English Language

Why Choose this course?

This course requires a love of language exploration and a readiness to investigate a variety of different texts and data from a range of sources. In addition, you will need to demonstrate initiative in personal research and organisational skills and to appreciate that success depends on the enthusiasm with which you consolidate lessons with personal investigation. Willingness and confidence in applying linguistic frameworks to texts is essential.

Prospects

This is a highly regarded qualification, which will be acceptable for any course of study at degree level. It is particularly suitable for students who wish to progress to journalism, teaching, publishing, the media, speech therapy, linguistics or any career which requires a high level of literacy. It is an excellent preparation for the demands and study skills needed for higher education.

Course Content

The AQA specification:
Offers opportunities for students to develop their subject expertise by exploring key language concepts and engaging with a range of texts and discourses.

Explores the study of English language both as a medium of communication and as a topic in its own right, with an emphasis on the ability of students to pursue lines of enquiry, analyse texts produced by others and debate different views.

The methods of analysis appropriate to the fields of English language/linguistics underpin all the elements of the specification, and these are applied to distinctive topic areas.

The course combines examination and coursework components

Course Topics
Language and the individual - including detail textual analysis

Language varieties - looking at the different aspects of language according to class, race, gender, age and region

Child acquisition of language

Language investigation

Original Writing

Course Opportunities/ Activities

This is a highly academic course, which teaches you a variety of critical analysis and thinking skills. All of these skills are much sought after by universities and employers. Students will have the opportunity to study a variety of non-fiction texts, learn about the history and development of the English Language and students will have the opportunity to explore the important role that language plays in creating meaning within news articles.

Support and Challenge

Students will develop their written and analytical skills in a detailed and conceptual way. Students will also develop their knowledge of English grammar and they will study it to a high level. Students are provided with essay writing guides, which ensure that students know how to access the higher grade. There is also a focus on analysing what a text is suggesting about modern society and culture.

Student Comment

I would encourage you to pick English Language A- Level because it explores many different aspects of the English Language. The knowledge that I have gained is interesting and the course also helps to develop your creativity. Another benefit of this course is that it helps you with your other subjects in terms of your analytical skills.