Course Choices Video

Why study A-level English language?

The English language A-level course offers students the opportunity to explore the use of English in a range of real-life contexts, investigating how meanings are created. Students will explore a range of texts: spoken, written and multimodal. During this course students will gain a much clearer knowledge and understanding of language as a dynamic and vital form of communication. You can also expect to be inspired by language and have the opportunity to create and investigate your areas of interest.

What are the careers or further education that this course be suitable for?

There is an almost universal career application; English language facilitates any career or course involving communication. English language, as well as being highly regarded in its own right, is often seen by universities as a ‘gateway’ subject. Students often choose English language if they have an interest in exploring a diverse range of subjects as the texts studied often encompass many social issues and promote an engagement with the wider world. English language involves a multidisciplinary approach to studying as pupils engage with language as a quantifiable science as well as its discursive function as a method of representing us as individuals and a society. Students are often inspired by their study of English language to further their understanding through degree courses such as linguistics, English language, journalism and language in education.

Key Information Summary:

Course Details

The course is designed to encourage students to think about the ways that the English language functions in the world around them. This includes units focusing on how children acquire language, how gender, region and occupation have an effect upon usage as well as how our language has changed over time.

Students will consider their own language use and have the opportunity to develop their linguistic skills by producing texts for different purposes and audiences. They will be encouraged to develop an increasing level of independence through an investigation into an aspect of language study that they have particularly enjoyed during the course.

The aim of the course is to develop students’ knowledge and awareness of the dynamics of language as well as promoting independent learning and thinking skills that may be valuable in future educational and vocational contexts.

Course Assessment

Students will complete the following units:

A-level Paper 1 – Language, the Individual and Society

• Written exam: 2 hours 30 minutes (40% of A-level)
• What’s assessed: Textual variations and representations, child language development (0-11 years), methods of language analysis

A-level Paper 2 – Language Diversity and Change

• Written exam: 2 hours 30 minutes (40% of A-level)
• What’s assessed: Language diversity and change, writing skills, language discourses, methods of language analysis

Non-exam assessment: Language in Action

• Assessed: Coursework of 3500 words
• What’s assessed: Language investigation, original writing and commentary (20% of A-level)