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Taking two languages at A-level?

Hi!

So I've chosen my AS subjects, and at the moment they are:
English Lit
Spanish
French
Religious Studies

In my GCSEs I got A*s in both French and Spanish, with something like 98% in French and 95% in Spanish.
My teachers kept saying that I would be daft not to do languages as I have good grades at GCSE, but realistically, how big is the jump between GCSE and A level?
Also, I feel like if you know where to put the work in at GCSE and you pay attention, languages are actually quite easy? Especially as we got lots of guidance with coursework - and the same doesn't go for A level?

So has anyone taken two languages at A-level? How are you finding it?

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From the experience of friends and relatives, if languages are your strong point then taking more than one language is absolutely fine, provided you enjoy, understand and believe you can do well in both the languages you take. However, do not underestimate the jump between GCSE and A-level. Your work load will significantly increase and exams require more revision and you need an absolute understanding of content.

It strikes me that you may be limiting your options slightly in terms of where you may go after A-level, whilst you have four strong subjects you may want to consider the limits this places on you in terms of degrees or employment. Just a thought.

Hope this helps!
Reply 2
Original post by HollieAMarie
From the experience of friends and relatives, if languages are your strong point then taking more than one language is absolutely fine, provided you enjoy, understand and believe you can do well in both the languages you take. However, do not underestimate the jump between GCSE and A-level. Your work load will significantly increase and exams require more revision and you need an absolute understanding of content.

It strikes me that you may be limiting your options slightly in terms of where you may go after A-level, whilst you have four strong subjects you may want to consider the limits this places on you in terms of degrees or employment. Just a thought.

Hope this helps!


I am prepared to revise, but I think I would find it difficult knowing how to revise languages, as I put so much focus on other subjects at GCSE, and not with languages?

I'm hoping for an eventual career in music publishing or journalism, and I have very limited options as I go to a really small school.
I have also considered taking maths, and I'm sort of still thinking about taking geography, but I know I wouldn't enjoy it. I got an A in maths and an A* in geography.
I did it and I know people who did 3. If you're good at languages it's fine, means you don't have to learn different exam techniques, as they're all the same just in the different langs.

I did exactly the same as you with History instead of RS, it was fine, I even quite enjoyed parts :tongue:
Original post by HollieAMarie
From the experience of friends and relatives, if languages are your strong point then taking more than one language is absolutely fine, provided you enjoy, understand and believe you can do well in both the languages you take. However, do not underestimate the jump between GCSE and A-level. Your work load will significantly increase and exams require more revision and you need an absolute understanding of content.

It strikes me that you may be limiting your options slightly in terms of where you may go after A-level, whilst you have four strong subjects you may want to consider the limits this places on you in terms of degrees or employment. Just a thought.

Hope this helps!


I don't think having two A levels in a language would limit OP in terms of employment? Especially if they choose to study one (or both) at university.

OP, I can't see anything wrong with choosing two languages provided you are aware that the work load will increase compared to GCSE. Tbh, I would actually recommend you swap religious studies for a different subject such as History or Politics? That way you have more options of what you can study at university, whether it be French and Spanish, English, Politics, International Relations etc


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Reply 5
Original post by Le Nombre
I did it and I know people who did 3. If you're good at languages it's fine, means you don't have to learn different exam techniques, as they're all the same just in the different langs.

I did exactly the same as you with History instead of RS, it was fine, I even quite enjoyed parts :tongue:


Thank you! I found at GCSE that it helped learning the same exam techniques etc for both French and Spanish, and I found myself recycling material between the two for coursework etc, and just translating them.

The only thing I found, and I worry that this is worse at A-level, is the pressure of doing speaking assessments at the same time? Especially as at A-level this is much more difficult and an actual exam etc, how did you cope with learning both?
Original post by Maggiels
I am prepared to revise, but I think I would find it difficult knowing how to revise languages, as I put so much focus on other subjects at GCSE, and not with languages?

I'm hoping for an eventual career in music publishing or journalism, and I have very limited options as I go to a really small school.
I have also considered taking maths, and I'm sort of still thinking about taking geography, but I know I wouldn't enjoy it. I got an A in maths and an A* in geography.


If you want to go into Journalism or Publishing I would recommend doing a degree such as English. Carrying on a language at uni would also be beneficial as it would increase your job propospects.


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Reply 7
Original post by Colour Me Pretty
I don't think having two A levels in a language would limit OP in terms of employment? Especially if they choose to study one (or both) at university.

OP, I can't see anything wrong with choosing two languages provided you are aware that the work load will increase compared to GCSE. Tbh, I would actually recommend you swap religious studies for a different subject such as History or Politics? That way you have more options of what you can study at university, whether it be French and Spanish, English, Politics, International Relations etc


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Hi, I'm hoping to do an English Lit degree. As I said, its a really small school, so we don't offer politics. I also didn't study history at GCSE, and I know I wouldn't enjoy it, and I would probably find it quite difficult.
Reply 8
Original post by Colour Me Pretty
If you want to go into Journalism or Publishing I would recommend doing a degree such as English. Carrying on a language at uni would also be beneficial as it would increase your job propospects.


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I'm hoping to do a Lit degree at Oxford - would my A level choices put me at an advantage or disadvantage when it comes to applying?
Original post by Maggiels
Thank you! I found at GCSE that it helped learning the same exam techniques etc for both French and Spanish, and I found myself recycling material between the two for coursework etc, and just translating them.

The only thing I found, and I worry that this is worse at A-level, is the pressure of doing speaking assessments at the same time? Especially as at A-level this is much more difficult and an actual exam etc, how did you cope with learning both?


Speaking's fine, I had mine within a couple of days, but so long as you just watch/read/listen to a load of the relevant lang for a few hours beforehand you'll be fine.

I did A Levels in 2009 though, so things may have changed but Langs seems pretty steady (we did past papers from the 80s as prep!).
Original post by Maggiels
I am prepared to revise, but I think I would find it difficult knowing how to revise languages, as I put so much focus on other subjects at GCSE, and not with languages?

I'm hoping for an eventual career in music publishing or journalism, and I have very limited options as I go to a really small school.
I have also considered taking maths, and I'm sort of still thinking about taking geography, but I know I wouldn't enjoy it. I got an A in maths and an A* in geography.


Those careers sound really interesting and I believe your A-levels will allow this! Don't take a subject that you wont enjoy at A-level. That's the best advice I got when picking my AS-levels.

Look into a variety of revision techniques and find which one suits you and the course content best when you start the course.
I am going into year 13, taking A2s in English Literature, German and Latin. Last year I also took AS History.
I did IGCSE for German, so I genuinely didn't find it a step up. However there was a girl in my AS German class who was new and had done her GCSEs at another school, and she did find it a step-up, but with a bit of hard work she did well.
She was also in a difficult position because everyone else in the class was ahead of her. If you're in a group full of people with GCSE French or Spanish, you'll all just work hard and pull through.
My one biggest piece of advice to anyone thinking about AS options is to pick the four subjects you love the most. Done.
Original post by Colour Me Pretty
I don't think having two A levels in a language would limit OP in terms of employment? Especially if they choose to study one (or both) at university.



I absolutely agree. I meant in terms of employment directly after A-levels rather than after a degree but having two language A-levels would not limit employment after a degree.
Reply 13
Original post by flopsybunnybell
I am going into year 13, taking A2s in English Literature, German and Latin. Last year I also took AS History.
I did IGCSE for German, so I genuinely didn't find it a step up. However there was a girl in my AS German class who was new and had done her GCSEs at another school, and she did find it a step-up, but with a bit of hard work she did well.
She was also in a difficult position because everyone else in the class was ahead of her. If you're in a group full of people with GCSE French or Spanish, you'll all just work hard and pull through.
My one biggest piece of advice to anyone thinking about AS options is to pick the four subjects you love the most. Done.


We'll all have progressed from GCSE French/Spanish and there will be maximum of about four people in each class, so the pace can be altered in accordance with how we're doing. We also have the benefit of having the same teachers from GCSE/A Level, so they know us and our capabilities etc.

I have so much respect for people that do Latin all the way to A2! Haha
I did it for GCSE and absolutely hated it...
Original post by Maggiels
I am prepared to revise, but I think I would find it difficult knowing how to revise languages, as I put so much focus on other subjects at GCSE, and not with languages?

I'm hoping for an eventual career in music publishing or journalism, and I have very limited options as I go to a really small school.
I have also considered taking maths, and I'm sort of still thinking about taking geography, but I know I wouldn't enjoy it. I got an A in maths and an A* in geography.


Why don't you just take one language? You would only normally take two languages if you wanted to study them at university. You could take geography instead of either French or Spanish. It's probably best to have a broad range of subjects.

It seems that you're teachers are influencing your decision to take FR and ES at A Level, I would probably ignore them. More often than not, a lot of GCSE A/A* pupils struggle with language A Levels.

And with A Level French and Spanish the revision is different from other subjects. You tend to revise all year long then come exam season you don't really revise at all, just practise the odd paper or two, but nothing intense. It's the pay off for having to work hard for the rest of the year. So keep that in mind.

Personally, I suggest you switch one of the languages with something different and also something that interests you. You don't really want to specialise your A Levels until A2 level, so try to have a nice range of subjects.
Reply 15
Original post by Iggy Azalea
Why don't you just take one language? You would only normally take two languages if you wanted to study them at university. You could take geography instead of either French or Spanish. It's probably best to have a broad range of subjects.

It seems that you're teachers are influencing your decision to take FR and ES at A Level, I would probably ignore them. More often than not, a lot of GCSE A/A* pupils struggle with language A Levels.

And with A Level French and Spanish the revision is different from other subjects. You tend to revise all year long then come exam season you don't really revise at all, just practise the odd paper or two, but nothing intense. It's the pay off for having to work hard for the rest of the year. So keep that in mind.

Personally, I suggest you switch one of the languages with something different and also something that interests you. You don't really want to specialise your A Levels until A2 level, so try to have a nice range of subjects.



To be honest, although I do really enjoy languages, the only reason I'm taking two is because there are no other options that I really enjoy enough to take them, apart form perhaps geography - but I would be seriously compromising.

Though my language teachers are really pushing me to take both, my Head of Sixth Form and Exams Officer actually both want me to take maths - it just doesn't really fit with what I'm doing?

I actually do quite like the idea of bearing most of the workload during the year - I'm all for a less-stressful exam time.
If it helps, I didn't really do Langs at uni. I did Law with French, but French was about 8% of my degree, possibly less.
Reply 17
Original post by Maggiels
Hi!

So I've chosen my AS subjects, and at the moment they are:
English Lit
Spanish
French
Religious Studies

In my GCSEs I got A*s in both French and Spanish, with something like 98% in French and 95% in Spanish.
My teachers kept saying that I would be daft not to do languages as I have good grades at GCSE, but realistically, how big is the jump between GCSE and A level?
Also, I feel like if you know where to put the work in at GCSE and you pay attention, languages are actually quite easy? Especially as we got lots of guidance with coursework - and the same doesn't go for A level?

So has anyone taken two languages at A-level? How are you finding it?



If you found GCSE easy I don't think you'll be shocked by AS. My friends who managed to get A*/As at GCSE by gaming the coursework system (which is generally encouraged) got Ds at AS this year, the ones who actually knew German got As. Your grade at GCSE isn't as important as how you got it when considering whether to take language AS levels.

At AS the oral isn't as easy to prepare for. Other than that it's not much different, still a pretty relaxed subject if you're good at languages. The only problem is that your exams are being compared with bilinguals and people resitting AS in year 13 for a higher grade, so it's much harder to get a good grade than it is in other humanities. Not recommended if you're applying to Cambridge and want high UMS.

I didn't revise for my language exams and everything was fine. The rest of the year I did vocab flashcards. For A2 I want to try and speak to more Germans outside of school and listen to radio/tv in German.

For an English degree your choices are fine. Maths is good, but don't take it if you don't like it.
Original post by Maggiels
Hi!

So I've chosen my AS subjects, and at the moment they are:
English Lit
Spanish
French
Religious Studies

In my GCSEs I got A*s in both French and Spanish, with something like 98% in French and 95% in Spanish.
My teachers kept saying that I would be daft not to do languages as I have good grades at GCSE, but realistically, how big is the jump between GCSE and A level?
Also, I feel like if you know where to put the work in at GCSE and you pay attention, languages are actually quite easy? Especially as we got lots of guidance with coursework - and the same doesn't go for A level?

So has anyone taken two languages at A-level? How are you finding it?


I didnt but I know a lot of people who did. Some of them didnt enjoy it or found they focused on one language. However if you love the culture of the language then thats half of it. So think do you like both the French and the Spanish culture (inc. French African and Latin American). If you do then definitely do it!
Reply 19
You could take Maths instead of RS or as a fifth subject. It would increase your options later. I do think someone who is good at maths is well-advised to take it. But if you are dead set against it I guess don't do it.
(edited 9 years ago)

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