In this lesson, pupils track Rita’s growth across the early stages of Educating Rita, analysing how her language shifts as she becomes more confident in academic spaces. Learners explore Russell’s use of dialogue to reveal Rita’s development, moving from colloquialism to sophistication, and evaluate how Frank responds to these changes. By the end of the lesson, pupils will be able to explain how Russell uses language to show Rita’s evolving identity.

• Lesson slides introducing Rita’s development and language shift
• Growth‑tracking activity using key moments from the text
• Language analysis task exploring how Russell uses dialogue to show her evolution
• Frank’s response discussion comparing perspectives on change and ambition
• Writing task: Explain Rita’s development through her language. Analyse her shift from colloquialism to sophistication. How does Russell use dialogue to show her evolution?
• Worksheet: Plot character growth on a graph using specific textual evidence

This lesson helps pupils recognise character development through language, strengthening close‑reading and analytical writing skills. Tracking Rita’s growth visually supports learners who benefit from structured, scaffolded approaches. The writing task encourages precise evidence use, while the worksheet offers a clear, accessible way to map change over time—ideal for mixed‑ability groups.

Some visuals in this resource were made with AI to help bring ideas to life and support student understanding.