A LEVEL ENGLISH LITERATURE

Programme of Study – Year 12

		Autumn term
Dates	No of weeks	Topics	No of weeks	Topics	Assignments
September	1	Introduction to Shakespearian comedy: building on students’ Shakespeare studies at GCSE; students revise/are introduced to features of dramatic comedy.
September & November	6	Text: A Midsummer Night’s Dream Focus on GENRE (comedy) and CONTEXTS (Social and Critical) Pre-reading activities should focus on student research into the contexts in which the play was produced: social/political contexts renaissance attitudes to women context of Shakespearian comedy. Shared reading of the play. Students complete a reading journal with comments on characterisation, themes, setting, dramatic techniques and audience response. Focus on GENRE: links to classical comedy expectations of contemporary audiences ‘problem’ comedies flawed heroes and heroines endings explorations of gender issues. Re-reading of the play. Students add to their initial comments and focus on the structure of the play, comic techniques such as the use of disguise, the role of the Fool, malapropisms, etc., and revise comments on previous ideas. Introduction/revision of appropriate dramatic terminology: e.g. dramatic irony, satire, allusion, imagery, problem comedies, etc.	4	Text: Shakespeare: A Critical Anthology Students explore a range of critical approaches to Measure for Measure, using the Anthology and any other appropriate sources. They will be encouraged to engage in critical debate around the text – taking part in group and paired discussion, hot-seating topics, etc. Introduction to Poetry (2 weeks) Links to poetry study at GCSE Students are introduced to a range of contemporary poetry and encouraged to read and annotate: metre, rhythm, rhyme the structure of the poem unusual words grammatical features repetition/predominance language/register rhetorical features – metaphor, simile, hyperbole, personification, etc. punctuation allusions and references tone.	Students complete essays on key aspects of the play – e.g. characterisation, contrasts and conflicts, dramatist’s handling of themes such as the corruption of power, good leadership, private v public personas, justice vs. mercy, etc. – always linking to the contexts in which the play was produced and is received.
		Re-reading of the play. Students add to their initial comments and focus on the structure of the play, comic techniques such as the use of disguise, the role of the Fool, malapropisms, etc., and revise comments on previous ideas. Introduction/revision of appropriate dramatic terminology: e.g. dramatic irony, satire, allusion, imagery, problem comedies, etc.	4	Text: Poems of the Decade: Focus on COMPARISON Students work through the poems, exploring and analysing, building on analytical work from GCSE and developing skills of comparison.	Weekly essay style question on aspects of drama, poetry and prose throughout course Keeping of journals/records of texts studied with personal notation
November 23rd	1	Unit1Exams+ return of papers		Unit1Exams+ return of papers	Mock exam

Spring term

Dates

No of weeks

Topics

No of weeks

Topics

Assignments

Jan - Feb

Text: The Importance of Being Earnest
Focus on CONTEXT
Pre-reading activities should focus on student research into the contexts in which the play was produced:

Oscar Wilde’s biography and influences

social/political contexts of upper classes

Shared reading of the play. Students complete a reading journal with comments on characterisation, themes, setting, dramatic techniques and audience response.
Focus on DRAMATIC TECHNIQUES:

Wilde’s use of comic devices

impact on audience

use of disguise

significance of upper class language.

Re-reading of the play. Students add to their initial comments with focus on the play’s themes.
Introduction/revision of appropriate dramatic terminology: e.g. symbolism, dramatic irony, comedy, hero, realism, direct address, etc.

Revision and informal assessment opportunity using SAMs (Component 1 Drama)

Text: Poems of the Decade remaining poems and revision from autumn term)
Focus on COMPARISON
Students work through the poems, exploring and analysing, building on analytical work from term 1 and developing skills of comparison.

Students complete essays on key aspects of the play – e.g. characterisation, effects of theatrical techniques, dramatist’s handling of themes such as class conflict, the nature of art, etc. – always linking to the contexts in which the play was produced and is received.
Revision and informal assessment opportunity using SAMs (Component 1 Drama)

March -

Mock exams+ return of papers

		Summer term
Dates	No of weeks	Topics	No of weeks	Topics	Assignments
April - May	4	Exploring unseen poetry Students are introduced to strategies for scaffolding comparisons between the set poems and unseen poems in preparation for paper 3 Section A.	4-6	Introduction to Coursework component: Two complete texts linked by theme, movement, author or period (free choice coursework) This is written coursework, covering two complete texts from poetry, drama, prose, literary non-fiction or the film of a literary text studied alongside the published text. The texts may be linked by theme, movement, author or period. Literary study of both texts should be enhanced by study of the links and connections between them, different interpretations and the contexts in which they were written and received. Focus on RESEARCH AND PRESENTATION SKILLS (for submission at the beginning of Year 2) Students will choose their texts and explore potential areas for study with their teacher and will be introduced to appropriate methods of research and presentation: extended essay writing style integrating evidence avoiding plagiarism citations and bibliographies critical analysis editing and proofreading.
June	4			MOCK EXAM PREPARATION & REVISION

Programme of Study – Year 13

		Autumn Term
Dates	No of weeks	Topics	No of weeks	Topics	Assignments
September	1-2	Submit Coursework .......................................................... Introduction to prose linking theme: Childhood Students explore and discuss representations of childhood and its effects in a range of texts/contexts
September & November	6	Focus on CONTEXTS and COMPARISON Text: Hard Times – Charles Dickens Pre-reading activities should focus on student research into the contexts in which the novella was produced: Dickens’ biography and his childhood experiences in London and Kent The Industrial Revolution and its effects Victorian Britain and problems of hardship While reading the novel, students complete a reading journal with comments on characterisation, themes, setting, narrative techniques and reader response. Focus on THEMES: power corrupts man’s inhumanity to man social inequality gender issues man vs. nature Re-reading of the novel. Students add to their initial comments and focus on the narrative structure and point of view, use of imagery and symbolism, and different readings of the text. Introduction/revision of appropriate terminology: e.g. frame narrative, allegory, industrial novel, symbolism, etc. Students complete essays on key aspects of the novel – e.g. effects of narrative techniques, impact of settings, and writer’s exploration of themes – always linking to the contexts in which the text was produced and is received.	5	Text: Atonement – Ian McEwan Focus on CONTEXTS and COMPARISON Pre-reading activities should focus on student research into the contexts in which the novel was produced: growing up in the early 20th century WW2 and its impact, particularly in France London in the 1990’s While reading the novel, students complete a reading journal with comments on characterisation, themes, setting, narrative techniques and reader response. Focus on LANGUAGE AND FORM: changing narrative perspective use of imagery different time periods reportage. Re-reading of the novel. Students add to their initial comments and focus on themes and ideas: e.g. social inequalities, London, attitudes to women, culture clash, etc. .......................................................... Students explore contrasts and comparisons between the two novels, with due regard to the theme of Childhood (1–2 weeks) One way in might be to explore both texts via the concepts of post-colonialist theory: identity stereotyping exoticism English class system	Students complete essays on key aspects of the novel – e.g. characterisation, effects of narrative techniques, writer’s exploration of themes – always linking to the contexts in which the novel was produced and is received.
November	1	November mock exam: Informal assessment opportunity (Component 2) using SAMs

		Spring term
Dates	No of weeks	Topics	No of weeks	Topics	Assignments
January	6	Text: The Movement Poet: Philip Larkin (Text: The Less Deceived) (6 weeks) Focus on CONTEXT Students work through the poems, exploring and analysing them in the contexts in which they were produced and received. They build on analytical work from Year 1. Pre-reading activities should focus on student research into the contexts in which the poems were produced and students will have an understanding of: intellectual, social and political contexts of mid 20th century England the idea of social rebellion contemporary and subsequent reception by critics Introduction/revision of appropriate poetic terminology: e.g. conceit, irony, paradox, lyric, etc.	4-6	Students re-visit drama texts from Year 1 – A Midsummer Nights Dream and The Importance of Being Earnest – using the Anthology section on comedy and a range of revision strategies to encourage critical and contextual explorations: e.g. character/theme grids, critiquing earlier essays, ‘face the critic’ debates, timed responses, etc.	Students complete a reading journal with comments on form, themes, imagery, language features, contexts and reader response. Students complete essays on key aspects of the poetry and are encouraged to select illustrative poems appropriately, linking them to the contexts in which they were produced and are received. General themes might be: love, mutability, knowledge and learning, spirituality and religious belief, death, travel, etc.

		Summer term
Dates	No of weeks	Topics	No of weeks	Topics	Assignments
		Thorough revision of all three components (6 weeks)		Formal examinations: Component 1: Drama
				2 hours 15 minutes Component 2: Prose 1 hour Component 3: Poetry 2 hours 15 minutes