General
ASand A level co-teachability
Q: Ifstudents sit their AS exams, do their results carry forward to their final Alevel grade?
No. AS and A level are separatequalifications, so the AS results do not contribute to the A level grades.
Q: Ifthe students achieve an AS grade, and then go on to achieve an A level grade,will they have UCAS points for AS and A level?
No. They will have an A level in theirsubject, with the associated points. As currently, AS points will onlycontribute for students for whom AS is their highest level of study in thesubject.
Q: Canstudents sit AS exams and then continue into the second year and sit A levelexams too?
Yes. The students would be assessed at theend of year 1, at AS standard, on the AS content. They would then be assessedat the end of the second year at A level standard, on the full A level content.This means that they would be assessed on the content they had already coveredin their AS exams, only to a higher standard.
Q:Can students decide to continue to A level study after receiving their AS results?
Yes. However, bear in mind that results arenot known until August and the AS exams will be in May/June. Students may needto continue with the course until the end of the academic year so that, in theevent that they want to continue into year 2 following their results, theyhave not missed out on any course content or summer holiday work.
Q:Can all of the students be entered for AS as a progress-check or as anindicator of their abilities for university applications purposes, for example?
Yes, you can choose to enter all studentsfor the AS examinations as a matter of course, and then return to their AScontent in year 2 to review and bring them to the required A level standard.
Q:Can we ignore AS altogether and just focus on a two-year linear A level course?
Yes. If you do not wish to make entries forAS Level, you can teach the A level course content in any order.
Q:Can we decide halfway through the first year that some students will sit the ASafter all?
Yes, but remember that if you have notorganised the course to put AS content into year 1 then the students may nothave covered all the AS exam content. If you think that you might want studentsto decide during the course, you should follow a course planner for a co-taughtAS and A level cohort. That way, you ensure you have covered the AS content regardlessof whether or not you end up having students who sit the AS.
Q:What texts/content do we need to cover in the first year, to ensure co-teachability?
For English Literature, you would need tocover 2 prose texts (at least one of which must be pre-1900), a selection ofcontemporary poetry, and one drama text. Please see the specification for AS orA level to see the text options for each text type.
For English Language and Literature, youwould need to cover the Voices in Speech and Writing anthology, and twoliterary texts from the selected theme (including at least one of the prose‘anchor’ texts.)
For English Language, you would need tocover language and context, individual language variation, and child languageacquisition.
Examinationscheduling
Q:When will the AS examination take place?
The timing of the AS examination is set inconsultation between the awarding organisations and the Joint Council forQualifications. Each year the Awarding Organisations and the JCQ agree the CommonTimetable for the next academic year. For planning purposes, you should presumethat the AS date will be broadly similar to now. Any changes will becommunicated in good time via the Edexcel update and the English subjectadvisor.
Q: Will the 1hour examinations be scheduled on the same day as one of the other papers?
The schedules for 2017 summer examinations havenot yet been set. Once these have been agreed, we will make sure that you areinformed, via the Edexcel website and the subject advisor.
To provide input into exam timetabling, you maylike to e-mail timetables@pearson.comwhere feedback is collated for future consideration.
Texts
Q: How long will the texts onthe specification remain valid?
The subject criteria require that texts are reviewed throughout thelifetime of the specification to ensure that they remain fit for purpose. Thereare no plans to ‘refresh’ texts to a pre-determined timescale. This will dependto some extent on how long the 2015 specifications remain valid. In the eventthat any texts do need to be changed, you will be notified well in advance andappropriate alternatives will be listed on the website.
English Literature
Coursework
Q: Are there any prescriptions about which texts we must set forcoursework?
No. There is a free choice ofliterary texts for the coursework components. These may be from any of thegenres of prose, poetry, drama, and literary non-fiction, and from any timeperiod. For examples of appropriate coursework texts and tasks, please see the Getting Started Guide.
Q. Do we need to have our coursework texts and/or tasks approved?
No. If you are in any doubtabout the suitability of coursework texts and tasks, you are advised to e-mailthe coursework checking service. This service, which will be coming online inthe next academic year, will provide feedback on proposed coursework tasks/texts,although there is no requirement to consult this service if you are confidentin the appropriateness of the students’/teachers’ choices. Further informationon this service will be provided on the Edexcel website and through the subjectadvisor as it becomes available.
Q: Can texts in translation be used as coursework texts?
No. Only texts whichoriginated in the English language can be used for coursework. These texts donot have to be British, however.
Q: How much similarity is permitted between students’ selections oftexts and tasks?
We encourage you to allow yourstudents as much freedom and individuality as possible in the courseworkcomponent, so that they might be able to pursue their personal interests. This might mean teaching two texts butallowing students to choose or suggest a range of individual coursework titlesor related wider reading or criticism. In such cases you would need to beconfident that the texts had sufficient breadth and depth to allow multiple,alternative titles to be developed. Alternatively, this may involve teachingone text and allowing students a choice of a second text (perhaps from arestricted shortlist); or complete free choice by students.
Q. How many poems counts as a ‘text’for coursework?
Poetrypresents a particular dilemma as a coursework text choice, as the students willneed to demonstrate that they have engaged with a full text of poetry, ratherthan merely the small number of poems that they may choose to reference intheir essay. Wider knowledge of the poet’s work, and the reasons for theselection of analysed poems as indicative of this work, might be a means todemonstrate this. If in doubt, you are encouraged to use the courseworkchecking service referred to above.
Examination text choices
Q: Are there specific editions of texts which must be used?
There are specified editionsof the poetry texts, which can be found in Appendix 5 of the A levelspecification. This is to ensure that all students have access to the samecollection of poems, which can vary between published anthology versions. Youare welcome to use any version of the other prescribed texts, although for thepurposes of assessment these should be clean, unannotated copies.
Q: Which version of Poems of the Decade should we use?
Poems of the Decade has beenrepublished since the initial development of the specification. However, theprevious version (978-0-571-28173-2) and the newer version (978-0-571-32540-5)include the same poems, and the exact same subset of poems are set for study inboth versions. Therefore, if you have already purchased copies of the earlierversion (listed in the Literature specification v.1) then you can continueusing this version. If you have not yet purchased the anthology, you will beable to purchase the newer version (listed in the specification v.2, on thewebsite.)
Please note that although thepoems themselves are the same, the pagination is different between the twoversions. The list of page numbers and poems for both versions will be providedin the question paper, to accommodate students with either version of theanthology.
Q: Are the exams all open book?
Yes. Clean copies must be usedfor the examination. No clean copies of the Poems of the Decade anthology arerequired for the A level paper 3 exam, as both poem choices will be printed inthe source booklet, along with the unseen poem.
Q: Do we need to buy the Poems of the Decade anthology?
Yes. This is a publishedanthology and should be bought in the same way as any of the other prescribedliterary texts on the specification. It is available via Amazon or Faber and Faber, amongst others.
Q: Can students indicate in theirpoetry anthologies those poems which have been set for study, for example withan asterisk, to prevent them from responding on an incorrect poem?
In the Alevel examination, the two contemporary studied poems from which the studentsmay choose to respond will be printed in the extract booklet, along with theunseen contemporary poem (A level paper 3 section A). This means that therewill be no confusion regarding the poems to be analysed and no requirement totake a clear copy of the text into the exam, unless specifically desired.
For the AScontemporary poetry assessment (AS paper 1 section A) and the A levelmovement/poet assessment (A level paper 1 section B) students will be requiredto self-select a second poem, from their studied list in the examination. Thelist of poems which have been set for study, including page numbers, will beprovided in the extract booklet, so that students have clear sight of thosepoems from which they are expected to make their selection.
Different interpretations (AO5)
Q: Can the students take their Shakespeare critical anthologies into theexamination with them?
No. These are teaching andlearning resources, not set texts, and so cannot be taken in to theexamination.
Q: How can we order our anthologies?
These are available for ordervia the Stationery Box facility.
You will need yourcentre number and school post code to log in.
1. Login.
2. Select‘stationery’ from the blue stripe across the top of the page.
3. Clickon the item you require.
4. Clickon specify quantities.
5. Inputthe number you require.
6. Clickon ‘check out’.
7. Enteryour email details if you would like to receive an email confirmation of yourorder.
8. Clickon ‘Submit request for items and check out’.
Q: Can we use other materials instead of/as well as the criticalanthologies?
Yes. You are welcome to useany relevant critical materials to support your teaching of the Shakespeareplay. Students are welcome to reference such materials in their assessment. Thecritical anthologies are teaching resources, and are not compulsory. On theother hand, if you wish to use nothing but the anthology in your teaching, thatis also entirely appropriate.
Q: Do the students have to memorise sections of the critical anthologiesto quote in their examination?
No. The anthologies have beenproduced to support the students in their own understanding of their studiedtexts, and to position this developing understanding within the wider contextof different interpretations and alternative readings. If students do includeshort quotations, that is entirely appropriate, presuming that the quotation isin support of the wider argument and relevant to the question. Students mayalso show their awareness of ideas from their critical reading throughsummarising, précising or evaluating a critical position, providing asupporting or contrasting point from their critical reading with supportingevidence from the play, or refining a critical position. Examples of how the criticalmaterial might be used are included in the introduction to the anthology, andthere are also lesson planning materials available via the Edexcel website.
Q: How do the students show engagement with different interpretations atAS?
Students will respond to AO5at AS through their response to ‘other’ drama. This will be in the form of ananalytical essay, which responds to a given position. There is no requirementor expectation that students will draw upon material from outside of theirstudied ‘other’ drama text. Please see the AS sample assessment materials for examples ofthe question style. AS exemplar responses are also available on the Edexcelwebsite.
Context
Q: Which contexts do you intend for students to makereference to?
There are no pre-determinedcontexts which are more or less relevant than others. This will depend on thetext(s) being studied, in which, for example, social context or politicalcontext may be relevant to an understanding of the text. In other texts,religious or historical context may be more valid. Literary context is also anappropriate lens through which to consider the studied texts. Any combinationof relevant contexts which illuminate the understanding of the production andreception of the text(s) are acceptable. When answeringquestions which focus on particularaspects of the text, it is important that the contextual informationprovided is directly relevant,rather than being ‘bolt-on’, (general) context that does not illuminate the response to theparticular question.
Contemporary Poetry
Q: Do we have tocover the whole Poems of the Decade anthology?
No. The poems which have been set for study can be foundin Appendix 5 of the A level specification (and Appendix 4 of the ASspecification, although the listed poems are the same.)
Q: Are there anyresources to support the teaching of the anthology?
Yes. The Poems of theDecade teachers’ guide is available via the Edexcel website, and includessupporting information and teaching ideas for all of the poems which have beenset for study.
Support is also available for the teaching of unseen poetry, and can also beaccessed via the Edexcel website.
Q: How should weapproach covering the poems?
You are welcome to cover the poems in any way that yousee fit. However, you may like to approach the anthology by considering this asthe study of poetry, rather than poems so that the students are alsoprepared, through their coverage of this selection, to deal with unseen poetryanalysis as, of course, every poem is unseen prior to its first reading.
You may like to consider grouping the poems into clusterswith similar features or themes and running some seminar-style sessions; someexamples of possible groupings are suggested in the teachers’ guide. This willsupport the students in the exam preparation, wherein they will compare astudied poem to an unseen poem for A level, and a studied poem to a free choiceof second poem from the same prescribed collection for AS level.
Comparison
Q: What is the differencebetween links and connections (2015 AO4) and connections and comparison (legacy2008 AO3)?
The subject criteria have reduced thefocus on comparison, so that assessments can now be constructed in which singletexts are analysed in depth, rather than the 2008 specification focus, wheretexts tend to be predominantly presented in combinations. It is perhaps mosthelpful to think of how the act of comparing texts might be used to draw outmore detailed analysis and understanding of the texts being considered, includingany relevant similarities and/or differences between them, rather than thinkingof comparison as an end in itself.
EnglishLanguage and Literature
Drama
Q: In the dramaquestion (A level paper 1 section B) how much reference should be made to theextract, and how much to the wider play?
The response should be well-balanced, withclose reference to the extract, as well as showing wider knowledge of the wholetext. See the student exemplarresponsesfor some examples of how students might approach this task.
Voicesin Speech and Writing anthology
Q: How can we order our anthologies?
These are available for ordervia the Stationery Box facility.
You will need yourcentre number and school post code to log in.
1. Log in.
2. Select ‘stationery’from the blue stripe across the top of the page.
3. Click on the item yourequire.
4. Click on specifyquantities.
5. Input the number yourequire.
6. Click on ‘check out’.
7. Enter your emaildetails if you would like to receive an email confirmation of your order.
8. Click on ‘Submitrequest for items and check out’.
Q: Are there any resources to support teaching theanthology?
Yes. The anthology teacherguideis available to download from the Edexcel website.
Q: For the AS text transformation, which forms might thestudents be asked to produce?
The texttransformation response will always require students to transform one of theiranthology texts into the form of another anthology text. For example, a radiodrama into an extract from an autobiography, or a newspaper article into aspeech. This way, the students will be familiar with the generic conventions ofthe required form.
Q: Which text types might be used as the unseen text, incomparison with the anthology text?
In both AS (paper 1section B) and A level (paper 1 section A) the unseen text will be taken fromone of the 10 anthology forms. Therefore students will be familiar with thetexts’ generic conventions.
Context
Q: Which contexts do you intend for students to makereference to?
There are nopre-determined contexts which are more or less relevant than others. This willdepend on the text(s) being studied, in which, for example, social context orpolitical context may be relevant to an understanding of the text. In othertexts, religious or historical context may be more valid. Or any combination ofrelevant contexts which illuminate the understanding of the production andreception of the text(s). The generic conventions of the text, its mode, field,function and/or audience, as well as any relevant literary context may also beappropriate, depending on the text under consideration.
Coursework
Q: What requirements are there concerning the ‘quality’of texts selected for coursework?
A range of examplecoursework texts and tasks are provided in the getting started guide on the Edexcelwebsite. These examples, along with the examples of literary and non-literarytexts listed for study in the specification are indicative of the types oftexts which would be appropriate for study.
If you are in any doubt aboutthe suitability of coursework texts and tasks, you are advised to e-mail the courseworkchecking service. This service, which will be coming online in the new academicyear, will provide feedback on proposed coursework tasks/texts, although thereis no requirement to consult this service if you are confident in theappropriateness of the students’/teachers’ choices. Further information on thisservice will be provided on the Edexcel website and through the subject advisoras it becomes available.
Q: How should the studied coursework texts be used, interms of the production of the students’ own written work?
Students’ creative writing can beinfluenced very closely by their two coursework texts. For example: using thestimulus texts as style models; creating additional chapters, sequels orprequels; character biographies, letters or diaries and so on. Alternatively,their writing may be more broadly influenced by their stimulus texts, inproviding inspiration around a theme, for example, or as the basis for factualresearch into a selected topic.
Irrespective of how the stimulustexts are used, students must reflect upon and analyse this in theircommentary, making evaluative connections between their stimulus texts andtheir own writing. For examples of good practice, please see the gettingstarted guide.
EnglishLanguage
Individualvariation
Q: Do ‘geographical factors’ only include UK dialects?
The expectation isnot that students become familiar with a range of different geographicalvariations as a goal in itself, whether UK or global. The focus of thecomponent is on how language use reflects and constructs the identity of theuser, and varies dependent on the context of production and/or reception.Therefore students should explore the effectof geographical factors (as well as other social factors) in terms of identity,attitudes to language and individual language choices. A focus on UK dialectsmight achieve this, as might a focus which includes examples of English spokenelsewhere. In either case the drive is to be able to critically evaluate howthe specific feature is contributing towards the creation of a personalidentity, rather than being able to recognise the features of a particular setof dialects per se.
Historicalvariation
Q:Why does the historical variation begin from circa 1550?
We have selected this date as a starting pointbecause there is reasonable differentiation between 1550 and contemporary textswhich offers students an opportunity to understand (and analyse) languagechange at a variety of levels - lexis, graphology, syntax, discourse etc - and to explore the influence of developing technologies - the inventionof printing in late 1400s, for example and major points in the development ofEnglish, such as the great vowel shift and the related impacts on the spellingsystem.
Childlanguage
Q: Will the development of reading be assessed?
No. The focus of thiscomponent is the development of speech and writing in children. However, studentswill need to be familiar with the ways in which taught literacy strategies,such as synthetic phonics, influence the development of children’s writingskills.
Q: Will spoken and written data from the same child everbe mixed on A level Paper 2?
No. The A level paperwill feature either written data, or spoken data, never a combination of thetwo.
Investigatinglanguage
Q: Will the 5 topic areas change every year?
No. The topic areaswill not change yearly, but there will be a different sub-topic within eachover-arching topic every year.
Q: When will the pre-release be available?
The pre-release willbe available at the start of the January term before the summer assessment.
Q: How will the pre-release be made available?
The pre-release willbe made available on the English Language page of the Edexcel website. You willbe notified of the availability of the pre-release via the subject advisor,although as this materials will be released at the same time every year, you mightlike to factor this into your planning for the Spring term.
Q: Will the list of ‘general texts’ in the pre-releaseremain the same?
The pre-release willinclude suggested research resources, some of which are general to the topic,and some of which are specific to the sub-topic. The general texts may change if, for example, interestingnew texts are published within this topic area, or updated versions of textsbecome available. However, if you wished to purchase class/library copies ofany of the general texts, these would always be appropriate as introductions tothe broad area of the topic.
Q: Should we wait for the pre-release before we introducethe topics to the students?
You do not have towait for the pre-release to begin introducing the topic areas to the students.The key theories within the wider topic area, and the various research and/orinvestigative techniques that the students will need to use, can be introducedin advance of the pre-release being available, as these will be relevant irrespectiveof the pre-release sub-topic.
Q: Do the students take their research notes into theassessment?
No. The students will not take their notesinto the assessment.
Q: Are the students expected to memorise their researchfindings/investigation outcomes?
Students are notexpected to memorise extensive data i.e. table of figures, numerical data,graphical representations etc. Their observations/data should be referred to insupport of their argument, for example through outlining methods and/oroutcomes, summarising, explaining, exemplifying, quantifying, drawingconclusions etc. Research areas and investigations should be of a manageablescale, so that students are able to reasonably draw upon examples from theirwork in support of their response, whilst also allowing for them to experiencethe process of language research/investigation.
Q: How do we know that the students’ work will beapplicable to the exam questions?
The pre-releasematerial will always include bullet points which tell the students what theyshould research. As long as they cover those bullet points, they will be ableto respond to questions in both sections of the A level assessment.
Q: Can students complete joint/group investigations?
The specificationrequires that students carry out independent research and/or investigations.This does not means that group work cannot be undertaken as part of theteaching and preparation for this component, but students must be able torespond to the examination prompt, which requires reference to your own research.
Craftinglanguage
Q: What do you mean by ‘genre’?
The students mustproduce two pieces of work, differentiated by audience and/or purpose for theircrafting language coursework. These two pieces must be produced within the samegenre, which could include, for example, articles, interviews, speeches, shortstories, monologues, travel writing or reportage, among others. Literarydistinctions between genres, such as dystopian prose and horror, would beacceptable here as two example of short stories (genre) differentiated by theirpurpose (and/or audience.)
Q: Do students need to include (annotated) style modelsin their coursework folders?
No, the courseworkfolder does not have to include this. Students will outline and makeconnections to their research and preparatory reading and/or research in theiraccompanying commentaries. However, if a style model is particularly obscure,or if for any other practical reason you feel it would be helpful for themoderator to have access to it, these could be included
Q: How ‘real’ does their coursework need to be?
Students are welcometo write imaginatively about topics which they have not directly experienced.For example, a student may choose to write a dramatic monologue about asoldier’s wartime experiences. All students are expected to undertake researchin preparation for their writing assignments and this may include factual, aswell as stylistic research as appropriate. Students will have the opportunityto reflect upon this process in their commentaries.
Q: Should students reference connections between theirstyle models and their own writing, or between their own two pieces of writing?
Students must discuss connections between theirstyle models and own texts – how these were used, the influence of the stylemodels, how these are reflected in their own production and so on. This isexplicit in the mark scheme for the coursework commentary. Students will alsobe able to draw attention to their ability to vary language for differentaudiences and purposes through comparative reference to their choice of lexis(for example) in their two pieces.