A Level in English Language

Level 1 Diploma
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Course Location

College

Trafford College

Location

Altrincham Campus

Further Details

Age

College 16-18

Department

A Levels

Course Start Date

Monday 2nd September 2024

Course Duration

Full-time, 1 Year

Course Time

09:00 - 17:00

Course Fee

£ 1987.00
You may be eligible for support with your tuition fees - please visit the college website - funding and finance page for further information

Course Code

AFQ-AL3L-1106

Course Overview

Using the grammatical foundations of language as our starting point, we begin to examine how language can be used to create an individual’s identity to reflect their age, location, gender or occupation to list just a few influences. This course also explores the theory and processes behind how we acquire our spoken and written language as children and reflects on the ways in which English as a language has changed over the last 500 years.

Students follow the Pearson Edexcel A Level English Language specification.

Course Requirements

PLEASE NOTE – YOU MUST APPLY FOR 3 A LEVELS

Standard A Level entry requirements: 5 x GCSE grade 5’s or above (must include Maths and English Language).

What you will Learn

Studying with us will give you the opportunity to find answer to questions such as:

What linguistic techniques might the media, advertisers and politicians use in order to influence our way of thinking?

To what extent might our language have changed due to technology and is this change beneficial or harmful to the English language?

How do children learn to speak?

Assessment

3 exam papers and 1 piece of non-exam assessment at the end of 2 years:

Paper 1 – Individual Variation – Identity and Language Change – 2hrs 15 mins – 35%
Paper 2 – Child Language – 1 hour 15 minutes – 20%
Paper 3 – Investigating Language – Gender – 1 hr 45 mins – 25%
Non-exam assessment – Original Writing and Commentary – 20%

Progression

Once you’ve completed the English Language course, you will have picked up a range of useful skills including the ability to analyse, debate, create a strong argument and communicate effectively. These skills will prove highly useful when you continue with the subject at university and in employment. This specification is a good building block for higher education courses and careers in journalism, marketing, publishing, drama, academia, linguistics, and new media.

Career Options

Our students decide to take the following career paths: journalism, creative writing, teaching, academic career, web design, marketing and advertising, public relations and law.

Mandatory Units

Grammar – understanding word classes (types of nouns or verbs, complex or simple sentences) as well as the importance of syntax (word placement within a sentence).

Mode – exploring the difference between written and spoken English. How does language change when we are in conversation in comparison to when we are writing essays. What about social media where language is written as we speak?

Child Language Acquisition – how we learn to speak and write. We consider the theory behind this as well as considering how and why children make certain errors as they develop.

Language Change – reflects on key historical changes that influence language. Texts in the exam can be from 1500 onwards, but we will go back to 1066 see how the French invasions influence English, the impact of the printing press in 1486 and the way spelling was developed and standardised by dictionaries.

Gender – this topic ultimately forms an investigation based on a particular subject as set by the exam board – previous topics include: children’s advertising, women’s personal information, superhero comics and crime fiction. We explore stereotypes, theory and how language is used to represent and challenge.

Coursework (Non-Exam Assessment) – two original writing pieces on a topic of their piece, followed by a commentary in which you analyse your own work to explore how, and you created it.

Contact Details

For further information please contact T: 0161 886 7070 or E: info@trafford.ac.uk

Extra Costs Involved

Exam Validation Body

Hours Per Week

How Long To Complete

Programme Structure

Contact Details

Disclaimer

Although every care has been taken to ensure that the information contained within this document is accurate, there may be changes to this programme and provision. We will endeavour to keep prospective and current students updated where appropriate and when the information becomes available.
READY TO begin your journey?

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