Welcome to A Level English Language!
Your Teacher: Sue Ann Shaw
Objectives:
- To gain an overview of what is studied and the scheme of assessment for A Level English Language and to make notes on these.
- To hear from some students from some students of A Level English Language.
- To begin to explore the relationship between language and age.
The Course: AQA A Level English Language
How will I be assessed?
The course is 80% final examination and 20% NEA (non examination assessment/coursework)
Examinations:
Paper 1: Textual Variations and Representations and Child Language Development (100 marks - 40%) 2 ½ hours
Paper 2: Language Diversity and Change (100 marks - 40%) 2 ½ hours
NEA: The folder is made up of two components: Original/creative writing with analytical commentary (10%) and a Language Investigation (10%)
What will I learn? A Level English Language is VERY different to GCSE English Language!!
Paper 1: Textual Variations and Representations and Child Language Development 40%
You will learn all about the building blocks of language from phonology to grammar, semantics and discourse structure. You will then apply these to the analysis of texts from 1500-present-day. You will encounter texts like newspaper articles, text messages, online forums, letters and more!
Believe it or not, YOU are a master of grammar! And were before you could even tie your shoelaces!! Many academics have tried to understand and explain the phenomenon of child language development, and you will learn about their theories in this part of the course!
Paper 2: Language Diversity and Change 40%
Is it an alley or a ginnel? A roll or a barm? Couch, sofa or settee? Toilet or loo?
Keep it low key! It was so lit! Oooohhhh...she’s throwing shade!!!
In A level English Language, you’ll learn all about the how and why of language variation with reference to gender, age, region, sexuality and class, as well as international varieties of English and attitudes to variation. AND how language changes over time!
Coursework 20%
Over the two years, you will complete two pieces of coursework.
Year 1: Original Writing and Commentary - you will produce a piece of writing which can be fiction or non-fiction along with an analysis of your own writing (10%).
Year 2: A Language Investigation - you will be taught the skills and methodologies to investigate language and produce a language investigation of your own. Language is everywhere, so the topic of your investigation will be something that YOU are interested in (10%).
What Do Our Students Say?
IMG_3424.movSadie Crookall
IMG_4851.MOVTom Rawcliffe
IMG_4769.TRIM.MOVKatie Pearson
Language Diversity: Language and Age
As part of our study of social variation in language, we look at the relationship between language and age. As an initial task, consider and record your responses to the following questions. There is no need to use Google for your answers but you can if you like.
What is age?
What is important to teenagers?
How can adolescence be defined? What is distinctive about it?
Language and Age
As a teenager, you will probably use, or at least be aware lots of slang.
Slang tends to very between age groups and by place and is a pretty useful way of constructing a group identity-a way of signalling your membership of one group and rejecting another group.
Language and Age: Tasks
Google and record a definition of slang
Give some examples of distinctive teenage language - how has your language changed since childhood and how is it different from other age groups?
Do boys and girls use language differently? How? Why?
Do ALL girls and ALL boys use language in the same way because of their age? Explain...
The Life of Slang: Julie Coleman
Read the review of “The Life of Slang” below and answer the questions:
Record some of the words used to negatively describe slang.
Who do you think the people who hold these beliefs about language are? Is it REALLY slang they object to? Or could it be something else?
What does Coleman think about slang? How does she support her ideas? Give examples please!!!
What is the function of slang, according to Coleman?
Julie Coleman - Slang: What it is, and when (or when not) to use it!
Watch the video and answer the questions:
What does Coleman say about the function of slang?
How did her children fit in at their new school?
What does she say about WHO can use slang?
Writing Task:
Write a dictionary of slang for a teenager who has moved to your school.
You should write an introduction and aim to include 10 slang words with their meanings and how to use them.
You can handwrite or word process your work and please feel free to use colour, picture, icons etc.
Bring your completed tasks to college in September.
I'll look forward to seeing them!
What You Should Bring In September:
