English Language A level enables you to acquire knowledge and understanding of many aspects of language including how the English Language works. You will learn how to convey meaning in different ways and how to analyze language in use. Topics include spoken and written language, how and why language has changed over time, how and why language varies according to the context in which it is used, the relationship between language and society, and how children acquire language. Students will explore a range of texts from newspaper articles, magazine articles, leaflets, and advertisements. The AQA course explores: • How language conveys representations and the ever-changing dialects within communities. • Language change over time and language diversity • Child's language development. The coursework tasks focus on linguistic research and creative writing. For this, students must complete: • A language investigation (a 2000-word research project into an aspect of language use) • 1500-word creative writing piece with an explanatory commentary. These tasks allow students to work on areas of personal interest, whilst at the same time developing their skills of linguistic analysis and creativity. Studying the course will involve a range of teaching and learning activities including seminars, symposiums, lectures, and debates plus a trip to the British Library. In the past, the course has included talks from visiting speakers and trips to universities and other related institutions, including Warwick University. The English department also has an online blog which is written by sixth form students and all A Level students are encouraged to contribute. In combination with other A levels, the English Language A level can lead to studying at university on a range of courses including English, linguistics, journalism, and other language courses.