English Lang-Lit

Course summary

English Language and Literature allows students to explore the world of texts through a variety of genres. It affords students the opportunity to engage in fruitful discussions and debates over key issues arising from matters within the texts studied and also encourages students to read widely around the subject, thereby extending their general knowledge. We begin the course at AS by studying a wide variety of texts as well as a range of poetry, analysing the ways in which meaning is shown through the changes in language and structure. While doing so, we also link this to the surrounding contextual factors and engaging in critical readings of the texts. This is developed later in the year through our analysis of drama and a non-literary text study –again giving us the chance to explore the texts’ contemporary world while comparing with more modern readings. However it is not just the written form that we study – we also analyse the power and importance of the spoken word. These skills are enhanced and developed further at A2, with the students given an opportunity to produce their own analysis of a prose genre and producing a linked creative writing piece.