English Language and Literature
This is an exciting opportunity to study the amalgamated course of English language and literature. Over the two years students will study poetry, creative writing, plays (both modern and Shakespeare), autobiographical writing and chosen classics.
The course allows students to gain an insight into how language works, and the effect and impact linguistic and literary techniques have on the reader.
WHAT THE LEARNERS SAY:
“English is a highly influential and inspirational subject that urges you to contemplate the world around you. Across the A-Level course you will learn a multitude of beneficial skills that can be carried through to a variety of university courses.
The language and literature you study, involving Margaret Atwood’s ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’, Williams Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’ Truman Capote’s ‘In Cold Blood’, and Tennessee Williams’ ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’, as well as an anthology of poems spanning back to the 14th century, allow you to develop a deeper understanding of the complex ideologies of the world.
I have always felt a deep aspiration to excel in English, even since the beginning of my comprehensive education. The exceptional teachers, Mrs Williams, Mrs Smith and Miss Mullen-Jones, have continuously gone above and beyond to ensure that we achieve the highest grades possible. Their all round kindness and passion for their subject encourages my classmates and I to perform to the best of our abilities.”
AS – Unit 1
- 2 hour written exam
- 20% of qualification
Section A requires students to undertake a comparative analysis of one poem from the WJEC English Language and Literature Pre-1914 Poetry Anthology, and an unseen text from a choice of two (one of which will be a spoken text).
Section B focuses on creative writing and commentary, and the question is presented in three parts, comprising two writing tasks, one of which will require a written text to be spoken, and a commentary.
AS – Unit 2
- 2 hour written exam
- 20% of qualification
The topic for Section A is Post-1900 drama, based on the reading of Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire. Section B looks at the non-literary text In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote.
A2 – Unit 3
- 2 hour written exam
- 20% of qualification
The topic for Section A and B are based on students’ reading of the Shakespeare play The Tempest, one being an extract based question, and the other and essay question.
A2 – Unit 4
- 2 hour written exam
- 20% of qualification
A2 – Unit 5
- Critical and creative genre study
- Non-examined assessment
- 20% of qualification
Students are required to produce two pieces of work, the first being a critical and sustained study of a particular prose genre, and the other a creative writing assignment, linked to the genre studied.