english literature a level coursework aqa

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A-level English Language and Literature 7707

A-level English Language and Literature Specification Specifications for first teaching in 2015

PDF | 749.44 KB

1.0 Introduction

1.1 why choose aqa for a-level english language and literature, a specification designed for you and your students.

We have worked closely with teachers and universities to develop an accessible and stimulating course in which students engage creatively and independently with a variety of spoken, written and multi-modal texts.

Designed with a focus on the integration of language and literature, this specification enables students to see how linguistic and literary methods are related and to explore these links in their work.

Offering clear skills progression from GCSE, this course allows students to build on the skills and knowledge already gained and prepare for their next steps.

The variety of assessment styles used, such as re-creative writing, commentary writing, discursive essays and research-based investigative writing, allows students to develop a wide range of skills. These include the ability to read critically, analyse, evaluate and undertake independent research, which are invaluable for both further study and future employment.

Choice and flexibility

Our specification offers a range of engaging texts with options to suit all preferences, so you can choose the texts that will be most appealing and of most interest to your students. We do not expect to change texts within the first five years of the specification. However, texts will be reviewed each year starting in September 2017 and we will give at least 9 months’ notice of any changes prior to first teaching of a two year course. The criteria for changing texts will be where a text becomes unavailable or where we can no longer use it in a question paper. This applies to all texts set for study in this specification. Notice of any change will be communicated via our exam bulletins and on our website.

Independent learning

The A-level non-exam assessment component reinforces the integrated nature of the specification whilst also providing opportunities for students to pursue their own areas of interest and develop personal and independent learning skills.

We support you every step of the way

This specification features an anthology of multi-modal texts from different genres linked by themes, which provides a valuable interactive digital resource to support teaching.

To further support teaching and learning, we provide a comprehensive range of resources, including a digital resource bank and access to the largest network of English teachers facilitated through our national Subject advocate network.

Learn more about our English qualifications at aqa.org.uk/english

1.2 Support and resources to help you teach

We know that support and resources are vital for your teaching and that you have limited time to find or develop good quality materials. So we’ve worked with experienced teachers to provide you with a range of resources that will help you confidently plan, teach and prepare for exams.

Teaching resources

We have a comprehensive range of English Language and Literature resources. Visit aqa.org.uk/7707 to see them all. They include:

• a digital resource bank which will include a wide range of free, interactive resources to support the teaching of English Language, English Literature and English Language and Literature
• a poetry anthology to give you free and easy access to a range of poetry so that you don’t need to source all the poems set for study
• marked and annotated student responses to the questions on our specimen papers, with senior examiner commentaries
• Subject advocates who will support you in the transition to the new specification and facilitate local and regional network and update meetings
• student textbooks and digital resources that have been checked and endorsed by AQA
• training courses to help you deliver AQA qualifications
• subject expertise courses for all teachers, from newly-qualified teachers who are just getting started to experienced teachers looking for fresh inspiration.

Preparing for exams

Visit aqa.org.uk/7707 for everything you need to prepare for our exams, including:

• past papers, mark schemes and examiners’ reports
• sample papers and mark schemes for new courses
• example student answers with examiner commentaries.

Analyse your students' results with Enhanced Results Analysis (ERA)

Find out which questions were the most challenging, how the results compare to previous years and where your students need to improve. ERA, our free online results analysis tool, will help you see where to focus your teaching. Register at aqa.org.uk/era

For information about results, including maintaining standards over time, grade boundaries and our post-results services, visit aqa.org.uk/results

Keep your skills up to date with professional development

Wherever you are in your career, there’s always something new to learn. As well as subject-specific training, we offer a range of courses to help boost your skills.

• Improve your teaching skills in areas including differentiation, teaching literacy and meeting Ofsted requirements.
• Prepare for a new role with our leadership and management courses.

You can attend a course at venues around the country, in your school or online – whatever suits your needs and availability. Find out more at coursesandevents.aqa.org.uk

Get help and support

Visit our website for information, guidance, support and resources. aqa.org.uk/7201

You can talk directly to the English Language and Literature subject team:

E: [email protected]

T: 0161 953 7504

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AS and A-level English Literature A

2021 exam changes The Government announced that it won't be possible for exams to go ahead as normal this summer. Read more

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A-Level English Literature Guide

In A-Level by Think Student Editor October 21, 2022 Leave a Comment

A-Level English Literature can be a niche or popular subject – sometimes classes have less than 10 people, sometimes classes are full. Whether you’ve picked it for A-Level or are sitting on the fence, it can be one of the hardest subjects to get right. Think you need some help? This guide is here to help answer all your questions.

In this guide I’ll be discussing whether you should take A-Level English Literature, what the course involves and what the benefits are to taking it. Keep reading to find out more!

Table of Contents

Should you take A-Level English Literature?

Personally, I feel that A-Level English Literature is one of the most creative A-Level subjects. If you enjoyed English Literature GCSE, the chances are you’ll also enjoy English Literature A-Level.

I’d only recommended taking English Literature A-Level if you are strongly passionate about it. The workload can be intense, so if you don’t enjoy the subject, you probably won’t enjoy the A-Level course.

Most schools will hold events for future sixth form students to learn more about each subject. From these you find out more about the course the school offers, or you can ask your teachers.

Alternatively, exam board websites usually post their specifications. For example, you can find the OCR specification here .

If you know what you want to pursue beyond A-Levels, you should also consider whether English Literature A-Level is necessary for future careers. This Think Student article has information on the most respected A-Level subjects.

Alternatively, read this Think Student article if you want to read more about A-Level combinations favoured by universities.

However, if you really want to take English Literature, you should choose what you’re interested in — it will make A-Levels in general more enjoyable.

Ultimately, whether you take English Literature A-Level or not is up to you. If you have a passion for the subject or think it could help you in the future, you should definitely consider choosing it.

How hard is A-Level English Literature?

Any A-Level English Literature student will tell you that it’s not an easy A-Level . In fact, this Think Student article has a list of the top 10 hardest A-Levels to take.

However, you shouldn’t let difficulty put you off. If you achieved the GCSE grades required to take the A-Level, you’re good enough to take the subject.

I would say that A-Level English Literature is moderately difficult. What many students, including myself, like about English is that there is technically no “wrong” answer. However, this also means your knowledge has to be on-point .

Still, don’t let difficulty get you down. Your school wouldn’t let you take A-Level English Literature if they thought you couldn’t handle it. Difficulty is also subjective; what other students find hard, you may find easy.

However , if you are a few weeks into the course and you decide it isn’t for you, there will still be time to switch subjects . If you have any concerns, this Think Student article offers advice on how to know if a course is right for you.

Now that we’ve established whether A-Level English Literature is right for you, let’s look at what the A-Level actually involves.

What do you do in A-Level English Literature?

The A-Level English Literature course is different depending on which exam board your sixth form uses. Even so, most of the courses have similar structures or modules.

As I mentioned earlier, if you enjoyed your GCSE English course, you’ll probably like the A-Level course too. Keep reading to find out more about the general structure of A-Level English Literature.

Exam boards provide a list of “set texts”. This means that your school has to choose a text to study from that specific list.

Exactly which texts are chosen is entirely up to your school. Meaning that you might study a different text to someone doing the same course.

What kind of work does A-Level English Literature involve?

The literature you study will cover poetry, prose and drama, and each exam board requires an NEA (non-exam assessment) project as part of the A-Level . Across the course, you’ll be analysing texts in response to questions on specific themes, ideas, characters or events.

The kinds of questions you get can vary . Sometimes, they’ll be a statement which you’ll be asked to agree or disagree with.

As well as this, you’ll be asked open-ended questions like discussing the presentation of a particular feature. This is one of the best things about A-Level English Literature: your opinion matters!

You’ll also have a lot of new and more complex terminology to learn, to help you analyse texts. This can definitely seem daunting when you first start. Although, if English is your favourite subject, then like me, you’ll learn to love it pretty quickly!

Does A-Level English Literature involve a lot of work?

I don’t think I need to tell you that A-Level English Literature is a very essay-based subject. However, this also means that you will have lots of writing to do and you will probably get set essays regularly . Your teachers may even set you an essay every week or two.

Due to this, for English literature, the jump from GCSE to A-Level is pretty noticeable. Especially as you will generally have quite a lot of work to do. If you’re worried that you aren’t prepared enough for it, this Think Student article has tips you’ll find useful.

Like I said earlier, exactly what you do, including how much work, depends on which exam board your school has chosen. Read further to find out more about the different exam boards, and what they offer as part of A-Level English Literature.

What are the exam boards for A-Level English Literature?

All 4 English exam boards – AQA, OCR, Edexcel and Eduqas – offer A-Level English Literature as a subject. Earlier in the guide , I mentioned that each exam board offers different texts and modules.

While your specific texts will depend on your sixth form, the modules are the same for everyone under the exam board. Continue reading for more information.

What is AQA A-Level English Literature like?

AQA, unlike the other exam boards, actually offers 2 different specifications: A and B .

In specification A, there are 3 compulsory modules. These are “Love through the ages”, “Texts in shared contexts”, and “Independent critical study: Texts across time”.

In specification B, there are also 3 compulsory modules. These are “Literary genres”, “Texts and genres”, and “Theory and independence”.

The texts that are part of specification A include one Shakespeare play, one pre-1900 poetry anthology and one pre-1900 prose text in one module. As well as 3 texts (one prose, one poetry and one drama) with at least one text written post-2000 in another module.

The texts that are part of specification B include one Shakespeare play and two pre-1900 texts in one module. As well as one post-2000 prose, one poetry, and one pre-1900 text in another module. As you can see, both specifications feature similar content but divide them differently .

However, this guide can only offer you a brief overview of the A-Level course. You can find the specifications for AQA A-Level English Literature here (specification A) and here (specification B).

What is OCR A-Level English Literature like?

The OCR A-Level English Literature specification is divided into 3 sections. These are “Drama and poetry pre-1900”, “Comparative and contextual study”, and “Literature post-1900”.

The latter section is a coursework module. Some exam boards require coursework as part of A-Level English Literature, but some don’t.

In the first section, you’ll study one Shakespeare play, one pre-1900 drama and one pre-1900 poetry text. In the second section, you’ll choose one theme (from a list provided by the exam board) and two texts, with at least one text from the list provided by OCR.

The third section is a coursework module, which means you don’t sit an exam for it. Instead , you produce an essay over the course which determines a percentage of your final grade . You can find the full OCR A-Level English Literature specification here .

What is Edexcel A-Level English Literature like?

Pearson Edexcel offers 4 components as part of A-Level English Literature. These are “Drama”, “Prose”, “Poetry”, and a coursework module.

As with the components and modules of other exam boards, each module has its own exam (except for coursework). For Edexcel, the “Drama” and “Poetry” exams are 2 hours 15 minutes, and the “Prose” exam is 1 hour 15 minutes .

In “Drama”, students study one Shakespeare play and critical essays related to the play, and one other drama. In “Prose”, students study two prose texts with one text written pre-1900.

In “Poetry”, students study an anthology and a range of poetry from either a specific poet or specific period. The Pearson Edexcel specification is linked here .

What is Eduqas A-Level English Literature like?

The Eduqas English Literature A-Level specification also has 4 components. These are “Poetry”, “Drama”, “Unseen Texts”, and “Prose Study”.

The “Prose Study” component is a coursework module. All 3 Eduqas A-Level English Literature exams are 2 hours long.

In total, you’ll study two selections of poetry (pre-1900 and post-1900), a Shakespeare play, two non-Shakespeare plays (pre-1900 and post-1900), and two prose texts.

Unlike the other exam boards, Eduqas dedicates a whole module to unseen texts , so you can’t directly revise for that. If you want to read the complete specification, you can do so here .

How to do well in A-Level English Literature

Every student knows there’s no set way to do well. There are way too many changing factors to offer you a fool-proof guide to success!

However , there are definitely techniques and processes to help you secure those top grades . Continue reading for my personal advice on how to succeed in A-Level English Literature.

The best advice I received while studying A-Level English Literature is to include your work in your everyday life. This could be as simple as telling your friend about a character you liked. Alternatively, you could use a key quote in a conversation.

These things both count as revision, because it helps you remember important information. For more revision techniques, see this Think Student article.

in A-Level English Literature is to take advantage of peer review . You’ll definitely make mistakes in your work, no one is perfect!

Asking a partner, friend, or family member to read your essay is a great way to pick up on things you miss. This Think Student article has some useful advice for English literature essay writing!

How to write an English literature essay for A-Level?

Sometimes, the exam system can make it feel like you don’t have much self-expression. I know I’ve certainly felt that way.

One of the great things about essays, and English literature, is that you get to voice your own opinion in your own way . I’ll take you through some general tips on what makes a good essay.

The most important thing is to perfect your spelling and grammar as much as possible. One thing I was always told in school was that if your essay is coherent, you’re halfway to a good essay. Obviously, this is harder if English isn’t your first language, but practice makes perfect!

On top of spelling and grammar, you should make your argument as clear as possible. Teachers will often refer to this as “signposting”.

It lets examiners know exactly what you’re going to talk about. It’s also useful if you run out of time, as examiners can see what you were planning to talk about; it shows you had good ideas, you were just limited by time. For tips on how to structure an English essay, check out this Think Student article.

A third, more obvious tip is to keep your assessment objects in mind as much as possible . In your essays, it’s good to mentally check off what criteria you’ve followed. This way you can keep track of the marks you’ve achieved, and the ones you still need.

What can you do with an English literature A-Level?

Being a student who took A-Level English Literature myself, one of my biggest concerns was the pathways available to me afterwards .

English is often talked about as a subject with limited options – but don’t worry! A-Level English Literature is useful for degrees in fields like English, History, Law, Politics, Philosophy and more.

It might surprise you, but English is a subject that a lot of universities and employers like . You don’t have to want to be a writer to find English A-Level useful.

The writing skills you gain are desirable to universities and employers in a range of fields . However, if you’re still uncertain, I’d recommend researching what A-Levels you need to pursue your future degree/job.

For example, if you want to be a vet , midwife , counsellor , nurse , social worker , police officer , pilot or account , you can click on their respective links to see what A-Levels you will need.

Don’t let how useful A-Level English Literature is stop you from taking it if you really want to! The most important thing about A-Levels is that you choose the subjects you like.

From personal experience, I can tell you that if you don’t care about the subject, you won’t enjoy the A-Level. If you think A-Level English Literature is right for you, choose it!

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A level English Literature Key Facts

English Literature A-level Overview

This new English Literature course has been developed to prepare students for the AQA English Literature specification 7711/7712 for examinations in 2022 and later years.

The course will examine literature from a historical perspective to encourage the independent study of a range of texts within a shared context.

This approach facilitates the inclusion of a range of wider reading, thus extending students’ experience and appreciation of literature. Offering clear progression from GCSE, the course allows students to build on the skills and knowledge already gained and prepare for their next steps.

A variety of assessment styles are used:

• Passage-based questions
• Unseen material
• Single-text questions
• Multiple-text questions
• Open- and closed-book approaches

This will allow students to develop a wide range of essential skills, such as:

• The ability to read critically
• Evaluate and undertake independent research

These skills are valuable for both further study and future employment opportunities.

• Specification
• Prerequisites

Literary Analysis

The module on Literary Analysis is designed to help you develop the skills you will need to achieve the best possible grade in English Literature ‘A’ level. It is equally relevant for both the AS and 2 nd Year studies to come. These lessons are intended to enhance your ability to get the most out of a whole variety of texts by reading, observing closely, understanding and appraising. It also aims to help you communicate your responses concisely, relevantly and effectively.

Pre-1900 Love Poetry Anthology

This module follows on from your work on Literary Analysis and focuses on the poems included in the AQA Anthology of Love Poetry (pre-1900 poems). In the course of the lessons, we go through the poems one by one, looking at them from all the angles suggested by the AQA specification. In the final lesson, that understanding of each poem is reinforced by a consideration of a variety of critical approaches to these poems and to poetry in general.

Love through the Ages

This module shows how love has been represented in English Literature over the last six hundred years. By adopting a chronological approach, we will be able to see how ideas of love and expectations of how to write about it have changed over the centuries. We will look briefly at the work of many of our greatest poets, playwrights and novelists. We will see how their works were read (or watched) and understood by their contemporaries and how they have been received since.

Shakespeare: Othello

After an introduction to the work of Shakespeare in general, this module looks at Othello, a tragedy with a disastrous ending, entailing the fall and suicide of the hero. Shakespeare had a special formula upon which all his great tragedies are based. He makes his hero a great man with many fine qualities to his character, but always among them there is one little flaw or weakness. Then he puts him in a situation he is unable to deal with, and as a result he is brought to ruin.

(a) Charlotte Bronte: Jane Eyre

Popular from its many film and TV versions, Jane Eyre is the story of a young governess who finds herself falling in love with her employer, Rochester, only to find that he is already married and cannot fulfil his promises to her. If you take the AS exams, you will be comparing Jane Eyre with Hardy’s Tess of the d’Urbervilles . If you take the A-level, you will be comparing Jane Eyre with two poems from the pre-1900 Anthology . In each case, the exam question is likely to be about some aspect of love, in the widest sense, so that will be the focus of this module.

(b) Thomas Hardy: Tess of the d’Urbervilles (AS only)

Hardy’s story of a Wessex milkmaid is thought by many to be the greatest novel in the English language. This module is intended for AS level candidates only. If you are not taking the AS exams (i.e. you are aiming for the “full” A-level exams only), then you should skip this module. AS Paper 2 candidates are expected to compare Tess with Jane Eyre . The exam question is expected to ask you to compare and contrast the two texts in terms of some aspect of love.

Owen Sheers: Skirrid Hill     (poetry)

Owen Sheers is a Welsh poet, author, novelist and scriptwriter. The title of the collection, Skirrid Hill , comes from the proper Welsh name, ‘Ysgirid Fawr’ which means ‘shattered mountain’. Skirrid Hill is a hill in Wales and is seen as his muse throughout the anthology, especially in the last poem. In the exam, you will be given a choice of two questions about Sheers and you will answer one of them.

Michael Frayn: Spies

Michael Frayn’s novel, Spies, is one of three set texts (and the only novel) you must study for Paper 2 (Texts in Shared Contexts) of your full A-level course. This course has opted for Option 2B: Modern times: Literature from 1945 to the present day.  Spies  is about the experience of a young boy living in suburban Surrey during the Second World War as he tries to come to terms with some mysterious goings-on in his own neighbourhood. Are there spies about?

Spies (2002) won the 2002 Whitbread Novel Award and the 2003 Commonwealth Writers Prize (Eurasia region, Best Book), and was shortlisted for the Whitbread Book of the Year. Frayn was also the recipient of the 2002 Heywood Hill Literary Prize.

Tennessee Williams: A Streetcar Named Desire

The chosen comparative text to go with Spies is Tennessee Williams’s A Streetcar named Desire . Although written in another country and a number of years earlier, Williams’s play shares quite a few common themes and ideas with Frayn’s novel. Streetcar is one of the best known plays of American theatre.  You might also try to watch Elia Kazan’s film of the play, starring Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh, and take any opportunity to watch a production of the play in the theatre.

Jane Austen: Mansfield Park

Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park is Oxford Open Learning’s primary chosen text for the non-exam (coursework) element of the AQA A-level requirements.  Mansfield Park , one of Jane Austen’s six completed novels, is the story of Fanny Price who is “rescued” from a relatively impoverished background by more prosperous relatives and brought to live in Mansfield Park where she is one of a group of young people engaged in various courtship games and amateur theatricals.

A-level candidates are required to compare two texts and there is considerable latitude about the choice of the second (comparative) text. An independent choice should be made and each candidate must produce original work based on independent study. Comparative titles are given for five possible choices of comparative text and supporting resources are available.

The course prepares students for the AQA English Literature A level  specification 7711/7712. The AS papers (7711) may be tackled as a one-off qualification but AS results no longer contribute towards the full A level grades.

The AS level is examined by

• Paper one: A one hour 30 minute open book examination worth 50% of the overall mark
• Paper two: A  one hour 30 minute closed book examination worth 50% of the overall mark

The full A level is examined by

• Paper one: A 3 hour examination, part of which is open book, worth 40% of the overall mark
• Paper two: A 2 hour thirty minute open book examination worth 40% of the overall mark
• Non exam Assessment: a 2500 word extended essay worth 20% of the overall mark

Students will be able to achieve grades A* to E.

Please note that the marking and moderation of NEA (coursework) by OOL tutors is included in the course fees – this is not true of other providers.

Students would normally be expected to have a minimum of four GCSEs at Grade C/4 and above, including English GCSE.

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