A-Level Language:
The new handout and information on Child Language Acquisition is HERE

Because we are in the first year of the new courses, all of the resources are currently geared towards the A/S exam.

Our first step is to outline some ideas for Universities which include Language as part of their course. Information on these can be found HERE

We have some feedback from the 'real' examiners about how to tackle Module1.

Also some ideas for Language & Social Contexts which you can find below.


Language & Society Ideas:
Here are a few web resource ideas for Language and Society:

http://www.shunsley.eril.net/armoore/lang/occupation.htm
http://www.shunsley.eril.net/armoore/lang/speech.htm
http://www.shunsley.eril.net/armoore/lang/langsoc.htm

And for language and gender:

http://www.cpsr.org/cpsr/gender/herring.txt

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GCSE English:

We will be putting more links into this area as over the year.
Mr Hamer's new Media coursework is Here. In the meantime, try some of these:

Writing Styles:

This page has got some help and advice for you on how to practise your writing skills for the English Language essay questions.

GCSE Exam Practise:

Evidence shows that the best way to ensure good marks in your GCSE English exam is to practise the writing questions as much as possible. Students often forget, when they are drawing up their revision timetables, that they must allow as much time for English as any other single subject - if not more. English Literature needs a similar amount. As well as revising your poets, don't forget to keep looking at non-fiction, newspapers, leaflets etc.

To help you with the writing practice, we have devised a series of tasks from each of the six headings: Argue, Persuade, Instruct (paper I); Describe, Inform, Explain (paper II). As well as practising each type, these revision notes will also help you to discover where your strengths and weaknesses are - not everyone is as good at every sort of writing.

How to Revise:

Plan a series of slots in your timetable for the essay questions. Try to vary them - argue one night, then persuade. Choose different topics - health one night, then the Internet. Allow yourself about ½ an hour for each question you're going to do. Make sure you've got a clock handy. Look at the question and then spend a minute jotting down key points for that sort of writing - this might include the framework for writing to argue or key points for writing to describe.

Then draw up your plan for the answer. Whatever format of plan you prefer, use it to produce a plan that will help you produce a real piece of writing in the exam. You should have spent about 10 minutes working on this so far.

Now write the first three or four paragraphs - about ½ a page or more. This should take about another 15 minutes. By now, you have actually done the hardest part. With a good plan, writing the rest should be a doddle. Spend the last 5 minutes of your ½ hour checking over your work, just like you would do in the real exam. As well as finding mistakes, don't be frightened to change words or restructure a sentence.

Now you've finished, put your work aside for a day - seriously. When you come back to it, ask yourself the following questions:

1. Have I answered the question - is there anything glaringly obvious I've done wrong!
2. Have I worked out who my audience is for this piece?
3. Have I stuck to the point?
4. Have I remembered the twiddly bits - my address if it's a letter etc.

If you can give your work to someone else (parent / aunt / uncle / older brother or even a teacher), it would be a real help.

The Exercises:

These are broken down into sections for each different purpose of writing. Remember, the same question will appear on Higher and Foundation papers. It is possible that the real exam might have one or two extra sentences for guidance, but not much.

Writing to Argue:

A1 The government would like all families to have access to the Internet. Currently there is little or no censorship of the net. Write an essay arguing either for or against censorship of the internet by governments.

A2 Corporal punishment (smacking children when they've done something wrong) by parents has been in the news recently. Write an article for the school magazine arguing for or against smacking by parents.

A3 Schools and colleges try to make their environments safe and healthy, but are open to suggestions. Write a proposal for consideration by your student council which argues for changes to the school which will improve the health of students.

A4 Many young people care deeply about the environment. Write a letter to your MP arguing the case for a change in the law to protect or restore ONE aspect of YOUR environment.

A5 At present there is no comprehensive equal opportunities law for disabled in same way that there is for women and ethnic minorities. Write a letter to your MP arguing the case for such a law.

A6 Write a speech to be delivered to the School Council arguing the case for more time and money to be given to sports in the school.

Writing to Persuade:

P1 Your school has decided not to give external e-mail addresses to every student or to allow unfiltered access to the Internet. Write a letter to the head teacher on behalf of the student council persuading them to change their mind.

P2 The school has been given enough money by the council to redecorate every room. The school has decided to employ decorators. Write a letter to the head teacher persuading them to allow students to decorate their form rooms - if they can choose the design!

P3 Write a letter to your local health authority which tries to persuade them to improve health care for teenagers in your area.

P4 Parents can be the least environmentally conscious people. Write an article in your college newsletter, addressed to parents, which seeks to persuade them to go green.

P5 Many schools have a programme of educational and other trips and residential visits. Write a proposal to your head teacher which persuades them to offer a new and unusual visit / trip which you are suggesting.

P6 The governors of your college have asked you to write a report which sums up the students' views about technology. Write a report which summarises the amount of technology in the college and persuades the governors to either spend more or less on technology.

Writing to Instruct:

Ins1 A local primary school has decided to set up a web site for the school. Write to their teacher advising them what to put on the site and instructing them on how to set it up.

Ins2 Families consume a lot of resources - write a short leaflet aimed at families with children which will instruct them in living more environmentally friendly lives.

Ins3 Your school is going to admit students from a special school during morning sessions to use the IT and technology facilities. Write a speech to be given in assembly by the student council which instructs the other students on how to give the visiting special students respect and equal opportunities.

Ins4 More and more schools are now having Yr 11 leavers' proms. Write a series of guidelines to be followed by the organising committee.

Ins5 Magazines often get older writers to write for younger readers. A magazine read by 9-11 yr olds has asked you to write an article on how to organise either the best sleepover party or the best Five-a-Side Football party ever. Remember that you are writing for a younger audience. You should not write in columns, but should indicate subheadings, bullet points etc. that will be used in the final version.

Ins6 Before being old enough to start work at large companies, many young people earn money from baby-sitting, paper rounds, dog-walking and other informal employment. Write a handout for 11-12 year old students (Year 7) which instructs them on the precautions to take when seeking and carrying out this sort of work.

Writing to Describe:

D1 Weddings and funerals are important ceremonies for those who attend them. Write a description of one such event and what it meant to you.

D2 Describe a favourite place that you have in such a way that your description brings out what this place means to you and what you feel when you go there. It could be a public, private or family place.

D3 Describe your first visit to the cinema or theatre in such a way that it can be easily imagined by your reader.

D4 Write a description of two different walks that you have been on, where one is in the city and one in the country. Try to contrast the experiences as vividly as possible.

D5 You have been asked to provide a short description of your school for its web site so that anyone in cyberspace who clicks on it can appreciate what it is like to be a student there.

D6 Describe a frightening confrontation that you have either witnessed or been involved in.



Inf1 Teachers often have difficulty informing students in language the students understand. Write a guide which informs Yr 9 students of the contents of the GCSE English / English Literature course.

Inf2 A magazine aimed at teenagers is printing a series of articles on "Our Role Models". Write an article for the magazine which informs the reader about a role model and what they mean to you. It should not be a public figure (e.g. actor, sports star, TV personality).

Inf3 Many days can sometimes seem the same, but sometimes we all have memorable days in our life. Write a diary entry from your life which informs the reader what happened to make it such a memorable day.

Inf4 Imagine that your town or village has formed a partnership with its opposite - that is, if you live in a small village, it has been linked with a big city. You have been asked to write a letter to a student of your age in the partner community which informs them of what it is like to be a teenager in your area. You can assume that they have never spent much time in a place like yours.

Inf5 Schools are always recruiting new teachers and always send out an information pack about the job. You have been asked to contribute to the pack by writing a note which informs in an unbiased way what local facilities are like for families who might move into the area.

Inf6 You have been asked to write an introduction for exchange students (who can be assumed to speak English as well as you) coming to visit your school from another European country which informs them about what they can look forward to when they spend time with a typical local family.

Writing to Inform:

E1 Most students have chosen their destinations for next year. Explain what you want to do next year and why you chose it.

E2 Your local careers service is putting together a booklet entitled 'Who am I?' and includes features on how young people were shaped by their lives. Write an entry for this booklet which explains how some life changing event has affected you. It could be happy or sad, big or little, anything which has affected the person you have become.

E3 A new school can be a terrifying experience. You have been asked to write an article which explains what happens at your school in such a way that a new student would be certain of what happens. You should write at an appropriate level for the age group that will read it.

E4 The Local Education Authority (County Hall) is researching health in schools and is seeking the advice of students. Write a letter to the Chief Education Officer explaining the health risks posed at school, as you see them.

E5 Many people have illnesses or conditions which can be difficult to understand. Write an article for your college newsletter about such a condition which explains what it is like.

E6 Many young people have a hobby or interest. Write an article for a teenage magazine which explains why you are interested in your hobby and what you get out of it.