Competition - post a photo you've taken of nature >>

A Level language as a private candidate

I'm bilingual, I did Russian GCSE as an external candidate and it was great. I was thinking about doing Russian A Level as well but I heard it's not that simple, you need to know more than just the language (politics, films etc) to get the top grades? Is this true?
Also apparently you can't just do the A2 exam, you have to do the AS as well.
So is it possible to do it as an external candidate?

Reply 1

999tigger

Original post by YasudaSayo

Yes it will be wider than just being able to speak.
The exam is linear so you do the exams for all the 2 years content at the end of 2 years .

It will be difficult as there is an aural and oral component which a test centre has to be willing to take.

There is also a non examined assessment.

You are going to have to find a test centre with someone competent in Russian that is willing to test you. that may mean travelling quite a long way. It will also cost extra money.
You will have to research.

Edexcel do Russian.
https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-a-levels/russian-2017.coursematerials.html#filterQuery=category:Pearson-UK:Category%2FSpecification-and-sample-assessments

Reply 2

Yasuda

Original post by 999tigger

The college I'm at now said they'd be able to do it for me but I'd have to pay, so that's sorted.
When you say it's wider than just speaking, do you mean I need to know things about the country/culture? Or did you just mean that there's also writing, reading, and listening components?
What is an aural component? And what do you mean by non examined assessment?

Reply 3

999tigger

Original post by YasudaSayo

Both and coursework. If the college says they will do it then you wont find many others that can.

Reply 4

Compost

Here's the specification https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-a-levels/russian-2017.html
There isn't any non-examination assessment, just 2 written exams (one with a listening element) and the speaking.
You are required to study some set works.
If your centre can't find anyone to run the speaking test then Edexcel will conduct them in London - see the bit on the link about 'London Centre orals'

Alternatively you could just take the AS although this also requires you to have studied a set work.

Reply 5

Yasuda

Original post by Compost

What do you mean by studying a set work?

Reply 6

Compost

Original post by YasudaSayo

What do you mean by studying a set work?

The specification (see the link I posted) will explain this.

Reply 7

Yasuda

Original post by Compost

The specification (see the link I posted) will explain this.

How exactly would they test me on 'popular literary texts and films', and why? Does this mean I can't take it externally? Or do I literally just need to watch a movie

Reply 8

Compost

Original post by YasudaSayo

How exactly would they test me on 'popular literary texts and films', and why? Does this mean I can't take it externally? Or do I literally just need to watch a movie

If you could be bothered to look at the link and read the specification you'd find out. I know absolutely nothing about Russian or Russian A level but if I can find this then so can you.

For Paper 2, students are required to study two works from the list below. This can be either two literary texts or one literary text and one film. Literary texts ● Пиковая дама, Александр Пушкин, 1834 (short story) ● Ревизор, Николай Гоголь, 1836 (play) ● Вишнёвый сад, Антон Чехов, 1904 (play) ● Один день Ивана Денисовича, Александр Солженицын, 1962 (novella) ● Неделя как неделя, Наталья Баранская, 1968 (novella) ● Сонечка, Людмила Улицкая, 1992 (novella) Films ● Крылья, dir. Лариса Шепитько (1966) ● Утомлённые солнцем, dir. Никита Михалков (1994) ● Кавказский пленник, dir. Сергей Бодров (1996) ● Левиафан, dir. Андрей Звягинцев (2014)