Julian Girdham

Thinking, Writing, Reading, Teaching

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Hamlet key moment video annotations

March 09, 2023 by Julian Girdham in English Teaching, Shakespeare

15 video annotations of key moments in Hamlet.

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March 09, 2023 /Julian Girdham
Hamlet
English Teaching, Shakespeare
Comment

ASTI Education Conference 2023

March 09, 2023 by Julian Girdham in Teaching

Notes on the 2023 ASTI Education Conference on Reform

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March 09, 2023 /Julian Girdham
Senior Cycle, Junior Cycle, Irish education
Teaching
Comment

On the withdrawal of the Paper 1 Plan

February 28, 2023 by Julian Girdham in English Teaching, Teaching

The plan to move English (and Irish) Paper 1 in the Leaving Certificate has been ‘deferred’. A response.

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February 28, 2023 /Julian Girdham
Senior Cycle, Irish education, Paper 1
English Teaching, Teaching
Comment

Anthony Joseph's 'Sonnets for Albert'

February 24, 2023 by Julian Girdham in Poetry, Books

Anthony Joseph’s Sonnets for Albert deals with the troubled heritage of his father’s past with honesty, control and grace.

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February 24, 2023 /Julian Girdham
Poetry, Books
Comment

'The Wife of Bath: a biography' by Marion Turner

February 23, 2023 by Julian Girdham in Poetry, Books

Marion Turner’s The Wife of Bath a biography is a thrilling follow-up to her major biography of Geoffrey Chaucer, placing the fictional character in her literary and cultural context, and then looking at her many and persistent ‘afterlives’ through history.

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February 23, 2023 /Julian Girdham
Chaucer
Poetry, Books
Comment

Macbeth key moment video annotations

February 20, 2023 by Julian Girdham in English Teaching, Shakespeare

20 video/audio annotations of key moments in Macbeth.

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February 20, 2023 /Julian Girdham
Macbeth
English Teaching, Shakespeare
Comment

Joseph O'Connor's 'My Father's House'

February 08, 2023 by Julian Girdham in Books, Non-Fiction

My Father’s House, Joseph O’Connor’s fictional treatment of the life of Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty, is particularly brilliant in its evocation of Rome and the Vatican under Nazi occupation.

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February 08, 2023 /Julian Girdham
Books, Non-Fiction
Comment

English Meet 2023

February 03, 2023 by Julian Girdham in English Teaching

If you’re interested in presenting at the second English Meet, on Wednesday 3rd May 2023, 7pm to 9pm, get in touch!

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February 03, 2023 /Julian Girdham
English Meet
English Teaching
Comment

On Senior Cycle reform in English: follow-up

January 24, 2023 by Julian Girdham in English Teaching, Teaching

A post reflecting on where we are we right now with the proposed changes to Leaving Certificate English.

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January 24, 2023 /Julian Girdham
Senior Cycle, Irish education, Paper 1, Featured
English Teaching, Teaching
Comment

researchED Dublin in 'Astir'

January 20, 2023 by Julian Girdham in Teaching

Article on researchED Dublin 2022 from ASTIR magazine, January 2023.

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January 20, 2023 /Julian Girdham
Irish education, ResearchED
Teaching
Comment

Patterns of Poetry podcasts

January 19, 2023 by Julian Girdham in English Teaching, Poetry

15 short talks on elements of poetry, using one or two poems in each case.

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January 19, 2023 /Julian Girdham
English Teaching, Poetry
Comment

Terry Dolan on Geoffrey Chaucer

January 18, 2023 by Julian Girdham in Poetry

An audio interview with the late Professor Terry Dolan about the Middle English poet Geoffrey Chaucer.

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January 18, 2023 /Julian Girdham
Chaucer
Poetry
Comment

Swiss Army Knife (exploding) quotations

January 17, 2023 by Julian Girdham in English Teaching, Shakespeare

A simple and effective revision technique in class, mining a single statement/quotation, and opening up rich discussions about the text (here, Macbeth).

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January 17, 2023 /Julian Girdham
Quotations
English Teaching, Shakespeare
Comment

The Portrait of a Lady

January 15, 2023 by Julian Girdham in Books, Fiction

A discussion about Henry James’s masterpiece The Portrait of a Lady.

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January 15, 2023 /Julian Girdham
Henry James
Books, Fiction
Comment

Macbeth webinar

January 08, 2023 by Julian Girdham in Shakespeare, English Teaching

The ‘shownotes’ for my webinar for teachers on revising Macbeth leading up to the Leaving Certificate. Via Tralee Education Support Centre, evening of Monday 9th January 2023.

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January 08, 2023 /Julian Girdham
Macbeth
Shakespeare, English Teaching
Comment

King Lear for Litdrive

January 06, 2023 by Julian Girdham in Shakespeare, English Teaching

‘Shownotes’ from a presentation on teaching the end of King Lear, as part of Litdrive’s online CPD programme, January 2023.

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January 06, 2023 /Julian Girdham
King Lear, Caravaggio
Shakespeare, English Teaching
Comment

Short review round-up, 2022

December 22, 2022 by Julian Girdham in Books, Fiction

An annual round-up of short recommendations of books which I didn’t review fully.

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December 22, 2022 /Julian Girdham
Books, Fiction
Comment

My Books of 2022

December 17, 2022 by Julian Girdham in Books, English Teaching

My annual selection of excellent reading.

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December 17, 2022 /Julian Girdham
Featured
Books, English Teaching
Comment

Books of the Year lists 2022

December 13, 2022 by Julian Girdham in Books

The 13th annual round-up of the best Books of the Year lists.

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December 13, 2022 /Julian Girdham
Books
Comment

Patrick Freyne's 'OK, Let's Do Your Stupid Idea'

November 29, 2022 by Julian Girdham in Books, Non-Fiction

Patrick Freyne’s collection of personal essays, OK, Let’s Do Your Stupid Idea is a skilful, funny and often moving collection of stories.

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November 29, 2022 /Julian Girdham
Essays
Books, Non-Fiction
Comment
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