English Language — Solihull Sixth Form College

English Language

Why study English Language?
  • It is a fascinating and constantly evolving subject, which offers you the opportunity to study how language is shaped in speech and writing by all kinds of people, how it has changed over the centuries, and how it is still changing.
  • It helps you understand and analyse how language works in the real world. You will study everything from the rhetoric of politicians to slang, from the letters and diaries from the distant past to Twitter, from radio and TV broadcasts to the speech of children.
  • Studying English Language will enable you to develop transferable skills including the ability to take an analytical approach, to communicate clearly and concisely, to be an independent critical thinker, to construct a persuasive argument and to collaborate effectively with others. Such skills will be relevant to a wide range of degree courses and valuable to many different employers.
Why study English Language at Solihull Sixth Form College?
  • You will be taught by a team of experienced subject specialists who are enthusiastic about English Language and dedicated to helping students to achieve their potential.
  • We provide extensive resources to support you in your studies such as emagazine, a specialist magazine for learners of A level English, and a wide range of textbooks, study guides and online resources.
  • We offer enrichment opportunities to extend your studies. Our Creative Writing enrichment gives learners who pursue it the opportunity to develop their creative writing skills and to share their work with other like-minded enthusiasts. Our English Academy supports learners to complete an Extended Project Qualification. As well as widening their study beyond the A Level Curriculum, learners in the Academy work with academics from leading universities including the University of Oxford and the University of Birmingham. Our student magazine enrichment features engaging sessions with industry professionals and the opportunity to be part of the editorial and writing team.
Course Outline

Component 1: Language Concepts and Issues
You will study spoken language in a range of situations and genres and explore the ways in which speakers use language and interact. You will also study key language issues and topic areas: standard and non-standard English; language and power; language and situation; and language acquisition.
Component 2: Language Change Over Time and English in the Twenty-First Century
You will study how language changes across time through the study of written texts from different periods, linked by genre. You will also study the ways in which language is used distinctively in the twenty-first century and consider how it is evolving to reflect technological and cultural change.
Component 3: Creative and Critical Use of Language
You will produce original writing in a range of genres, and learn how to construct commentaries on your written pieces.
Non-exam assessment: Language and Identity
The non-exam assessment allows you to select an aspect of study that interests you related to the theme of language and identity. You will independently conduct a language investigation to develop your methods of language analysis through research, data collection and interpretation in order to write an extended investigation of 2500-3000 words.

Assessment

Examination (80%)
Coursework (20%)
Examining Board – Eduqas/WJEC.

Special Entry Requirements

Standard A level entry requirements apply.

Prohibited Options

Learners are not normally permitted to take more than one English course. However, if you are intending to study English at university and have grade 7 or above in both English Language and English Literature at GCSE, you may be permitted to take both English Language and English Literature, but only as part of a four A level programme. Learners wanting to do this must therefore meet the entry requirements for a four A level programme.

What do our learners go on to do?

Success in this subject will also allow you to access all sorts of degrees and career pathways. Learners go on the take a range of degree subjects, including Linguistics and Language courses. Previous learners have progressed to careers in areas such as law, journalism, teaching, speech therapy, public relations and advertising.

Cost Implications

There are no cost implications.

Complementary Subjects or Enrichment Courses

English Language goes well with most subject combinations and you may find that skills learnt in English can support you in other subject areas. Prospective learners will need to be interested in how language affects all aspects of our lives and be prepared to read a wide range of texts.

This information is correct for September 2024 entry.

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Case Studies

Esther Hurst

Esther Hurst joined The Sixth Form College, Solihull from Tudor Grange Academy. She studied A level French, History and Spanish…

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