Overview:
English Language is a two-year course at A Level, delivered through the AQA examination board. The language specification includes:
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
- Language, the Individual and Society
- Textual variations and representations
- Multimodality
- Child Language development (0-11 years)
- Methods of language analysis
- Language Varieties
- Accent and dialect
- Language and occupation
- Language and Gender
- Language and Social groups
- World Englishes
- Language change
- Language in Action – Coursework / NEA
- Independent original writing
- Linguistic investigation
Assessment:
Students are assessed by their class teacher throughout the course in order to monitor their progress across both modules. There are two exams at the end of the course:
Paper 1: Language, the Individual and Society
This aspect of the course is assessed through a 2 hour 30 minute exam, worth 40% of the overall course.
Paper 2: Texts in Shared Contexts
This aspect of the course is assessed through a 2 hour 30 minute exam, worth 40% of the overall course.
Non-exam assessment
This aspect of the course is assessed as coursework, students will create a piece of original writing with detailed commentary, 1500 words, and a language investigation in an area of their choosing, 2500 word. This component is work 20% of the overall course.
More details can be found on the AQA website: https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/english/as-and-a-level/english-language-7701-7702/specification-at-a-glance
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ENGLISH LITERATURE
English Literature is a two-year course at A Level, delivered through the AQA examination board. At Lymm High School, we follow the Literature A specification, which includes:
- Love through the ages
- Shakespeare play: Othello
- Novel: The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald
- Poetry: Pre-1900 Anthology
- Unseen Poetry comparison
- Texts in shared contexts: Option 2A
- Novel: Birdsong, Sebastian Faulks
- Drama text: The Wipers Times, Hislop and Newman
- Poetry: The Oxford Book of War Poetry
- Unseen Prose
- Coursework / NEA: Independent critical comparison of texts.
Assessment:
Students are assessed by their class teacher throughout the course in order to monitor their progress across both modules. There are two exams at the end of the course:
Paper 1: Love through the ages
This aspect of the course is assessed through a 3-hour exam. Closed book apart from The Great Gatsby and Poetry Anthology which is open book.
Paper 2: Texts in Shared Contexts
This aspect of the course is assessed through a 2.5-hour exam that is open book.
More details can be found on the AQA website: English Literature A AS and A-level Specification Specifications for first teaching in 2015 (aqa.org.uk)
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Speaking and listening skills: discuss current developments in all aspects of English. Talk to students about texts they are reading or concepts they have been discussing in class e.g. Shakespeare’s ‘Othello’ and Sebastian Faulks’ ‘Birdsong’ for English Literature, or language and gender and Child Language Acquisition for English Language (please see the Sixth Form English curriculum pages for details of set texts and modules for each A Level). |
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Reading skills: help your child to find challenging and reliable websites to aid their research. Encourage reading around the subject either on the internet or paper based media e.g.
Links/websites:
English Language and English Literature: Andrew Moore’s website (www.universalteacher.org.uk).
English Language resources: www.ling.lancs.ac.uk (The University of Lancaster’s linguistics site).
English Literature: www.literaryencyclopedia.com; www.sparknotes.com; www.luminarium.org (Literature from the Middle Ages to the 17th century); www.shakespearestudyguide.com; www.bitesize.com; www.literaryreview.co.uk. http://writersinspire.org/ (University of Oxford’s ‘Great Writers Inspire’ site).
Books and journals:
‘The English Review’ (Phillip Allan magazines): 21 years’ worth of back issues to search through. This is excellent for both English Language and English Literature courses.
Times Literary Supplement: www.the-tls.co.uk.
York Notes Advanced (study guides available for a range of literary texts).
Oxbridge recommended reading lists: http://oxbridgeenglish.co.uk/recommended-reading/
‘Think on My Words: Exploring Shakespeare’s Language’ by David Crystal.
‘The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism’ ed. Vincent B. Leitch.
‘The Norton Anthology of English Literature’ ed. Stephen Greenblatt.
‘Rediscover Grammar’ by David Crystal.
‘The English Language’ by David Crystal.
Memberships and affiliations:
www.poetrysociety.org.uk.
Various societies exist for different authors e.g. www.janeaustensoci.freeuk.com; www.tolkiensociety.org.uk; www.fscottfitzgeraldsociety.org. |
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Writing skills: encourage students to share their essays with you and to explain their ideas/arguments to you. Encourage proof-reading and editing of written work. In the new specifications, accuracy is now worth a far higher proportion of marks than previously. |
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Creative ideas: encourage engagement with concepts and texts through radio/television. Visit places of significance including libraries and geographical locations. |
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Activities, events and lectures:
Star Lecture Series (The University of Manchester): email schoolsandcolleges@manchester.ac.uk.
Essay writing and/or creative writing competitions (offered by different examination boards, many universities and writing websites e.g. www.thepinkmist.co.uk).
TED talks (www.TED.com).
National Novel Writing Month: www.nanowrimo.org.
Theatre visits e.g. RSC in Stratford-Upon-Avon, Royal Exchange and The Lowry in Manchester.
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