Exam Board

AQA (7702)

Course Leader

Mrs Heidi Crawley

Course summary

This exciting course enables students to explore the science of the English Language and to understand the concepts, methods and frameworks applied when critically analysing the factors influencing the production and reception of texts in various forms and contexts. Students analyse and compare a diverse range of texts; thinking about how they represent diverse groups in society, such as youth and gender. Students will be encouraged to explore cultural, regional, and global diversity in language. We explore how language has changed over time and consider what this tells us about our individual identity and the society in which we live. Students will consider how children acquire language and what internal and external factors influence this, including institutions like education.

What will students learn?

A Level Language Content

This course will develop students' knowledge and appreciation of textual production and reception through a study of the methods used to analyse language. Students will challenge stereotypes and bias due to social, cultural, and individual background and identity. Students will consider how texts represent groups of society and consequently, will become critical in their engagement with a range of texts. We study how language has changed and will appreciate the diversity of language.

We expect students to consider how children acquire language, and we will engage with concepts and theories to underpin our understanding of the many complex aspects of the English Language.

Students will research and complete an investigation in which they will plan, design, and conduct themselves with our guidance. Students will be able to research and investigate data, making informed judgements based on their findings about Language change and diversity.

How will students be assessed?

Paper 1: Language, the Individual and Society.

Written Exam, 2 hours 30 minutes, 40% of A Level Mark.

Paper 2: Language Diversity and Change.

Written Exam, 2 hours 30 minutes, 40% of A Level Mark.

Non-exam assessment: Language in Action.

Language Investigation and Original Writing – 3,500 words. 20% A Level Mark.

Differentiation

The difficulty of texts studied is varied and consequently the interpretations made of these texts lead to natural differentiation in responses and understanding.

Resources

A wide range of written and spoken texts are studied, with a detailed study of theorists. We will share course texts with students to support their study and the library will contain texts to underpin their study.