A-Level English Literature
What does an English 6th form lesson look like?
- Starter: Paired discussion in response to wider reading
- Introduction: Group annotation task of selected extract
- Main Task: Share and debate ideas in thoughtful class discussion. Relate to literary criticism and express ideas in written form
- Plenary: Peer assessment through questioning
- Homework: Research/ prepare context presentation
Expectations:
- ‘You will need: patience, diligence and above all a passion for reading’- Current Year 12 Student
- Work hard and with sustained focus
- Don’t just accept information: question, evaluate, challenge
- Be organised! Keep your notes safely in a folder.
- Undertake independent research and reading
- Read and re-read the texts!
- Work well with others
‘A-level gives you a deeper understanding of the subject, there’s a lot more reading especially, and it’s more independent than GCSE. The best part is probably the smaller classes, it’s a better way to learn (for me) and feels more like a team, where we can all express our thoughts and help each other. It’s always great to hear everyone’s ideas throughout.’
Wider Reading:
- A Dictionary of Literary Terms by Martin Gray
- Doing English by Robert Eaglestone
- How to Write Better Essays by Bryan Greetham
- Oxford concise companion to English Literature by Drabble and Stringer
- The Ode Less Travelled by Stephen Fry
- The Poet’s Craft by Sandy Brownjohn