Julian Girdham

Thinking, Writing, Reading, Teaching

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Leaving Certificate English 2024: Paper 2

June 06, 2024 by Julian Girdham in English Teaching

Comments on the Higher Level literature Paper 2 in the 2024 Leaving Certificate.

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June 06, 2024 /Julian Girdham
Leaving Certificate
English Teaching
2 Comments

Leaving Certificate English 2024: Paper 1

June 05, 2024 by Julian Girdham in English Teaching

An assessment of English Paper 1 in the Leaving Certificate, June 2024.

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June 05, 2024 /Julian Girdham
Leaving Certificate
English Teaching
Comment

'Irish Times' article

June 05, 2024 by Julian Girdham in English Teaching

Additional notes to my ‘Irish Times’ article on the future of education in Ireland.

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June 05, 2024 /Julian Girdham
Leaving Certificate, Irish education
English Teaching
3 Comments

Fortnightly 169

June 01, 2024 by Julian Girdham in The Fortnightly

Fortnightly 169, the penultimate one this academic year, starts with great American literature: Robert Caro, Emily Dickinson.

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June 01, 2024 /Julian Girdham
The Fortnightly
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Emily Dickinson: The Gorgeous Nothings

May 30, 2024 by Julian Girdham in English Teaching, Poetry, Books

Emily Dickinson: The Gorgeous Nothings is both a lovely book, and a handy resource if you’re teaching the poet.

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May 30, 2024 /Julian Girdham
Emily Dickinson
English Teaching, Poetry, Books
Comment

Preparing for Leaving Certificate English 2024

May 27, 2024 by Julian Girdham

Some ideas for effective revision in the final days leading up to the English Leaving Certificate exams, 2024.

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May 27, 2024 /Julian Girdham
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Andrew Atherton's 'Experiencing English Literature'

May 27, 2024 by Julian Girdham in English Teaching, Books, Teaching

Andrew Atherton’s Experiencing English Literature: shaping authentic student response in thinking and writing provides stimulating ideas for English teachers at all stages of their careers.

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May 27, 2024 /Julian Girdham
English Teaching, Books, Teaching
Comment

Turn Every Page

May 26, 2024 by Julian Girdham in Books, Non-Fiction

Lizzie Gottlieb’s 2022 documentary Turn Every Page is pure pleasure. It traces the decades-long relationship between her father Robert, the most distinguished editor in American letters, and Robert Caro, the greatest biographer of all.

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May 26, 2024 /Julian Girdham
Books, Non-Fiction
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Fortnightly 168

May 18, 2024 by Julian Girdham in The Fortnightly

Fortnightly 168 includes a rich mixture of the fast (AI and social media) and the slow (John McGahern).

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May 18, 2024 /Julian Girdham
The Fortnightly
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The Most Important School Subject

May 17, 2024 by Julian Girdham in Poetry

A provocation: studying poetry is the most important activity in school.

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May 17, 2024 /Julian Girdham
Featured
Poetry
Comment

English, AI and the thermostatic principle

May 15, 2024 by Julian Girdham in English Teaching, Teaching, Technology

Jottings on Generative AI and English teaching.

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May 15, 2024 /Julian Girdham
English Teaching, Teaching, Technology
2 Comments

The English Meet idea

May 08, 2024 by Julian Girdham in English Teaching, Teaching

Some thoughts on the first three years of English Meets at St Columba’s College.

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May 08, 2024 /Julian Girdham
English Meet
English Teaching, Teaching
Comment

'King Lear' light and dark: webinar

May 06, 2024 by Julian Girdham in English Teaching, Shakespeare

Links and notes from my webinar on Tuesday 7th May 2024 for the English Community of Practice organised by Joe Rolston via Wexford Education Support Centre.

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May 06, 2024 /Julian Girdham
King Lear
English Teaching, Shakespeare
Comment

English teaching post, 2024-25

May 06, 2024 by Julian Girdham

Vacancy for a full-time English teacher for the academic year 2024-25.

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May 06, 2024 /Julian Girdham
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Fortnightly 167

May 04, 2024 by Julian Girdham in The Fortnightly

Fortnightly 167, the second on Substack, is now out.

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May 04, 2024 /Julian Girdham
The Fortnightly
Comment

English Meet 2024: a report

May 02, 2024 by Julian Girdham in English Teaching

A report on the third English Meet at St Columba’s College, in May 2024.

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May 02, 2024 /Julian Girdham
English Meet
English Teaching
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On Jonathan Haidt's 'The Anxious Generation'

April 24, 2024 by Julian Girdham in Books, English Teaching, Technology

Thoughts of a teacher on one of the books of the moment, Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation.

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April 24, 2024 /Julian Girdham
Books, English Teaching, Technology
Comment

Fortnightly 166

April 20, 2024 by Julian Girdham in The Fortnightly

The Fortnightly is now on Substack, starting with issue 166.

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April 20, 2024 /Julian Girdham
The Fortnightly
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Carol Atherton's 'Reading Lessons'

April 11, 2024 by Julian Girdham in English Teaching, Books, Teaching

A review of Carol Atherton’s Reading Lessons: the books we read at school, the conversations they spark and why they matter, with extended comments on English teaching.

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April 11, 2024 /Julian Girdham
Featured
English Teaching, Books, Teaching
5 Comments

The Fortnightly moves house

April 06, 2024 by Julian Girdham in The Fortnightly

The Fortnightly is moving to Substack from April 20th.

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April 06, 2024 /Julian Girdham
The Fortnightly
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