Sir John Deane's Course Prospectus 2018 1 Sir John Deane's_Courses | Page 53

English Language STUDY LEVEL CONTACT DETAILS A level Chris Atherton, Head of Department atherton_c@sj English Language focuses more on ‘non-literary’ texts from journalism, advertising, conversations and documents. This course is highly-regarded by universities as it helps you form sound arguments and develop excellent analytical skills. What will I study? You will begin your studies with an introduction to the study of language, where you will analyse a wide variety of short written and spoken texts. We then move on to study language in detail covering topics such as how teenagers and parents speak to each other and how powerful leaders such as Barrack Obama use language. You will also have the chance to explore how the English Language has changed over the centuries (and is still changing) and how children acquire their language skills. Assessment is by a mixture of coursework and written exams. There is also the opportunity to take GCSE English if you wish to improve on your original grade. Co-curricular activities? We have strong links with Manchester Metropolitan University and take part in an annual story- writing competition, as well as supporting students in a range of writing competitions locally and nationally. Students also have the opportunity to join the Linguistics Club – a programme for gifted and talented students interested in further study of linguistics at university Where might it lead? English Language is useful for a wide range of educational courses and careers. It is a good preparation for any course with a linguistic element and for careers in which knowledge of, and a sensitivity to, language will be required. Students who have studied A level English have gone into careers such as journalism, teaching and social work, to name a few. C SirJohnDeanes A SirJohnDeanes www.sjd.ac.uk 53