A Level English Language

[PGMetahouse]

Does anyone have any information on how their DC have found/are finding A Level Eng Lang? I am fully aware of how some posters think this is a "soft", "worthless" and "waste of time" A Level, and how you have to do Eng Lit instead - and really don't want to rehash all those arguments. How do DC find the actual content?

DD took it 2 years ago. The first term bored her silly as it focused on the SPAG & structure. After that there were modules analysing language development, speeches, language within the media, language between genders etc. DD's coursework included an analysis of speeches by Michelle Obama and a project on how the media uses language to stereotype genders. Unfortunately her A level was interrupted by Covid and she didn't have to sit any exams.

I think it's important to understand that it bears little resemblance to English at GCSE level. DD is now studying PPE at Oxford and was able to focus her coursework on topics which interested her. Her tutors didn't seem remotely bothered by her A level choice.

Thanks, yes we have looked at the syllabus and on the face of it, it looks really interesting. PPE at Oxford is impressive and shows what outcomes are genuinely possible, not that we are quite in that territory.

I would have done it if it had been around in my day. It does sound really interesting.

In 2019 only 1.8% of students achieved an A in English Language, whereas 7.2% did in English Lit, 5.0% in history and 8.9% on maths. I don't think you can argue that it's harder to get an A in Eng Lang, but the more academic students are less likely to take it. This was probably one of the greater challenges DD faced. Her teachers weren't used to dealing with students who wanted stretch activities & tended to focus on whether a C or D grade student could become a B student. They tended to let her go where she wanted to go with the syllabus, which actually suited her as she isn't one for group work. I think the syllabus is a good match for sociology and/or politics (neither of which DD took).

My DD is currently doing English Language A level. She wants to be a primary school teacher and was swayed by the sections on language development in children, language structure, language use in the media and gender issues. She couldn't face another two years of analysing books and poetry with English Lit! She loves it. She says a lot of the sections cross over with Sociology which she also studies. It was a really good choice on her part I think, she has great teachers and no regrets.

My DD is doing English Language and Literature at A level and really enjoying it. She has an offer from Oxford and there was no suggestion that they take it less seriously than Eng Lit on its own.

It has a lot of Linguistics content. Language acquisition, discourse analysis etc.

Much more interesting than English Lit IMO (and I say that as an avid reader). I don’t think it’s an easy option at all.

We ask for higher GCSE grades for English Language A level than Lit or the combined lang and lit A level as in the opinion of our college it is the most demanding of the three academically!

Interesting thread as dd is interested in taking English language. Read out these posts to her and she’s very interested.

Does anyone know if creative writing is included and to what extent?

I don't think you can argue that it's harder to get an A in Eng Lang, but the more academic students are less likely to take it.*
There is a lot of linguistics in it. I teach my y12 stuff that I learned in my degree. It's very hard to get an A* - possibly in part because it's almost entirely new, unlike lit.

The grade profile of students taking Lang is definitely lower than those taking Lit at our school. There are also twice as many of them. Our entry requirements are the same.

But it looks really interesting to me!

Hi, I teach Eng Lang A Level- some really interesting topics and debates in it. No literary content at all, so the question for a prospective student is what they enjoy most about English.

@Rummikub on the OCR spec students write a creative piece as part of one of the exams. I think on the AQA spec part of the coursework is a creative piece. Not sure about other specs.

@UnsuitableHat

Thank you for that. I’ll pass that info on. I don’t think dd is overly keen on creative writing.

The creative writing on OCR is less "creative" than you might expect. It's presenting learned knowledge about a topic for a non specialist reader - so why text messaging isn't the death of the English language, or similar.

That’s interesting. I think she would enjoy that

I love teaching it. I teach lit too but Lang is where you're dealing with new things - there are only so many ways to talk about Hamlet but language evolves constantly. It's exciting.

My son is really enjoying it.