950s 

7. Dorset Farming 1940s–1960s 

8. Immigration, Bradford 1960s 

9. Liverpool 1960s 

10. London 1970s 


1862159564 £14.99* 







Whose Side Are You On? 

The Great Hunting Debate / Meat and Veg 


Age 11–14 


• Speaking and listening activities 

• Using the language of argument and persuasion 

• Improvisation, live talks and presentations 

• Prompts discussion and debate 

The Great Hunting Debate 

Video 

1. No Hunting, No Deer 

2. Hunting is Horror 


1862151210 £19.99* 

Some of the images in 

these programmes may be 

disturbing. It is advisable 

to preview before viewing 

with a class. 

Debating Pack 

This pack includes 

photocopiable activities that 

support work on speaking 

and listening in relation to 

the four programmes from 

Whose Side are You On? 

Written by Jim Sweetman 

1862152071 £14.95 

Meat and Veg 

Video 

1. Meat is Murder 

2. Eat Meat 


1862154368 £19.99* 

Debating Pack 

Ring-bound pack includes photocopiable activities to support work 

on speaking and listening in relation to the two programmes from 

Whose Side are You On? Meat and Veg 

1851449876 £9.99 

The English Programme 

The Gift of the Gab 

LANGUAGE 

Key Stage 4 and GCSE / Scottish Level SG, NQs 

Age 14–16 


• Reading, understanding and responding to a range of 

types of literary text 

• Appreciating the techniques authors use to achieve their 

effects 

• Developing the skills necessary for literary study 

In this series, Belfast novelist Glenn Patterson sets a tough challenge 

for Ireland’s leading writers. He puts their talent for words to the test, 

asking them to explain the craft of writing in a way that is both lively 

and revealing for the GCSE student. In a journey that takes him from 

workroom to audience, he investigates the process by which the 

writers first choose their genre and then their words. 

The series includes writers such as Graham Linehan, creator of Father 

Ted, screenwriter Enda Walsh, playwright Daragh Carville, journalist 

Jenny McCartney and poets Frank Ormsby and Nuala Ni Dhomhnaill. 

Video 

1. Screenwriters 

Graham Linehan and Enda Walsh 

2. Playwrights 

Ursula Rani Sarma 

& Daragh Carville 

3. Journalists 

Stuart Bailie & Jenny McCartney 


281088 £19.99* 


These contain an outline of this secondary video, including curriculum 

relevance, further reading and suggestions on how it can be used in 

the classroom. Visit www.channel4.com/secondary 


Language 2 


4. Poets 

Frank Ormsby 

& Nuala Ni Dhomhnaill 

5. Prose Writers 

Claire Keegan 

& Glenn Patterson 

Key Stage 4 / Scottish Level SG, NQs / Age 14–16 

Video 

Five programmes studying the development of language, available 

on a single video. 

1. Ow We Spake 2. Words Fail Us 3. Language in a Store 

4. Falkland Tales 5. Writing It Down 


1851449922 £19.99* 

5

LANGUAGE / LITERATURE DRAMA 


Writers from Wales 


Age 14–16 


• Texts from different cultures and traditions 

• National Curriculum multicultural dimensions 

Writers working in the English language in Wales talk about 

influences on their work and show examples of their writing, 

providing inspiration for students to create their own work in each of 

the featured genres. 

War Game 

Age 9–14 


• Moving image and media texts 

• Historical contexts and interpretation 

• Speaking and listening skills 

• Consider how ideas, values and emotions are explored 

The haunting sound of men singing drifted 

back and forth across no man’s land in the 

still night air. ‘Good night, Tommies. See you 

tomorrow.’ ‘Good night, Fritz. We’ll have 

another game.’ 

War Game follows the story of Will, Lacey and 

Fredies – three young Suffolk lads who leave their 

idyllic country lives to fight in the trenches of World 

War I. Surrounded by the chaos and confusion of 

war, they can only dream of their football team, 

their friends and the families they have left behind. 

However, on Christmas Day, a football game is 

started between the Germans and the English. 

Scrambling onto no man’s land, the men come face 

to face with the enemy they have never seen and 

the true futility of their fight. For a brief moment, 

differences are forgotten, the men unite and the 

seeds of hope are planted. But joy has no place in 

the War and the men are soon recalled to the 

trenches to continue the battle. 

From a football game in the fields of Suffolk to a 

match in the heart of Flanders, War Game shows the 

realisation of three young men’s ambitions to play 

for England and the ability of the human spirit to 

exist in the harshest conditions. Featuring the voice 

of Kate Winslet. 

6 

NEW 

Video 

1. Film and Television Drama 

Lucy Gough and Ed Thomas 

2. Prose 

Mike Jenkins and Catherine Fisher 

3. Poetry 

Gillian Clarke and Labbi Siffre 


1862159203 £19.99* 

Online Extras 





Video 

1 x 30-minute programme 

1851448128 £14.99* 


Our free online resource contains background information, further 

reading and suggestions on how programmes can be used in the 

classroom. Visit www.channel4.com/primary 

Also useful for history 


cross 

REF 

4. Factual Writing 

Peter Morgan and 

Robert Minhinnick 

5. Theatre 

Frank Vickery and 

Ian Rowlands 


Cinderella 


Age 11–14 



• Media and moving-image texts 

The story of Cinderella is one of the most famous fables in the 

world, with hundreds of versions stretching across all continents 

and many centuries. This version, starring Jane Birkin, Leslie 

Phillips, Kathleen Turner and David Warner, is not the pantomime 

made famous during the nineteenth century, but contains authentic 

elements taken from the many versions of the original story. 

The drama is followed by a documentary, The Many Cinderellas, 

which explores the richness and variety of the fable across cultures 

and centuries. 

Video 

1. Cinderella – the drama (in three parts) 

2. The Many Cinderellas 


1862156417 £19.99* 

Online Extras 

These offer free additional activities that complement 

4Learning’s videos but can also be used independently. 

Sections may include: key information for each topic; 

FAQ; a quiz; a key word glossary and student activities. 

Visit www.channel4.com/secondary 


LITERATURE DRAMA 


Attila the Hen 


Age 11–14 


• Literature adapted into animated form 

• Opportunities to debate intensive farming 

Paddy Mounter’s novel Attila The Hen is brought to life through 

drawn animation. Attila and some of her scrawny sisters hatch a 

cunning plan to escape from the terrible conditions of the battery 

farm. Unfortunately, they find that life outside is not what they 

expected. The rigid pecking order falls apart and Attila is forced to 

lead the way through one incident after another. 

Video 


1862158304 £19.99* 

Online Extras 





7



Under the Hawthorn Tree 


Age 11–14 


• Texts from other cultures and traditions 

• Migration and emigration 

• Standard and non-standard English studies 

• The Victorian era 

• Speaking and listening, reading and writing 

This film treatment of Marita Conlon-McKenna’s acclaimed novel 

brilliantly recreates the Great Famine through the story of three 

young survivors – Eily, Michael and Peggy. Starving and in danger of 

the dreaded workhouse, they set out on a journey that will test every 

reserve of strength, love and loyalty they possess. Kilkenny-based 

Young Irish Film Makers have come up with this exciting children-incharge 

film project, shot entirely on location in Ireland. 

Video 

1. Hunger 

2. On Their Own 

3. The Journey 

4. The Search 


1862154961 £19.99* 

Study Guide 

A guide to the novel and film, using photocopiable A4 worksheets 

to explore this account of coping with adversity. 

Published by the O’Brien Press 

0862785839 £4.95 

8 


Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 

Key Stage 4, GCSE and A Level 

Scottish Level SG, NQs / Age 14–19 



• English literary heritage 

• Pre-twentieth-century poetry and literature 

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight was written in the second half of the 

fourteenth century in north-west England where memories of the 

warring Celtic world still lingered. Written by an author whose identity 

remains unknown to this day, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is 

reckoned to be one of the greatest poems in Middle English and this 

contemporary animation treatment retells its compelling story. 

When King Arthur rashly accepts a Christmas challenge from a 

mysterious stranger to engage in a beheading contest, Sir Gawain 

steps forward in his stead. But nothing is as it seems. Gawain finds 

himself struggling to maintain his chivalrous ideals and at the end 

of this dramatic and exciting tale, comes to terms with his own 

limitations. 

Video 


1862157472 £19.99* 

Online Extras 






Beckett on Film 

GCSE and A Level / Scottish Level SG, NQs 

Age 14–19 

Curriculum Benefits 

• Drama and dramatic convention 

• Skills of directing 

• Study of language and meaning 

During 1999 and 2000, all 19 of Samuel Beckett's stage plays were 

filmed. Some of the films were shown on Channel 4's main schedule 

during 2001, others are being shown during 2002/3, and on 

FilmFour. 17 of the films, including Beckett's four longer plays, are 

being shown in the 4Learning schedule. 

Videos 

Endgame and Breath 

Endgame 

Directed by Conor McPherson. Performed by Michael Gambon, 

David Thewlis, Charles Simon and Jean Anderson 

Breath 

Directed by Damien Hirst 


186215838X £19.99* 

Krapp’s Last Tape, Act Without Words 1 and Not I 

Krapp’s Last Tape 

Directed by Atom Egoyan. Performed by John Hurt 

Act Without Words 1 

Directed by Karel Reisz. Performed by John Foley 

Not I 

Directed by Neil Jordan. Performed by Julianne Moore 


1862158398 £19.99* 

Happy Days and Act Without Words 2 

Happy Days 

Directed by Patricia Rozema. Performed by Rosaleen Linehan and 

Richard Johnson 

Act Without Words 2 

Directed by Enda Hughes. Performed by Pat Kinevane 

and Marcello Magni 


1862158401 £19.99* 

Waiting for Godot 

Directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg. Performed by 

Barry McGovern, Johnny Murphy, Stephen Brennan, 

Alan Stanford and Sam McGovern 


1862158371 £19.99* 



What Where, Footfalls, Come and Go and Rockaby 

What Where 

Directed by Damien O’Donnell. Performed by Sean McGinley 

and Gary Lewis 

Footfalls 

Directed by Walter Asmus. Performed by Susan Fitzgerald 

and Joan O’Hara 

Come and Go 

Directed by John Crowley. Performed by Paola Dionisotti, 

Anna Massey and Sian Phillips 

Rockaby 

Directed by Sir Richard Eyre. Performed by Penelope Wilton 


1862159270 £19.99* 

That Time, A Piece of Monologue, Play and Catastrophe 

That Time 

Directed by Charles Garrad. Performed by Niall Buggy 

A Piece of Monologue 

Directed by Robin Lefevre. Performed by Stephen Brennan 

Play 

Directed by Anthony Minghella. Performed by Alan Rickman, Kristin 

Scott-Thomas and Juliet Stevenson 

Catastrophe 

Directed by David Mamet. Performed by Harold Pinter, 

Rebecca Pidgeon and Sir John Gielgud 


1862159289 £19.99* 

Ohio Impromptu, Rough for Theatre I and Rough for Theatre II 

Ohio Impromptu 

Directed by Charles Sturridge. Performed by Jeremy Irons 

Rough for Theatre I 

Directed by Kieron J Walsh. Performed by David Kelly 

and Milo O’Shea 

Rough for Theatre II 

Directed by Katie Mitchell. Performed by Jim Norton, 

Timothy Spall and Hugh B O’Brien 


1862159297 £19.99* 

Booklet 

A valuable introduction to Beckett’s life, his relationship with the 

theatre and the main themes of his work. Also features a unique 

collection of quotations from some amazing talents such as 

John Hurt and Damien Hurst, who worked on 4Learning’s Beckett 

Film project. An ideal starting point for appreciating one of the 

twentieth century’s great writers. 

1862442960 £4.95 

Online Extras 





Website: www.channel4.com/beckett 

For general interest, this site includes biographies of the renowned 

actors and directors involved in the Beckett on Film project 

9


Off Limits 

Losing It 

Key Stage 4, GCSE+ / Scottish Level E, F, SG, NQs 

Age 14–19 


• Developing confidence and responsibility 

• Developing a healthy, safer lifestyle 

• Developing good relationships 

One in five young people experience mental health problems, and 

one in ten have problems serious enough to need professional help. 

Taking its audience on the first steps towards understanding stress 

and anxiety, depression and disorder, self-harm, suicide and despair, 

this drama is designed to help young people, and those working with 

them, to: 

• identify the factors which affect mental health 

• understand what mental health is and distinguish it from 

mental illness 

• overcome the fear and stigma associated with mental illness 

• develop confidence, self-esteem and emotional literacy 

Losing It is supported by a Science on Stage and Screen Award 

from The Wellcome Trust. 

Video 


1862158312 £9.99* 

Website: www.channel4.com/losingit 

Contains ideas for classroom discussion, background information, 

contact names and addresses to follow up issues highlighted, ten 

tips for friends and relatives and an ABC of mental health. 

10 

Off Limits 

Strong Language 

Key Stage 4, GCSE+ / Scottish Level SG, NQs 

Age 14–19 


• Prompts discussions and debate about a wide range of 

personal and social issues 

This powerful and intriguing drama tells the story of Zoe, a deaf 

teenager struggling to establish her identity and independence. 

Subtitled throughout, this programme is intended equally for deaf 

and hearing viewers. 

Video 


1862158320 £9.99* 






LITERATURE SHAKESPEARE TV-ROM 

Macbeth 

Key Stage 3, 4, GCSE 

Scottish Level E, F, SG, NQs 

Age 13–16 

Directed by Michael Bogdanov and starring Greta Scacchi and Sean 

Pertwee, this vibrant production is aimed at a generation of young 

viewers who are extremely television-literate, but probably 

unfamiliar with Shakespearean drama. A carefully-edited text 

enables students to explore the playwright’s handling of passion, 

murderous fury, betrayal and guilt, and provides a thoughtprovoking 

portrait of Macbeth and his Lady. The popular case list is 

instantly recognisable to students who are used to watching modern 

drama and soaps. 

Video 


1862152977 £19.99* 

Study Guide 

16-page photocopiable study guide to accompany the Macbeth video. 

1862152373 £4.95 





TV-ROM 

Macbeth 

Age 13+ 

Winner 

of an NLA WOW 

Award 2002 

Endorsed by the 

National Literacy 

Association’s Guide 

to Literacy 

Resources 2002 

This TV-ROM is intended for 13–16 year old students working at all 

levels on Shakespeare’s plays. Differentiated commentaries and 

prompts enable pupils of all abilities to appreciate the richness of 

Macbeth through language, theme, character, and exploration of the 

key scenes. 

The unique format of the package gives students the opportunity to 

consider how texts are changed when adapted to a different media, 

and how Shakespeare’s themes appeal to today’s audience. 

Key features: 

• Contains 86 minutes of high-quality video footage of 4Learning’s 

vibrant and futuristic production of Macbeth 

• Offers a comprehensive glossary 

• Accessible background information and historical notes 

• Links to a selection of websites on the Internet 

• Easy navigation 



The Merchant of Venice 

Scottish level E, F, SG, NQs 

Age 11–16 

Filmed in the 

studio and on 

location, this 

lavish production 

stars Bob Peck, 

Haydn Gwynne, 

Paul McGann 

and Benjamin 

Whitrow. With 

its focus on 

capitalism, the 

position of 

women and, of 

course, racism in 

the form of anti-Semitism, Shakespeare’s play resonates across the 

ages, making it a rich learning resource. 

Video 


1862152853 £19.99* 

TV-ROM (PC version) 

1862157138 £47.00* 

Additional copies only with initial order 

1862157928 £11.75* each 

TV-ROM (Mac version) 

1862158258 £47.00* 

Additional copies only with initial order 

1862158266 £11.75* each 

System Requirements 

PC 

• 133MHz Pentium running Windows 95(b) and above (Windows 98, NT4 or 2000) 

• 64MB RAM • 15" colour monitor 

• Thousands of colours • 16-bit high colour at 800x600 

• CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive • Sound Blaster sound card (or compatible) 

• 900MB of free disk space 

Mac 

• 160MHz PowerPC processor running MacOS 8.5 or above 

• 64MB available RAM • 15" colour monitor 

• Thousands of colours at 800x600 • CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive 

• 900MB of free disk space 

☎ see page 21 for details of 4Learning’s dedicated Technical Support Service 

11

LITERATURE SHAKESPEARE 


Behind the Scenes at the RSC 


Scottish Level SG, NQs 

Age 14–19 


• Drama and performing arts 

• Theatre studies 

This unit provides a rare opportunity to look behind-the-scenes at 

professional theatre craft and production. With unique access to the 

RSC’s workshops and wardrobe, the camera follows renowned 

productions, demonstrating the remarkable craft skills of the staff in the 

Stratford workshops. Featured productions include Measure for Measure, 

The Spanish Tragedy, Much Ado About Nothing and The Tempest. 

King Lear 


Age 14+ 

Video 

King Lear Reflections 

A valuable resource offering context and insight for students of 

King Lear. 


1851449892 £19.99* 

12 

Video 

1. The Stage 

2. The Players 

Set, props and paint Costume, wigs, weapons and make-up 


1862154929 £19.99* 

Study Guide 

Behind the Scenes at the RSC 

Ideal for students of drama and theatre arts, this 24-page guide to 

the crafts and skills behind productions at the RSC explores a range 

of design processes. 

Produced in association with the RSC’s Education Department. 

1862153841 £4.95 

Online Extras 





Shakespeare and his Theatre 

Key Stage 4 / Scottish Level SG, NQs 

Age 14+ 

A two-programme series providing a valuable insight into 

Shakespeare’s life and times and the contemporary theatre of his day. 

Video 


1851449884 £19.99* 


Twelfth Night 

Key Stage 3, 4, GCSE+ 


Age 11–19 


• Understanding the authors craft 

• Reading for meaning 

• English literary heritage 

• Media and moving image text 

‘This production is up to date and a gift for 

anyone who has to teach the play’ TES 

4Learning’s version of Twelfth Night is an exciting contemporary telling 

of this complex tale. For all of its incorporation of modern themes such 

as the plight of refugees, the film successfully retains the magical 

‘otherworldliness’ of Illyria – a land in suspended animation thanks to 

the lovelorn inertia of its ruler and the studied, withdrawn grief of the 

woman he admires. 

The lead role Viola is played by Parminda Nagra following her recent 

success in the popular film Bend It Like Beckham. Co-staring with 

Parminder are Chiwetel Ejiofar (Orsino), described by The Observer as 

‘one of Britain’s finest young actors’, following his compelling 

performance in Stephen Frears’ new film Dirty Pretty Things, and 

Michael Maloney (Malvolio), of Truly, Madly, Deeply fame and a regular 

with the Royal Shakespeare Company. 

The setting is contemporary with Viola and Sebastian presented as 

asylum seekers on their arrival in Illyria. Nitin Sawhney, one of the UK’s 

most successful contemporary composers, has composed the music. 

Video 

1x104-minute programme 

1851448020 £19.99* 

NEW 

Online Extra 

The online accompanying study notes provide an imaginative set of 

resources to help students explore this screen version – resources 

designed to deepen both their understanding of the play and the 

medium of film. Key elements include: studying the film’s 

interpretation and adaptation of Shakespeare for the screen, 

character analysis, and the relationship between Shakespeare’s 

language and film. Visit www.channel4.com/secondary 


LITERATURE SHAKESPEARE 

13

LITERATURE PROSE 


Hooked on Horror 


Age 11–14 


• Characteristics of the horror genre 

• Analysing and interpreting the moving image and media 

texts 

• Twentieth and pre-twentieth century texts 

• Speaking and listening 

This unit provides a lively genre study of popular horror writing, and 

focuses primarily on texts that this age group enjoys reading, from Point 

Horror titles to authors such as Stephen King and James Herbert. 


Dark Tales 


Age 14–16 


• Reading analysis of a variety of texts 

• Written and oral work 

• Twentieth and pre-twentieth century authors 

• Interpretation and analysis of literary themes 

An imaginative look at three 

literary themes, allowing 

comparisons between 

nineteenth and twentieth 

century texts. The unit includes 

surprising suggestions for 

accessible texts appropriate for 

the wider reading requirements 

for GCSE and Standard Grade. 

Video 

1. Outsiders 

From James Dean to 

S E Hinton’s Motorcycle Boy, 

outsiders have been a potent 

theme in film and literature 

2. Cities at Night 

This programme examines 

Dickens’ love affair with 

London alongside twentiethcentury 

authors’ and film 

makers’ treatments of city 

settings 

14 

Video 

1. Ghosts, Ghouls and the Supernatural 

2. The Living Nightmare 

3. The Horror Writer’s Guide 


186215919X £19.99* 

Online Extras 





3. Masks 

This challenging programme looks at why stories about 

transformation and disguise are endlessly fascinating. It 

compares Jekyll and Hyde with Batman, and looks at Angela 

Carter’s obsession with werewolves 


1862159181 £19.99* 

Online Extras 







Science Fiction 


Age 14–16 

Two programmes looking at a literary genre through nineteenthand 

twentieth-century examples. 

Video 

1. H G Wells 

2. Science Fiction in the Twentieth Century 


1862152918 £19.99* 

Online Extras 






Five Authors 


Age 14–16 

Video 

Five programmes, on a single video, examine the writing of 

Sylvia Plath, Dylan Thomas, Charles Dickens, Maya Angelou and 

Nadine Gordimer. 


1862150567 £19.99* 


Women Writers 

Sue Townsend 

LITERATURE PROSE 


Age 14–16 

A lively profile of the early life of one of the most popular and 

humorous authors of recent years. 

Video 


1851449914 £19.99* 


Classic Short Prose 


Age 14–16 


• NEAB anthology 

• Twentieth and pre-twentieth century texts 

The three short stories in this unit have been specially chosen to be 

read in one session. Each story is read by an outstanding actor and 

the programmes include some biographical information on the 

author, along with suggestions for analysis. 

Video 

1. The Tell Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe 

2. Superman and Paula Brown’s New Snowsuit by Sylvia Plath 

3. Your Shoes by Michele Roberts 


1862156425 £19.99* 

Online Extras 





15

LITERATURE POETRY 

Poetry by Numbers 


Age 11–14 


• Compare poems in different forms 

• Provides models for constructing pupil’s own number 

poems 

• Language across the curriculum 

Five of Britain's best-known poets (John Agard, Carol Ann Duffy, 

Jackie Kay, Grace Nichols and Michael Rosen) were invited to write 

poems on every number from 1 to 100. This half-hour programme 

provides a selection by each poet and covers a range of styles, 

forms, moods and tones. 

Video 


1862156565 £14.99* 

Resource Book 

Teachers’ Resource Book includes: 

• reproductions of some of the featured poems 

• background information on the poets 

• ideas for creative writing within a mathematical context 

• suggestions for activities to promote critical appreciation of verse 

1862157103 £6.95 

16 


The Tyger, The Rose 

and The Pleasure Dome 


Age 11–14 


• Develops understanding of language use 

• Encourages pupils to listen, understand and respond 

critically 

A key resource for English, with dramatisations and performances 

of poems written by major poets before 1914. The unit offers a wide 

range of poetry for analysis and interpretation. 

Video 

1. The Tyger ∆ 

Poetry about the natural world 

2. The Rose 

Poetry about romantic love 

3. The Pleasure Dome 

Poetry about magic places 


1862151032 £19.99 

∆ Some of the images in this programme may be disturbing. It is 

advisable to preview before viewing with a class. 






Arrows of Desire 

Key Stage 3, 4, GCSE & A Level 


Age 11-19 


• Poetry and the work of individual 

poets 

Arrows of Desire is an ambitious poetry 

series exploring the great diversity of 

English verse from the age of Chaucer to 

the present day. The series traces the 

development of English verse through the 

ages, giving audiences an insight into the 

poet’s craft. Love poems, satires, nature 

poems, elegies, devotional poems and 

comic verse are all celebrated. The poems 

range in level of difficulty from lower 

secondary to advanced study. 

Each short film deals with the work of a 

single poet, usually concentrating on just 

one poem, read by a contemporary poet who 

also comments on points of interest and 

gives their views. 

The interviews and readings are intercut 

with still photographs, paintings, archive 

film and landscapes plus all or part of the 

written text in typescript, or where possible, 

in draft manuscript. 

Video 

Programme 1 

The Tyger by William Blake (1757–1827) 

Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll (1832–1898) 

In Just by E E Cummings (1894–1962) 

The Charge of the Light Brigade 

by Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809–1982) 

Programme 2 

Prayer Before Birth 

by Louis MacNeice (1907–1963) 

The Road Not Taken 

by Robert Frost (1875–1963) 

How Pleasant to Know Mr Lear 

by Edward Lear (1812–1888) 

The Red Wheelbarrow 

and To a Poor Old Woman 

by William Carlos Williams (1883–1963) 

Programme 3 

Eden Rock by Charles Causley (1917– ) 

In Westminster Abbey 

by John Betjeman (1906–1984) 

Ozymandias 

by Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792–1822) 

Dulce et Decorum Est 

by Wilfred Owen (1893–1918) 

Programme 4 

Do Not Go Gently into That Good Night 

by Dylan Thomas (1914–1953) 

At Grass by Philip Larkin (1922–1985) 

Musée des Beaux Arts 

by W H Auden (1907–1973) 

I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died 

by Emily Dickinson (1830–1886) 


1862158282 £19.99* 


These contain an outline of this secondary 

video, including curriculum relevance, 

further reading and suggestions on how it 

can be used in the classroom. Visit 

www.channel4.com/secondary 



Arrows of Desire 2 

NEW 

Key Stage 3, 4, GCSE & A Level 


Age 11-19 

Coming in Autumn 2003 is Arrows of 

Desire, series two, which brings a further 

sixteen short films discovering poems by 

ancients such as Shakespeare, Wordsworth, 

Clare, Hopkins, Donne, Hardy, Yeats and 

Lawrence and moderns such as Seamus 

Heaney, Ted Hughes, U A Fanthorpe, 

Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Lorna Goodison. 

Again, contemporary poets who will be 

reading and discussing poems in this new 

series will include Tom Paulin, Craig Raine, 

Carol Ann Duffy, Ruth Padel, Tony Harrison 

and Simon Armitage. 

Video 


1851448462 £19.99* 

Available Autumn 2003 

17



Passwords 

Poets and poetry from the NEAB Anthology 


Age 14–16 


• Poetry and the work of individual poets 


This unit features selected poets and poems from the NEAB GCSE 

English and English Literature Anthology 2000/2001. Programmes 

1–3 include both the poets themselves and well-known personalities 

reading and discussing the texts. Programmes 4 and 5 introduce two 

of the themes offered for poetry study in English Literature. 

Video 

1. Simon Armitage 

2. Carol Ann Duffy 

3. Ted Hughes 

4. Hearts and Partners 

5. When the Going Gets Tough 


1862154783 £19.99* 

Online Extras 





18 


Visible Voices Anthology 


Age 14–16 

Book 

An NEAB set text, this illustrated anthology of modern and pretwentieth-century 

poetry contains a deliberate variety of voices – 

featuring over 60 poets – ancient, modern, black, white, female and 

male, alongside discussion and writing assignments. 

1899214054 £5.99 

£4.19 each for 20 or more 

Off the Page 

Benjamin Zephaniah 


Age 14–16 

One of Britain’s leading black ‘dub’ poets performs a selection of his 

works and talks about his life and the people who have influenced 

his writings. 

Video 

Thames Television (1997) 


1851449906 £19.99* 


William Wordsworth 


Age14–16 

Video 

Lively exploration of the life and work of William Wordsworth, led by 

the young contemporary poet Tobias Hill. 


186215290X £19.99* 

Online Extras 






Film Focus 

What’s This Channel 4? 


Age 14–19 


• Helps to understand the structure and operation of a 

media institution 

• Develops media production skills, writing treatments, 

scripts etc 

• Offers an understanding of editorial decision making, 

selection, stereotyping in the media 

• Provides a detailed insight into finance and scheduling 

• Explores the wider world of the media, regulation, 

advertising, competition 

• Film and media studies 


Film Focus: 21st Century Bard – 

The Making of Twelfth Night 



Age 14–19 


• Film and Media Studies 

• Applied GCSEs in Business, Art and Design, Performing 

Arts and ICT 

These four programmes go behind the scenes and watch the making of 

4Learning’s new production of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. They show 

how an intricate web is woven by decision-making and craft skills 

through the entirety of the film’s production process. We see the film 

come alive as business is decided, designs constructed and selected, 

technology deployed and directions given. The programmes are 

invaluable resources for English and Media Studies at GCSE and will 

also support the study of the new Applied GCSEs in Business, Art and 

Design, Performing Arts and ICT. 

Video 

1. The Business of Film 

2. The Art of Film 

3. The Language of Film 

4. The Technology of Film 


1851448012 £19.99* 

NEW 

NEW 


MEDIA 

Starting with a ‘typical’ day at Channel 4, this series explores the way in 

which Channel 4 as a media institution works. The first programme 

takes the viewer through the day at the Channel while the second 

programme looks at the scheduling, commissioning and budgeting 

processes which resulted in the first programme. 

The third programme looks at the consequences of the ‘typical day’ and 

at the broader media environment in which Channel 4 has to survive. 

Video 

1. 24 Hours 

2. Run Up 

3. Consequences 


185144842X £19.99* 

19

MEDIA 

Film Focus 

Animation 


Age 14–19 


• Promoting critical awareness of moving image media texts 

• Appreciating how animation characteristics create and 

communicate meaning 

• Understanding the relationship of key concepts to the 

production process 

• Exploring key communication and decision-making skills 

This unit offers a lively study of a popular medium, exploring the craft 

and production processes of modern animated texts created for a 

variety of audiences. A wide variety of exemplary material is discussed 

in detail by key personnel in the industry. 

1. An English Classic 

The making of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 

A unique insight into the process of rendering a 2,500 line 

medieval poem as a contemporary 24-minute hand-drawn 

animation. The importance of setting and uses of colour, voice 

and music are each explored closely, as are the computer 

generated effects of post-production work. 

2. Food Commercials 

Traditional cel-animation and computer generated imagery 

provide contrasting styles for two food manufacture promotions – 

from a 2-D line drawing advertisement for Hovis to a stop frame 

3-D model animation for an American snack food. The 

programme explores both process and craft, from the client’s 

initial brief through to the stages of storyboarding, sound 

recording, artwork and character design. 

3. A Disney Feature Film 

Lilo and Stitch 

The programme goes behind-the-scenes during the making of a 

Disney Pictures’ feature-length, hand-drawn animation that 

explores concepts of family, friendship and caring. Technical 

wizardry and artistic craft combine to tell the tale of a young girl’s 

close encounter with a small, alien ‘dog’. 

This will not be available on our video. 

Video 

A Disney Feature Film will not be available on this video. 


1851448136 £19.99* 

Online Extras 





20 

NEW 

Film Focus 

The Making of a Blockbuster 

and the Films of Baz Luhrmann 


Age 14–17 


• Film and media studies 

• Roles of those involved in film production 


These programmes exploit the capacity of glamorous box office hits 

to deliver all the ingredients for serious media analysis. The Making 

of a Blockbuster goes behind the scenes of the nineteenth James 

Bond film, The World is Not Enough. With unprecedented access to 

every stage of the production process, it provides a wealth of 

material for studying how an international blockbuster gets made. 

The Films of Baz Luhrmann 

The Films of Baz Luhrmann includes a detailed breakdown of key 

sequences from his films in order to illustrate the language and 

craft of film-making. 

Video 

Video includes The Making of a Blockbuster, 

and The Films of Baz Luhrmann. 


1. Pre-production 

2. Production 

3. Post-production 

The Films of Baz Luhrmann 

4. Strictly Ballroom 31 Jan 

5. Romeo and Juliet 7 Feb 

5 x 20 minute programmes 

1862157014 £19.99* 

Online Extras 






Homework High 

www.homeworkhigh.com 

For students who need help with their homework, 4Learning’s 

Homework High gives students access to expert help in real time. 

Real teachers provide customised same-day help online and students 

can also consult a vast library of previously asked questions. 

A personal guidance service is available on Wednesday evenings. 

Timetable for specialist, real-time help: 

4:00–5:30pm 6:30–9:00pm 

Monday English Science 

Tuesday History 

Geography 

Maths 

Wednesday Science Personal (6:30–8:30pm) 

English 

Languages 

Thursday Maths History 

Geography 

Sunday English (6:30–8:30pm) 

History (6:30–8:30pm) 

Geography (6:30–8:30pm) 

Homework High Revision Heaven 

Books, CD-ROMs and online learning for Key Stage 3 and GCSE 

English students. 

Homework High Revision Heaven is a great new way for students to 

learn and prepare for their tests and exams. Presented in a bright, 

accessible style, each title focuses on revision and practice of the 

core curriculum topics. 

Created to complement the highly successful, Homework High 

website, these new resources concentrate on National Tests and 

GCSEs. Each title combines: 

• A colourful, stimulating book, enabling students to understand 

the most likely test topics 

• A fantastic CD-ROM that includes either two full Test Papers 

(Key Stage 3) or two Mock Exams (GCSE). Each paper is 

accompanied by Model Answers, hints and tips, which aid 

revision at school or at home. 

• Links and access to the Homework High website, where all of 

your students study and revision questions will be answered. 

Key Stage 3 English National Test Revision Book and CD-ROM 

1862159432 £4.99 

GCSE English Revision Book and CD-ROM 

1862159440 £6.99 

Subject to availability at selected 

WHSmith High Street stores. 


ONLINE HELP 

Amazing Grades 

www.channel4.com/amazinggrades 

Do your Advanced Level students spend hours searching 

the Internet for useful websites? 

Amazing Grades is the new portal for A Level, Highers and 

Baccalaureate students. It links to more than 7,500 sites which have 

been rated and reviewed by expert teachers, and covers 20 different 

subjects. A host of other useful features – such as a community 

area where students can swap tips about study, hobbies and 

universities – are there to be explored. 

Register for a free fourteen-day trial of Amazing Grades, quoting 

media code AG03, at www.channel4.com/amazinggrades 

Ideas Factory 

NEW 

www.channel4.com/ideasfactory 

GCSE+ 

Ideas Factory is a 

new website with 

great resources for 

anyone wanting to 

work in a creative 

career. Featuring 

New Media, Art & 

Design, Writing, 

Performance, Music 

& Sound and Film & 

TV, the site offers an 

insight into creative 

careers and creative business in a straight-talking, inspirational 

ways. There are areas for self-directed learning such as personality 

tests, learning games, databases of careers and courses. Articles 

and videos by professionals and celebrities give the low-down on 

getting to work in the creative industries and there are competitions 

for great prizes every month. Register to receive free updates and 

the chance to showcase work on the Web in our profiles section or 

get some personal advice from trained advisors online. 

☎ CD-ROM and TV-ROM titles marked 

with this icon are supported by the 

4Learning Technical Support Line. 

Should you have any operational 

difficulties, please call on 0870 900 8900. 

Open Monday–Friday (excl bank holidays), 

9:30am to 6:00pm. 

Alternatively, email: 

4learning.techsupport@channel4.co.uk 

Emails will be answered within 2 hours 

of receipt. 

21

ENGLISH - Channel 4

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