A-Level English Language

Transition Materials

Welcome to A-Level English Language

This is an exciting course which encourages you to investigate, analyse and dissect the English Language and the ways in which it is used.

Complete the 3 tasks ready for

when you begin in September so that

you will have an accelerated start to

the course

Task 1: Research Norman Fairclough and his theories on language and power. Explore how power is shown in a charity advert.

Task 2: Explore Language and Gender and produce a poster or PowerPoint presentation on your findings

Task 3: Produce a glossary of key English Language terms that you will need to start the course.

During the course you will need to learn about different experts and their theories on aspects of language study. Your first task gets you to research one of these theorists – Norman Fairclough.

Task 1: Research Norman Fairclough and his theories on language and power. Explore how power is shown in a charity advert.

1. Research Norman Fairclough’s theories about Language and Power. Make notes on your findings

2. Annotate the charity leaflet for ‘Concern’ analysing language choices within it which aim to create power over the reader.

3. Link these to Fairclough’s theories if you can.

Task 1: Research Norman Fairclough and his theories on language and power. Explore how power is shown in a charity advert.

During the course you will study lots of different topics about how aspects of society can influence language use. One of these areas is ‘Language and Gender’.

Task 2: Explore Language and Gender and produce a poster or PowerPoint presentation on your findings

1.Read, highlight and annotate the 3 articles on how gender influences language. 2.Watch and make notes on the short video on sexism in language use. Sexism in Language video 3.Produce a poster or PowerPoint presentation of your findings.

Task 2: Explore Language and Gender and produce a poster or PowerPoint presentation on your findings

In your poster/PowerPoint include: • differences in marked and gender

neutral terms • origins of gendered language and

how it has changed • your views on gendered language

and whether it matters.

You will be using a lot of new technical terms during the course in order to help you to analyse language use. To help you get started with this: 1. Fill in the glossary with the meanings of some of these key terms and give examples of them.

Task 3: Produce a glossary of key English Language terms that you will need to start the course.

See you in September