Autumn 2002
Thanks to TESS Readers
Contents
Thanks also to teachers who wrote to us about books you have enjoyed
reading this year. Your contributions have given us two new features in
this edition of TESS; the Comparative Selections on pages 2 & 3 and
the Books You Would Enjoy on pages 7-9. Please continue to send us your
comparative selections and book reviews.
In this Autumn edition, we continue to introduce the new texts and authors
on the course list. You can read about Christabel Bielenberg's memoir
The Past is Myself on page 4, Maeve Binchy's novel Circle of Friends on
page 6 and the Baz Luhrmann film Strictly Ballroom in the feature from
the Irish Film Centre on page 15. Brief introductions to other new texts
for 2004 appear on pages 17 and 18. You will also find some classroom
approaches to the poetry of Derek Mahon.
Continuing our features from writers on the new course, we are delighted that Maeve Binchy has kindly written an article for us about Circle of Friends. She tells us that she is delighted to find her novel on the course and she outlines her personal approach to telling a story and encouraging students to write enjoyable narrative.
We also continue our informative features on agencies which reach out
to schools and offer support. In this edition you will find an article
from the Irish Film Centre on page 14. Their Education officer, Alicia
McGivern, tells us what they have on offer for schools this autumn.
The Abbey Theatre also has an Outreach programme for schools. Sharon Murphy,
Director of the Outreach/Education programme at the Abbey, gives us details
and contact information about that service on page 16. She also announces
this year's Abbey production of The Plough and the Stars, directed by
Ben Barnes.
As always, our Noticeboard , offers you information about Education Centres, events, competitions, dates and publications of interest to teachers and students. Finally, we ask all our readers to please return by fax or post the Questionnaire that accompanies this Autumn edition of TESS. This reader survey is very important to us.
