English Language and Literature

This is a good subject if you who enjoy the combination of language and literature work at GCSE, and would like to continue studying a mixture of literary and non-literary texts, as well as continuing to develop your own writing skills. Just as with English Literature, you must enjoy reading.

What will you study and learn?

This course combines the study of some major texts by writers like Shakespeare, Carol-Ann Duffy and Scott Fitzgerald.

You will study modern authors, poets and dramatists as well as all kinds of non-fiction writing from newspaper and magazine journalism to transcripts of speech. You will learn about the social and historical context of the set texts and how to construct well organised, detailed essays. Lessons will be spent in discussion of the texts and thorough analysis of extracts. You will also learn about linguistics and how to apply language terminology to literature.

Course content and examinations

We follow the AQA English Language and Literature Specification A which encourages students to develop integrated literary and linguistic analysis. Set texts will be analysed

using appropriate terminology. Students will develop their writing skills and be able to write fluently and coherently on themes and ideas suggested by the set texts.

A-level units:

Paper 1: Telling Stories

Students will study the work of modern and traditional poets such as John Donne and Carol Ann Duffy as well as prose texts ranging from Mary Shelley to Margaret Atwood. There is also an anthology of non-fiction writing focussing on a range of texts about Paris.

Paper 2: Exploring Conflict

In this unit students study the role of the individual in society using fiction and drama texts. The choice ranges from Shakespeare to Khaled Hosseini.

Paper 3: Making Connections

This is a coursework unit which allows free choice of question on a range of studied texts, linked by a theme and covering both Literature and Language texts.

Where could the subject take you?

English Language and Literature teaches you to analyse a wide variety of writing in detail; it also helps you to develop a range of mature styles in your own writing. It is a useful subject for students going on to study many different subjects at university. English Language and Literature provides a good background for any arts degree and can provide a wider perspective for those planning to study for science and technology degrees. English degrees can lead to many different careers, including work in education, journalism, advertising, entertainment and business.