How should I begin to analyse poetry or prose?

Many students simply get stuck on the starting blocks and after a little guidance can fly with their analysis. I can recommend excellent reading not on the syllabus, titles such as the poetry toolkit or the study of language that can provide comprehensive guides to analysis. For a more hands on approach I would provide a variety of examples of good opening analysis and walk the student through a range of mock analysis questions asking how they would open and building on their stylistic abilities from there.