The museum encourages teens studying Dickens to come discover his world
GCSE English Literature is just a couple of steps away as students prepare for mock exams across the UK. Interactive experiences like going to museums can be a good way for students to understand literature better.
A Tale of Two Cities and Great Expectations stands on the bookshelves of thousands of schools across London. More teenagers have high GCSE results in the capital than anywhere else in the UK. But some boroughs are struggling more than others.
Charles Dickens museum hopes that its new exhibition can help students engage with English Literature and prepare for their exams.
The museum and former house of Charles Dickens celebrates its centenary with a new exhibition displaying unseen objects and paintings, including the desk where he wrote Great Expectations, which students are reading for GCSEs now.
Dickens’ books feature on the GCSE English Literature curriculum
Charles Dickens’ house also offers interactive tours to schools, designed to make students discover the world behind the books they study.
“We have a learning programme here where schools can come and visit and learn more about his stories and his time here” Emma Harper, Curator at the Charles Dickens Museum
More funding to bring change
Places like the Charles Dickens Museum can help students engage with topics, like English Literature. In the capital, certain boroughs have much higher success rates than others at GCSE English.
Councillor Penelope Frost, the Chair of Education and Children’s Services Committee for Richmond, where GCSEs results are one of the highest, believes the council’s good results might come from efforts to support students needs. But she also points out that funding is an issue for the education system in general.
“All Local Authorities and schools have had very restricted financial support from the Department for Education for many years, and with more resources, we could all do even better.” – Councillor Penelope Frost
Funding would allow museums and historical venues to reach out to more schools and students. This more interactive approach could help students struggling to engage with literature.
Incoming Director, Frankie Kubicki, says there needs to be more funding to better support teenagers who might be falling out of the school system, through museums trips and other initiatives.
Watch film adaptations
In the meantime, the Charles Dickens museum staff has some advices to young London students struggling with reading Dickens: watch adaptations and read it out loud.
“There are many adaptions of his work online so don’t be afraid of watching a film or going to see a play live” – Emma Harper, Curator
“Read it out loud, because Dickens wrote for it to be read and performed. Don’t rush through it and you’ll get much more out of it.” – Cindy Sughrue, Director who will leave the Museum in March
Students taking GCSE English Literature, and their parents, can find more resources on the exams structure and requirements on the government website.
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HeadlineCharles Dickens museum wants to help students struggling with reading Dickens
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StandfirstInteractives approaches could support students taking GCSE English Literature
The museum encourages teens studying Dickens to come discover his world
GCSE English Literature is just a couple of steps away as students prepare for mock exams across the UK. Interactive experiences like going to museums can be a good way for students to understand literature better.
A Tale of Two Cities and Great Expectations stands on the bookshelves of thousands of schools across London. More teenagers have high GCSE results in the capital than anywhere else in the UK. But some boroughs are struggling more than others.
Charles Dickens museum hopes that its new exhibition can help students engage with English Literature and prepare for their exams.
The museum and former house of Charles Dickens celebrates its centenary with a new exhibition displaying unseen objects and paintings, including the desk where he wrote Great Expectations, which students are reading for GCSEs now.
Dickens’ books feature on the GCSE English Literature curriculum
Charles Dickens’ house also offers interactive tours to schools, designed to make students discover the world behind the books they study.
“We have a learning programme here where schools can come and visit and learn more about his stories and his time here” Emma Harper, Curator at the Charles Dickens Museum
More funding to bring change
Places like the Charles Dickens Museum can help students engage with topics, like English Literature. In the capital, certain boroughs have much higher success rates than others at GCSE English.
Councillor Penelope Frost, the Chair of Education and Children’s Services Committee for Richmond, where GCSEs results are one of the highest, believes the council’s good results might come from efforts to support students needs. But she also points out that funding is an issue for the education system in general.
“All Local Authorities and schools have had very restricted financial support from the Department for Education for many years, and with more resources, we could all do even better.” – Councillor Penelope Frost
Funding would allow museums and historical venues to reach out to more schools and students. This more interactive approach could help students struggling to engage with literature.
Incoming Director, Frankie Kubicki, says there needs to be more funding to better support teenagers who might be falling out of the school system, through museums trips and other initiatives.
Watch film adaptations
In the meantime, the Charles Dickens museum staff has some advices to young London students struggling with reading Dickens: watch adaptations and read it out loud.
“There are many adaptions of his work online so don’t be afraid of watching a film or going to see a play live” – Emma Harper, Curator
“Read it out loud, because Dickens wrote for it to be read and performed. Don’t rush through it and you’ll get much more out of it.” – Cindy Sughrue, Director who will leave the Museum in March
Students taking GCSE English Literature, and their parents, can find more resources on the exams structure and requirements on the government website.