English Language

Course summary

Have you ever wondered why people speak in a particular way: how our own patterns of speech might be shaped by our gender, ethnicity, occupation or social class? Have you ever wondered how babies learn to talk, read and write? Have you noticed how language keeps changing and evolving over time, and wondered how and why that happens? Do you want to understand how we are controlled and manipulated by people in power? English Language A Level gives you the frameworks and tools to analyse language and begin to answer these questions. The A Level is very different from GCSE English Language. It consists of two written exams and one coursework unit. Over the two years we study ‘Language, the Individual and Society’ in which we compare language use in an individual and societal context. Here, students are introduced to methods of language analysis. We also study the spoken and written language acquisition of children from 0-11 years old. We also explore ‘Language Diversity and Change’ in which students study a range of examples of language in use and compile research data to inform their study of diversity: texts using different sociolects, dialects and texts from different periods from 1600 to the present day. In addition, students complete two pieces of coursework: an independent investigation into an aspect of language of their choice, and a piece of original writing and a commentary.