What’s my story?

A new guided-study series for 4 lessons for KS3 and 4 English, featuring ‘The Long Night’ by Ernst Bornstein

In the current climate, with most students working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, What’s my story? is designed for guided-study as part of a KS3 or KS4 English course. The course uses the testimony of Ernst Bornstein’s The Long Night in particular to engage students in understanding the ways in which language can be used to describe quite extraordinary life experiences. In this, they will encounter a number of key concepts authors use to describe experiences they have had, as well how the writing of life stories, such as testimony, is done for particular purposes and audiences.

‘What’s my story’ consists of 4 ‘guided-study’ short lessons of 30 minutes each. It includes links to the National Curriculum, provision of engaging and supporting all learners, and specific safeguarding measures to help teachers support students in their mental well-being during the pandemic lock-down measures. We hope students are as engaged and stimulated by these short lessons as much as we have been putting them together!

What's my story


What’s my story overview for teachers

1. What is an autobiography

2. Getting started

3. Life in the Ghetto

4. Staying human

Lesson 4. Staying human refers to three audio files which you can find below:

‘Doctor’ (as referenced in “What’s my story?” lesson 4 – Staying human)

‘Dogs’ (as referenced in “What’s my story?” lesson 4 – Staying human)

‘Shoes’ (as referenced in “What’s my story?” lesson 4 – Staying human)