Websites for English teachers

Well, sort of. These websites should get creativity flowing and help with story/descriptive writing. We all know that the blank page can be intimidating so these should help.

Want a jump off point for a story? well, nothing is better than an evocative title. This site gives you 6 titles each time. Perhaps for a homework or classwork you could just simply press the button and the pupils could choose their title. genre, characters, plot - well, they'll all flow that little bit easier.
When I pressed, the titles I got were:

Lovely Secret
The Obsessed Truth
Flames of Prince
The Captive's Past
Storm in the Tower
Missing Voyage

I have tried this many times now and haven't come across any titles that are offensive, although given the random nature of the generating I can't guarantee you won't. But, as with all web use, the pupils need to learn - and be taught - appropriate surfing skills. That's part of your job!



We all know that a character's name is important. It can reveal truths about them and evoke a certain archetype (an AST I work with, Miss Stoneman, insists the names of the characters from Lost indicate a deeper truth (Sawyer, Locke, Jack) but, personally, I am just confused by the whole affair now and Season 3 isn't helping!).

Charles Dickens knew this. Honeythunder, Sweedlepipe, Pumplechook??? Anyhow, a great way to generate a character name to promote discussion or just fill in detail on that character you've lost your way with are Name Generators.

There are loads online and some are inappropriate. Some which I've used (and my name from them) are:

Fairy names (mine is Feather Snowwitch)

Lord of the Rings names (hobbits, elves etc. My hobbit name was Riappi "the fat" Ness of Hardbottle)

And this site has lots of generators. I've used some of them and they work well. This is, however, a large site and I haven't been able to look at it all - there may be inappropriate content (although I didn't find any). Lots here, though.

Finally, what use is text if your audience can't understand it? You can use dialect/accent convertors to put some realism into your text. This paragraph, for example, put through the Black Country dialect would turn out like the paragrpah below. We are, after all, a Birmingham City Learning Centre and I am Black Country by birth!

Finally, what use is text if yaw audience cor understan' it? yaouw can use dialect/accent convertors ter put sum realism into yaw text. this paragraph, fer example, put through the black country dialect ood turn ert loike the paragrpah beloo. we am, after all, a Burminum city learnen centre an' I yam black country by birth!

The website is here. Of course, there is a potential for misuse of this tool as it also includes: posh, irish, scouser, Ali G, cockney, Geordie and others. However, used properly it is fun and really shows off the variety of dialects/accents that we have in the country.

It can also create a real sense of character. For example, at key moment someone saying, "I love you, my darling. I always have and always will. Remember my face and tell the children I did it for them" as a character plunges to their death might read differently as: "i golden dove ya, me Briny Marlin. I always 'ave and always will. remember me Chevy Chase and tell the kids I did it for them"

Have fun!