Against the Current Archives | Sound of Pen

aLtErNaTiVe iNtErPrEtATiOnS WiTh CaLuM BoWiE, gRaCiE aBrAmS, oLiViA rOdRiGo & MoRe

JCNovember 1, 2025

AS A-Level students, we need to demonstrate an understanding that texts can be interpreted in this way or that way, that one word could mean this but it also m... Read More...

A-LevelGCSEStudy 4

wRiTiNg AbOuT sTrUcTuRe WiTh LiNkiN pArK, ChRiSSy CoStAnZa & CoLdPlAy

JCNovember 3, 2024

Why might a writer choose to order things the way they do? Let's find out. Whatever stage you're at with your English studies, it's always interesting t... Read More...

A-LevelClassesGCSEStudyWriting With Style 4

HeLL WiTh ChRiSSy CoStAnZa & AgAiNsT tHe CuRRenT

JCSeptember 20, 2024

Like Shakespeare, Wilde, Stevenson and so many of our course authors, Chrissy Costanza frequently writes about Hell. But why? And when we come across that Hell motif, what can we say about it? Let's find out... It's impossible not to love Aga... Read More...

A-LevelClassesGCSEStudyWriting With Style 4

ToP 20: AtC tRaCkS & wRiTiNg HaCkS

JCApril 25, 2024

Here's a list of our favourite Against The Current tracks! See if you agree with our choices, then have a go at using the different techniques used in each sho... Read More...

A-LevelClassesGCSEListsStudyWriting With Style 4

iNtRoDuCinG SoUnD oF pEn: FoR sTuDeNtS & TeAcHeRs oF gCsE & a-LeVeL eNgLiSh

JCApril 28, 2023

Sound of Pen classes use music as a doorway to a deeper understanding of GCSE & A-Level English texts. Sound of Pen is home to original, unique free les... Read More...

A-LevelClassesGCSEStudy 2

eXpLoRiNg ThE pAiN oF LoVe iN a-LeVeL LiTeRaTuRe WiTh ToVe Lo, HoLDiNg AbSeNce, tAyLoR sWiFt, bMtH & MoRe

JCMarch 26, 2023

Sometimes, when studying English Literature, it can feel like the experience of love will be utterly joyless. Soooo much pain! ACTIVITY 1 Read each lyric (in purple) and get ready to explain what techniques the writer uses to underline the... Read More...

A-LevelClassesPodcast & VideoStudy 4

ThE NaTuRe oF dReAmS iN a-LeVeL LiTeRaTuRe WiTh YeArS & YeArS, AtC & MoRe PLAN & NOTES

JCMarch 16, 2023

The texts we study are so full of dreams. Which sounds lovely. But - like love - dreams are complicated, unwieldy things. Listen to the songs below if you want... Read More...

A-LevelClassesPodcast & VideoStudy 4

AgAiNsT tHe CuRReNt’S FiGhT fOr ReDeMpTiOn

JCJanuary 1, 2023

Read Sound of Pen's essay about Against The Current's 'That Won't Save Us'. The song underlines ideas that will feel so relevant to your A-Level Lit study. ... Read More...

A-LevelClassesGCSELecturesStudy 4

BrAiNsToRm WiTh ArM’s LeNgTh, ChAt PiLe, cArLy CoSgRoVe & BaRtEEs StRaNgE

JCDecember 31, 2022

Our brainstorm activities don't so much focus on one idea as collate a whole stack of thoughts - all of which will feel absolutely relevant to one or other of your course texts. MUSIC FOCUS: The best new alternative music from Arm's Length, Carly... Read More...

A-LevelClassesGCSEStudy 4

DoWnLoAd fEsTiVaL & PeRsUaSiVe wRiTiNg

JCJuly 20, 2022

Is there anything more fun that writing about the things you REALLY love? And is there anything any of us love more than going to a festival?! MUSIC FOCUS:... Read More...

A-LevelClassesGCSEStudyWriting With Style 4

pOp-pUnK & tHe LiTeRaTuRe oF LoVe

JCJuly 15, 2022

Listen to lots of artists inc. Olivia Rodrigo, Maggie Lindemann, MGK, Holding Absence - and secure your ability to analyse any text (seen or unseen) about love... Read More...

A-LevelClassesGCSELove 4

sTrUcTuRe WiTh ThRiCe, AgAiNsT ThE CuRReNt & MoRe

JCJuly 11, 2022

Special thanks to my Year 8 class for providing the musical inspiration for this class! Check out their favourite songs here. You may wish to download the activity 1 sheet. STRUCTURE ACTIVITY 1 Read the 'poem' below. Look at the circu... Read More...

A-LevelClassesGCSEStudy 4

LiNKiN pArK, bMtH, eNtEr sHiKaRi & mOrE: aNaLySiNg dArKnEss

JCMay 17, 2022

Yes, we do know it's the school holidays, but as far as fun activities go, it's hard to think of anything more enjoyable than listening to Creeper, Against The... Read More...

A-LevelClassesGCSEPen Gen 2

AgAiNsT ThE cUrrEnT, aLLiTeRaTiOn & DiGGinG DeeP

JCApril 12, 2022

We love Against The Current because they’re fighting the same problems that we're battling with too. In order to ensure we understand this, the band make such ... Read More...

A-LevelClassesGCSEStudy 4

AgAiNsT ThE cUrrEnT & ThE MoNsTeR MoTiF

JCApril 11, 2022

Imagine you're living in the 12th Century, chatting to your friends in Latin and someone uses the word 'monstrum'. You know immediately that they're taking about a divine omen (probably one indicating misfortune) - an object of dread, a bad sign, th... Read More...

A-LevelClassesGCSEStudy 4

making your teenagers read with against the current

AgAiNsT ThE cUrrEnT & TyPiCaLiTy

JCApril 10, 2022

The more you read, the easier your life as an English student gets. And yet sometimes the thought of actually picking up a book which is not on the A-Level ... Read More...

A-LevelClassesStudy 4

bEsT aLbUms/ePs oF 2021 & ShAkEspEaRE’s nEoLoGiSmS

JCDecember 21, 2021

Hello, GORGEOUS people. It's time to study our list of 2021's BEST albums and EPs. Once you've done that, crank the playlist up loud and get ready to take your... Read More...

A-LevelClassesContextGCSELists 4

BeSt SoNgS oF 2021

JCDecember 17, 2021

From number 50 to number 1, here are the songs we loved most this year. 50. While She Sleeps, Nervous 49. Doll Skin, Control Freak 48. Creeper, Midnight 47. The Summer Set, Back Together 46. One Step Closer, Chrysanthemum 45. Mayda... Read More...

A-LevelClassesContextGCSELists 4

AgAiNsT ThE cUrrEnT: cOnTeXt, ThEmEs & KeY QuOtEs

JCOctober 30, 2021

CLASS FOCUS: Understanding how context impacts on the significance of key vocabularyIdentifying key themes/messages within course textsCollecting quotes tha... Read More...

A-LevelClassesContextGCSE 2

JoHn fLoReANi, YoNaKa, oLiviA RoDRiGo & MoRe: aNaLySiNg aLLiTeRaTiOn

JCOctober 9, 2021

Let's be clear: you want your analysis of a writer's alliteration to SPARKLE! Okay, so it's fair to say that a writer often uses the technique to draw our att... Read More...

A-LevelClassesGCSE 2

SoNgS oF 2021 So FaR: MaKiNg pOinTs & DeVeLoPiNg VoCaBuLaRy

JCJune 14, 2021

We've heard so much amaaaaazing music in 2021 already! Here are the songs we've enjoyed most. Each mini-review includes a word that you can try to use in your own analytical writing! Okay, let's run through our top 50 songs of 2021 so far! You ca... Read More...

A-LevelClassesGCSEListsMaking PointsVocab 2

yUnGbLuD, nF, aTc & mOrE: LaNgUaGe aNaLySiS & QuOtE rEViSiOn

JCMay 4, 2021

Iago gets to Othello because the eponymous 'hero' has got a head full of voices. The men in charge of Gilead are absolutely ruled by the chattering that only t... Read More...

A-LevelClassesGCSEQuote Revision 2

aTc, ElYoTTo, HoLDiNg AbSeNcE & dE’wAyNe: uSiNg pErSoNaLiSeD VoCaBuLaRy

JCApril 25, 2021

It's time for us to YELL about our favourite songs of recent times. Have a read of the four reviews below, and remember: it's not always about using BIG words ... Read More...

A-LevelClassesGCSEWriting With Style 2

GcSe: AgAiNsT ThE CuRReNt & uNsEEn PoEtRy

JCFebruary 19, 2021

Okay, it's unlikely you'll be asked to analyse the awesome Against The Current's lyrics in your exam! The skills you'll use to investigate 'Gravity', though, are exactly the same ones you'll need to explore whatever poem does end up on your English ... Read More...

ClassesGCSEQuestion SpecificUnseen Poetry KS4 3

A-LeVeL: AgAiNsT ThE CuRRenT & ReDeMpTiOn: pArT 2

JCFebruary 18, 2021

In our first live lesson with real students in an actual classroom, we talked in more detail about redemption and Against The Current! It was SO much fun. If y... Read More...

A-LevelClassesHandmaid'sLecturesPodcast & VideoText Messages 2

A-LeVeL: SoNgS oF tHe YeAr & VoCaBuLaRy

JCJanuary 1, 2021

We LOVED so much of the music released in 2020. Here are our top 50 songs. Each mini-review includes a word that you should be using when writing your A-Level ... Read More...

A-LevelClassesCore SkillsGCSEListsVocabWriting 2

A-LeVeL: AgAiNsT ThE CuRRenT & ReDeMpTiOn: pArT 1

JCNovember 29, 2020

MUSIC FOCUS: Against The Current.ACTIVITY FOCUS: Explore ATC's ideas about redemption, then apply those same ideas to 'The Handmaid's Tale'. Read our analysis of 'That Won't Save Us' and see how the essay framework can be used as the framework for a... Read More...

A-LevelClassesHandmaid's 2

A-LeVeL: AgAiNsT ThE CuRRenT & ReDeMpTiOn: eSSaY

JCNovember 22, 2020

Listen to YUNGBLUD's god save me, but don't drown me out, Bring Me The Horizon's One Day The Only Butterflies Left Will Be In Your Chest... or Against The Curr... Read More...

A-LevelClassesEssays KS5Handmaid'sLecturesPodcast & VideoText Messages 2