Teaching literary texts

This chapter shows English teachers how to teach set texts more efficiently using AI, reducing time spent on basic comprehension to focus on higher-level analysis. Discover practical AI activities for teaching Shakespeare, novels, and poetry, including Spaced Learning techniques for rapid familiarization, character analysis tools, and plot compression exercises. Learn how to create AI-resistant creative tasks, such as character memoirs and Impossible Conversations, that develop critical thinking and exam skills for GCSE and A-level Literature. These strategies help students move beyond memorization to achieve deeper textual understanding and analytical writing required for top grades. The chapter introduces the LLM as a personalized Annotation Coach for close reading and emphasizes using AI to foster teaching to learn approaches that demand adaptive reasoning, empathy, and critical evaluation, ensuring that students engage with texts at a deeper, more meaningful level.