Specification at a glance

This qualification is linear. Linear means that students will sit all their exams at the end of the course.

Subject content

Options

Paper 1: Reading and writing
What's assessed Aspects of Bengali-speaking society: past and current trends Aspects of Bengali-speaking society: past and current issues Artistic culture in the Bengali-speaking world, past and present Aspects of political life in the Bengali-speaking world, past and present Grammar Individual research project (one of four sub-themes)
How it's assessed Written exam: 2 hour 30 minutes 85 marks 42.5% of A-level
Questions Reading and responding to a variety of texts written for different purposes, drawn from a range of authentic sources and adapted as necessary. Material will include complex factual and abstract content and questions will target main points, gist and detail. All questions are in Bengali, to be answered with non-verbal responses or in Bengali (35 marks). Translation into English: a passage of minimum 100 words (10 marks). No access to a dictionary during the assessment. Individual research project: reading and responding in writing to an unseen question based on a target language source on one of the research topics published in the specification. Students will be required to use information from the source as well as the knowledge gained from their individual research (40 marks). No access to research materials or dictionaries during the assessment. Students are advised to write approximately 300 words for the individual research project essay.

Paper 1: Reading and writing

What's assessed

How it's assessed

Questions

Reading and responding to a variety of texts written for different purposes, drawn from a range of authentic sources and adapted as necessary. Material will include complex factual and abstract content and questions will target main points, gist and detail.

All questions are in Bengali, to be answered with non-verbal responses or in Bengali (35 marks).

No access to a dictionary during the assessment.

Individual research project: reading and responding in writing to an unseen question based on a target language source on one of the research topics published in the specification. Students will be required to use information from the source as well as the knowledge gained from their individual research (40 marks).

No access to research materials or dictionaries during the assessment.

Students are advised to write approximately 300 words for the individual research project essay.

Paper 2: Writing
What's assessed One text and one film or two texts from the list set in the specification Grammar
How it's assessed Written exam: 2 hours 80 marks 20% of A-level
Questions Either one question in Bengali on a set text from a choice of 2 questions and one question in Bengali on a set film from a choice of 2 questions or two questions in Bengali on set texts from a choice of two questions on each text. All questions will require a critical appreciation of the concepts and issues covered in the work and a critical and analytical response to features such as the form and the technique of presentation as appropriate to the work studied (eg the effect of narrative voice in a prose text or camera work in a film). No access to texts or films during the assessment. No access to a dictionary during the assessment. Students are advised to write approximately 300 words per essay.

Paper 2: Writing

What's assessed

How it's assessed

Questions

Either one question in Bengali on a set text from a choice of 2 questions and one question in Bengali on a set film from a choice of 2 questions or two questions in Bengali on set texts from a choice of two questions on each text.
All questions will require a critical appreciation of the concepts and issues covered in the work and a critical and analytical response to features such as the form and the technique of presentation as appropriate to the work studied (eg the effect of narrative voice in a prose text or camera work in a film).

No access to texts or films during the assessment.

No access to a dictionary during the assessment.

Students are advised to write approximately 300 words per essay.

Paper 3: Listening, reading and writing
What's assessed Aspects of Bengali-speaking society: past and current trends Aspects of Bengali-speaking society: past and current issues Artistic culture in the Bengali-speaking world, past and present Aspects of political life in the Bengali-speaking world, past and present Grammar
How it's assessed Written exam: 2 hours 30 minutes 75 marks 37.5% of A-level
Questions Listening and responding to spoken passages from a range of contexts and sources covering different registers and adapted as necessary. Material will include complex factual and abstract content and questions will target main points, gist and detail. Studio recordings will be used and students will have individual control of the recording. All questions are in Bengali, to be answered with non-verbal responses or in Bengali (35 marks). Translation into Bengali: a passage of minimum 100 words (10 marks) Multi-skill task: listening, reading and responding in writing to an unseen target language essay question on a listening passage and a written source based on one of the themes. The written response will require reference to the information in both the listening and written source. The response will require analysis, evaluation, personal reaction and drawing a conclusion (30 marks). Students are advised to write approximately 200 words for the multi-skill task essay

Paper 3: Listening, reading and writing

What's assessed

How it's assessed

Questions

Listening and responding to spoken passages from a range of contexts and sources covering different registers and adapted as necessary. Material will include complex factual and abstract content and questions will target main points, gist and detail. Studio recordings will be used and students will have individual control of the recording.

All questions are in Bengali, to be answered with non-verbal responses or in Bengali (35 marks).

Translation into Bengali: a passage of minimum 100 words (10 marks)
Multi-skill task: listening, reading and responding in writing to an unseen target language essay question on a listening passage and a written source based on one of the themes. The written response will require reference to the information in both the listening and written source. The response will require analysis, evaluation, personal reaction and drawing a conclusion (30 marks).

Students are advised to write approximately 200 words for the multi-skill task essay