Why choose English Language A Level
If you want to understand how language is used to control and manipulate us by both the media and people in power; how to take apart a piece of language and be able to work out exactly what makes it tick and produce your own piece of polished prose, radio script or journalism, this is the course for you. For a more technical approach to English and an opportunity to feel what it’s like to be a professional writer, head for English Language .
Courses offered & minimum entry requirements:
OCR English Language H470
Minimum requirement: GCSE English Language – Grade ‘B’ (or possibility of ‘C’ in consultation with teacher)
Brief Outline of the course:
Component One 40%
Exploring language focuses on linguistic analysis of authentic texts and orginal writing for a real- world purpose on a topical language issue through three sections :
- Language under the microscope
You are expected to be able to identify significant features or patterns in a text and to explore their effects.
- Writing about a topical language issue
You will present and explore your ideas and attitudes towards topical language issues through short pieces of original writing.
- Comparing and contrasting texts
You will compare a variety of texts, exploring the effects of mode and of language variations. For example, you will compare spoken and written texts .
Component Two 40%
You will study the topics of how children acquire language, language in the media, and how language changes over time.
- Child Language acquisition
The focus of this section is on children’s acquisition of spoken language. The age range to be explored is from 0-7 . You will use theoretical studies to analyse a short sample of authentic children’s spoken text.
- Language in the Media
You will consider relevant theories of language and power; language and gender or language and technology in exploring media texts. You will study how power, gender and technology are represented in a variety of discourses and texts.
- Language Change
You will study the ways that the English language has developed and changed over time .You will study a range of historical texts and genres and be able to identify and compare significant features or patterns in texts from two different times and to explore their effects
Component Three 20%
You willl complete a languuage investigation and an academic poster for this unit.
- Language Investigation
You will undertake an independent investigation of language on a topic of your own choice . You will chose your own methodologies; select and analyse your own data and draw suitable conclusions from them.
- Academic Poster
You will produce a well-researched and effectively organised overview of the learner’s own independent investigation in a form that would be suitable for display at an undergraduate conference for English language
research.
Assessment:
Component one and two are assessed through external examinations of 2 hours and 30 minutes. Both components are worth 40 %.Component three is worht 20 % and internally assessed.
Work load:
Background reading, finding and analysing texts, action research, essay writing and two coursework units . Lessons will include discussion, independent work and presentations and you should be prepared to be an active member of the class!
For more information contact:
Mrs H Fullard on hmf@hinchbk.cambs.sch.uk or 01480 375700 extension 5759.
Mrs V Fenton on vf@hinchbk.cambs.sch.uk or 01480 375700 extension 5759.