English Language

Course summary

Why study English language? English language is all around us, always changing, never static and incredibly powerful. It can be used to bring communities together, it can be used to incite violence, and it can be used to paint striking images. This course will enable you to understand where English has come from, how it has changed over time, how we learn it and how it is used. It will also give you the tools needed to become a skilled writer and allow you to use language to persuade, inform, instruct and entertain – skills necessary for whichever career path students decide to take. To be successful you will have a genuine interest in language, a spirit of adventure and inquiry, and show a real keenness for learning something new. What will I learn about? English language is a continuation from your English studies at GCSE level, yet there are many aspects to the course which will make it feel like a brand new subject. Most of the study is based around a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction texts, much of which you will be able to source yourself, and there is ample opportunity for creative and imaginative writing. At AS Level, the course offers opportunities to develop your subject expertise by learning key language concepts and engaging with a range of texts. You will explore the study of English language both as a medium of communication in many different areas, including gender, social groups, occupation and regional variations. A2 develops these concepts, with an added emphasis on creating and analyzing your own texts. There is also focus on language acquisition.