A-Level English Lit/Lang

The English Language and Literature course takes your studies at GCSE to the next level by incorporating elements of both literature and linguistics. You will not only study character, setting and theme, but also the fundamentals of writing; how an author constructs their text, and the reasoning and effect behind their choices. The course involves an element of creative writing and writing critical commentary on your own work.

In year 12 we focus on:

·   Imagined Worlds- considering the use of the structure, character and theme within a fantasy text, and the impact of the point of view they use in their novel.

·   Poetic Voices- the forms and functions of poetry and the voices that emerge through the study of a single poet and a selection of their work.

Remembered Places- the representation of place and setting in a selection of texts written about Paris.

 In year 12 you will study a range of texts:

·         Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

·         A selection of poems by Carol Ann Duffy

·         An anthology of texts written about the city of Paris

At the end of year 12 you will sit an internal exam on what you have studied, the results of this exam will determine your entry into year 13.

If you decide to continue your studies through to year 13, there are more opportunities for independent study and in-depth exploration of literature texts.

The texts you studied in year 12 will be revisited, as well as a unit on ‘Exploring Conflict’. This unit is split into two sections; ‘Writing about Society’ and ‘Dramatic Encounters’. The two texts studied are:

At the end of year 13 you will sit two exams. One will be 3 hours long and one will be 2 hours and 30 minutes long.

Board: AQA

·         Writing About Society: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald- you will write creatively about the novel based on prompting material from the text and be critical of your own creation.

·         Dramatic Encounters: A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams- you will explore the use of dramatic features to create conflict and drama in the play.

You will also complete a piece of investigative coursework into two texts of your choosing. You choose the texts and set the task title. This is an excellent opportunity to explore texts you are directly interested in and passionate about.

Career Pathways:

English Language and Literature opens up many career pathways as it provides you with the skills of critical and independent thinking, analytical thought and writing, and the ability to plan and write well-structured and articulate essays. It equips you with the ability to use linguistic terms with confidence which would be especially useful if you are thinking of exploring a career in linguistics or speech therapy.

Career options include, but are not limited to: Journalism, Publishing, Law, Media, Teaching, Advertising, Marketing, Translation, Speech and Communication Sciences and Teaching English as a Foreign Language