First College: ENGLISH LANGUAGE & LITERATURE

Literacy – reading, and using words effectively - is the most important basic tool if our young people are going to live comfortably and safely in a highly literate, IT and document based society.
Our English teaching ensures that Students can use good, clear, formal English – and understand why it is worth the effort. Students study creative writing, formal essays, business correspondence, and websites.
Literature is viewed in a very broad sense, to include internet materials (fanfiction, gaming, news blogs, classical literature); modern media like magazines and comics; as well as classic traditions of poetry, fiction and drama. A particular emphasis is given to understanding advertising and its manipulative uses of language.
Most materials are provided, or are available online, so families are asked to supply very few books.
The IGCSE English exams are two units. Students study firstly a collection of prose and poems as comprehension pieces. Here they are expected to analyse a text in depth showing a clear grasp of its meaning. A second shorter collection is entirely poetry where students explore literary style and some profound human situations. Thirdly we study a modern novel. Fourthly we study a play.
The selected items are not narrowly based around UK society but range across a wide variety of cultures. At least one major item is not modern, reflecting a historical literature.
To prepare for the exams students are provided with a comprehensive self test quiz which drills the necessary information they need. However the skills needed must be built up over a period of about two years at least.