English Language

Course summary

English Language A Level builds on skills garnered at GCSE, but goes so much further! It provides boys with a deep knowledge and understanding of how the English language works and encourages them to engage critically and creatively with areas of topical debate. From discussions about taboo lexis to exploring attitudes to slang, they will analyse how spoken and written language is used in various contexts culminating in an independent investigation where they can explore an area of particular interest to them. Presentations and class discussions provide boys with a useful platform upon which to build their own ideas and opinions about language while also helping them to develop as confident speakers themselves. Authentic texts are used for analysis throughout the course - there are no ‘set texts’ to read, so a variety of non-fiction is used from newspaper articles to speeches, posters, and advertisements. The emphasis is on exploring language as used in ‘real life’. Boys will engage with theories pertaining to language use in society from linguists including Cameron, Chomsky, and Crystal to explore how women and men use language differently and how different occupational groups assert and maintain power. An understanding of how children acquire spoken language is studied in Year 13 as is the history of our language and how it evolved to become the ‘lingua franca’ it is today. English Language is analytical, engaging, and systematic and develops a plethora of skills vital for further study at university or in the world of work.