Top tips for A Level English Language exam preparation
11 May 2018
With the summer exams fast approaching, I’ve drawn together some of our top tips and ideas to aid A Level English Language exam prep and help your students to get the most from their revision time.
The key requirement for both exam papers
Five of the six questions across the two exams will require students to analyse unseen texts.
One of the best ways to get students well prepared for this is by encouraging them to read widely. Reading a range of non-fiction and media texts will help students feel more comfortable with analysing unseens. Ask them to regularly read and annotate a columnist, for example.
Successful exam preparation - Assessment recap
Students are more likely to do better if they are confident with the exam structure. Let’s briefly recap the assessment requirements and key points for each paper.
Paper 1 - H470/01 Exploring Language
The first question comes in two parts:
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Question 1a– Identifying and analysing the use of lexis and semantics in Text A
Question 1b– Identifying and analysing the way that sentences are used / grammar is used in Text A
(Questions 1a and 1b should always be answered separately) |
In these questions students should use specific linguistic terminology e.g. proper noun rather than ‘name’, and should illustrate points made by quoting from the text.
It’s also worth noting that there is no hard and fast rule as to what should be discussed in each question but analysis of a particular feature should be clearly linked to the relevant area i.e. pronouns discussed in a) must focus on their linguistic value whereas if they are discussed in b) it must focus on their grammatical impact. |
Question 2 - Writing in a given form about a topical language issue
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Students should carefully consider the audience and purpose of the task. The audience will be a non-specialist one so students should gloss terms and references that a generic reader may not necessarily know.
Students should show a broad understanding of issues and consider alternative views but their response needs to remain grounded in the language issue being explored.
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| Question 3 - Comparing the way in which language is used in Text B and Text C |
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Students should try to integrate comparison of both texts throughout. Comparisons could be made of the basis of language levels or through topic or purpose.
Good responses will analyse language use in relation to context, using linguistic terminology and backed up by quotations from both texts. |
Paper 2- H470/02 Dimensions of linguistic variation
| Question 1 – Analysing Text A, focussing on the development of children’s spoken language |
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Students should consistently analyse the data in the transcript, making links to context.
It’s better for students to be tentative when suggesting the grammatical stage of the child/children’s language. |
| Question 2 – Identifying and analysing patterns of language use in Text B, exploring the significance of gender and/or power and/or technology and/or change |
While this is a media text, students should maintain a focus on language and patterns of language use in relation to context. Students should explore contexts in detail.
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| Question 3 – Comparing the way in which language is used/has changed over time using Text C and Text D |
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Language analysis and comparisons could be explored through different language levels, through theme/topic or through purpose. Students should analyse language features and patterns in both texts in relation to contexts.
As this question is synoptic, responses could encompass elements from across the course.
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Successful exam preparation- Revision ideas
Here you’ll find the best ways to help your students revise for their exams and discover revision techniques and ideas that will keep them motivated and on track to achieving their best results.
Language and Gender
- Deborah Cameron’s blog, ‘language: a feminist guide’ provides a useful resource for the study of Language and Gender, as well as for topical language issues.
Linguistic terminology
Topical language issues
- Construct mind maps for language issues, showing the relationship between theorists
- Find an opinion piece on a language issue and ask students to write the opposing view or change the form/audience.
Theories and concepts
Child Language Acquisition
- Mystery stage identification activity: give out a range of transcripts and ask students to identify stages of the interlocutors and present evidence as to why
- As an alternative, give texts along a timeline of development and ask students to identify key features at each age/stage.
Language in the media
- Identifying the bias/representation of a particular group in a text then alter the language choices to reverse that bias/representation
- Ask students to consider print and online versions of the same story from the same publication
- Provide students with the patterns of language which could be in a media text and ask students to produce it. Then, ask another student to explore the language they have used.
Language change
- Get students to produce a timeline of change. Students could look at a specific genre and its evolution, for example cookery or royal reporting
- Ask students to produce a PowerPoint on different time periods e.g. decades of the 20th century, considering things like key events, figures, music, fashion, technology, factors affecting class and the impact of these on language use. This helps to cover historical and social context which in turn aids language analysis
- Students can engage with this topic through etymological research activities e.g. tracing a word’s history. The Google Ngram Viewer is a useful tool for this and can reveal the frequency of word used over time. The WebCorp Live corpus is also helpful
- Get students to recast modern texts using features of earlier versions of English. Anyone following @Chaucerdothtweet will be familiar with this idea.
For more ideas and activities, don’t forget to check out our range of teaching and learning resources, available on the A Level English Language webpage. Useful assessment feedback and tips are also available in our Examiners Report.
Submit your comments below, and if you would like to get in touch with us then please email us via english@ocr.org.uk or follow us on @OCR_English.
About the author
Keeley Nolan, OCR English Subject Advisor
Keeley joined OCR five years ago as a Qualifications Manager for Modern Foreign Languages. In 2014, she joined the English team as a Subject Advisor, leading on the development of GCSE 9-1 English Language and supporting first teaching of the new specification. Keeley currently looks after the OCR A Level English Language and A Level Literature qualifications. Prior to joining OCR, after graduating with a BA Joint Hons in English and French from the University of Leeds, Keeley spent two years teaching English abroad. In her spare time she enjoys travelling, reading and swimming.