How does language shape us? Where can we see its influence in our personalities, culture and world view? These and many more questions will be posed, discussed and hopefully answered in your study of English Language. The development, discourses and diversity that exist within our language will form the central underpinning of this subject , offering you the chance to explore a wide range of texts and topics through in-class debate as well as your own independent study.
Subject Information
English Language offers you the chance to engage creatively and critically with a wide range of texts and discourses. In this course you will create texts and reflect critically on the processes of production, while analysing the texts produced by others. Our course explores the English language both as a medium of communication and as a topic in its own right, as you pursue lines of enquiry, debate different views and work independently to research aspects of language in use. Through textual analysis, commentary and your own personal research, you will discover the power of language as a creative tool for expression, as well as a system used to assert power in society.
Course Details
What will I study?
- Unit 1 focuses on Language, the Individual and Society. You will carry out close analysis of representation and meaning in texts, as well as examining child language development.
- Unit 2 focuses on Language Diversity and Change. You will examine how language diversity is influenced by gender, occupation, ethnicity, accent, dialect and the passage of time.
- Non-exam assessment: in this unit, you will carry out a personal investigation into a language topic of your choosing, as well as producing a piece of original writing on either ‘the power of persuasion’, ‘the power of storytelling’ or ‘the power of information’. This is an opportunity to truly personalise your education by selecting your own texts and pursuing original lines of enquiry and interest.
What can I expect beyond the classroom?
- Cross-curricular opportunities with Sociology, Politics, Philosophy
- Academic lectures and seminar sessions
- Visits from guest speakers
- Debate sessions
- Documentary screenings
Subject Specific Entry Requirements
- Grade 6 in GCSE English Language / Literature.
Where could English Language take me?
By studying English Language in depth you will gain invaluable skills for life. You will understand how to communicate effectively, critically assess information and challenge assumptions. You’ll also become aware of the wider context of language and the written form, such as how language is used for social control, propaganda and manipulation in the wider world. These skills will equip you for a number of further education and career paths, including (but not limited to): publishing, broadcasting, marketing and PR, journalism, law, teaching and politics.
Reading List
Wider Reading
Reading as widely as possible from a range of different forms, genres, and eras will be the most useful reading you can do. This includes novels, articles, blogs, tweets, texts, radio and television transcripts. Be sure to keep a record of anything you find interesting!
Reference Books
- A Dictionary of Literary Terms by Michael Gray
- Doing English by Robert Eaglestone
- How to Write Better Essays by Bryan Greetham
- How Language Works by David Crystal
- The Adventure of English by Melvin Bragg
- Lost for Words by John Humphrys
- A Little Book of Language by David Crystal
- Language: A Student Handbook on Key Topics & Theories
- Language Change: Progress or Decay? by Jean Aitcheson The Adventure of English by Melvin Bragg
- Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson
- You Say Potato by Ben Crystal
- The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language by David Crystal
- Eat, Shoots and Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Guide to Punctuation by Lynne Truss
People to follow on Twitter
- David Crystal
- Daniel Clayton
- Beth Kemp
Blogs to follow
- david-crystal.blogspot.co.uk
- englishlangsfx.blogspot.co.uk
- www.bethkemp.co.uk/blog
- alevellanguage.blogspot.co.uk
- aggslanguage.wordpress.com
Magazines/Journals
- English and Media Centre eMagazine
