New GCEs for 2008
GCE English Language and Literature B (2725)
AS outline
At AS, this specification will enable candidates to study language and literature using an Anthology of literary and non-literary texts and a chosen set of paired texts. Further study will focus upon the ways in which different writers have approached similar subjects and the ways in which language and style are affected by change over time and contextual variation.
The AS specification has 2 units:
Unit 1: Introduction to Language and Literature Study
Topic list
- The study of an Anthology of thematically linked spoken and written texts which will offer candidates the opportunity to consider the three major literary genres and a range of non-literary texts
- Significant features of writers' uses of language and their attitudes towards a specified theme.
Assessment
| Written Paper: | 1 hour 30 minutes |
| Weighting: | 60% of total AS / 30% of total A Level marks |
Two compulsory questions: one on an unseen text(s) which will be related to the themes of the Anthology; one on the Anthology itself. The questions will address thematic and stylistic issues, with a focus on:
a) writers' or speakers' use of language and
b) their attitudes towards a particular theme.
Unit 2: Themes in Language and Literature
Topic list
- Major prose genres, including fiction and literary non-fiction
- Developing reading and writing skills through the in-depth study of writers' crafting
- The study of one set of paired texts from a prescribed list - for example: Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre and Jean Rhys's Wide Sargasso Sea.
Assessment
| Coursework | |
| Weighting: | 40% of total AS / 20% of total A Level marks |
Assessment will be by two-part assignment. The first part will focus on candidates' ability to structure a comprehensive and informed discussion of a set theme, by appropriately using selected extracts from a studied text pairing.
The second part will focus on candidates' ability to write creatively and demonstrate skills in a way which also provides evidence of their understanding of the texts as a whole.
Key documents
