English Language
AS and A2
Which English to study?
Course Structure
Unit 1 – examination 2 hours
Categorising Texts
60% total AS marks
30% total A2 marks
Unit 2 - coursework
Creating Texts
40% total AS marks
20% total A2 marks
Unit 3 - examination 2 ½ hours
Developing Language
30% total A Level marks
Unit 4 – coursework
Investigating Language
20% total A Level marks
Unit 1 Section A:
Categorising Texts
• ‘Big picture’ to detail
• Frameworks - Systematic approach to analysing
any spoken or written text (pragmatics,
discourse, grammar, lexis and semantics,
phonology, graphology, morphology)
• Concepts: register, mode, idiolect, dialect,
sociolect
• Link analysis to audience, purpose and context
• Linguistic terminology
• Grouping texts
• A range of unseen texts from contemporary
culture
• Encourages students to think differently about
texts they see in the media every day.
Unit 1 Section B: Language
and Social Contexts
• Explore how spoken and
written texts reproduce
ideas about cultural
values and assumption
• One question from a
choice of three.
• Texts provided for
analysis for each
question.
• Example question:
‘Comment on the
representation of gender
in text G’
Three topics will be
studied:
• Language and Power
• Language and
Gender
• Language and
Technology
Unit 2: Creating Texts
• Two pieces of
original writing for
different audiences
and purposes
• Commentaries
• Freedom
• Creative writing
• Journalism skills
• Independent study
• Folder totals 1500 –
2500 words for
original writing and
two commentaries
with combined word
limit of 1000 words
• Writing to
entertain
• Writing to
persuade
• Writing to inform
• Writing to advise /
instruct
Unit 3: Developing Language
Language Acquisition
• Acquisition of speech
• Stages of
development and
social interaction
• Theories of language
acquisition
• Reading development
• Writing development
• Data from children up
to age 10
Language Change
• Historical
development change over the last
5 centuries
• Change that is
happening now –
living language
• Socio-cultural causes
of change
• Changes in style
Trips to infant and junior schools, Sheffield
Archives and the cemetery!
Unit 4: Investigating Language
Past successful topics:
• Individual topics
• Establish context
and method
• Collect data
• Apply knowledge of
frameworks in
analysis
• Present material and
findings coherently,
using terminology
appropriately
• 2000 – 2500 words
• Develops
independent
learning and
research skills which
will impress
universities.
• Relationships between English and
Portuguese
• Original language use in the television
show, ‘Buffy The Vampire Slayer’
• Linguistic devices used by journalists
to report a disaster, comparing how
methods have changed over time
• Persuasive devices in travel brochures
/ night club flyers
• Comparing types of rap music
• Slogans in the beverage industry
• Interruptions in conversations between
men and women
• Development of children’s writing
Unit 4 Part 2:
The Media Text.
• In addition to the Investigation, students will be
required write an informative media text, linked
to the topic of their Investigation. This allows
students to show their ability to adapt materials
and write for different audiences.
• For example, an investigative topic of child
language acquisition might lend itself to the
production of a guide for new parents about
how to understand and support their child’s
early language development.