A2 English Language Exam

rurounikenji

has anyone got therioes on children reading

Yes!

A lot of these might help: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Category:A_Level_English_Revision_Notes

Reading: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Revision:Child_Language_Acquisition_-_Reading

Writing: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Revision:Child_Language_Acquisition_-_Writing

Personally, I'm ignoring reading and writing cause there's a choice of two questions, one guaranteed to be speaking, the other reading or writing. I'm focusing on speaking cause there's more to write about, I know more about it and it's sure to come up. But it's up to you!

Good luckkkkk.

Reply 43

There is a theorists for Language Change. David Crystal. I have NO idea what he says but just shove him in somewhere.

One of my friends did English Lit last year and used me and another friend as theorists in her exam. She got an A.

If in doubt, ********. They'll never know. :smile:

Reply 44

That ************* was supposed to be Bullsh!t, btw.

Reply 45

waynooo

david crystal just says laguage change is inevitable and all that crap. in exactly a day from now we will never have to do english language again!!!

Reply 46

woodyx

waynooo

david crystal just says laguage change is inevitable and all that crap. in exactly a day from now we will never have to do english language again!!!

Unless, like me, you're hopefully going to study it at uni :biggrin:

Reply 47

I read some of one of David Crystal's book because our teacher wanted us to pick info out of them. It was very dull.

Don't worry too much guys. Just chill and make use you analyse your points fully and put in some context :smile:

That's where most of the marks come from.

Reply 48

rurounikenji

13

hey guys i am usually pretty crap when it comes to time management with english langauge exams. Does anyone got any tips i can manage my time and planning/annotation time effectively?

Reply 49

Syko

For language change, you can also use Jean Aitichson's three types of perscriptivism.

The Crumbling Castle (English is like a stately home and needs to be protected), Damp Spoon (Language change is due to laziness) and Infectious Disease (Our language changes as we hear language from other people, and then we use it ourselves)

Reply 50

rurounikenji

hey guys i am usually pretty crap when it comes to time management with english langauge exams. Does anyone got any tips i can manage my time and planning/annotation time effectively?

It's pretty difficult to suggest things for time management. Which section do you have trouble in?

If you have a problem with spending too long planning, I suggest forcing yourself to spend the max of 15 mins (giving an hour to write your answer) and choosing things very selectively. You don't have to write about everything in the exam and, as long as you have one quote or example that supports your point/a theory, you should be ok.

For Language change, focus on finding one or two things to comment on (which you can contrast and compare between the texts) for the areas like Graphology, Lexis/pragmatics, tone of the text ect (look at Nadine189's list, it's very good) and no more than that. Don't spend too much time picking out examples and only pick out examples which aid you to say something specific about a text (e.g 'The amount of spelling mistakes may be down to the writing being done in a rush because (context)')

Language Acquisition is a bit more difficult. I'd focus on picking out examples that support certain theorists, like the Chomsky and Vygotsky or anything unusual and particular.

Basically, I think the key is forming an argument first (e.g. In specimin paper, the older car advert had emphasis on the car being best for the family, whereas 80s had an emphasis on style and lexis/tone reflected this), then picking out examples to support it. Then when you come to write it, make points and explain why this might have happened and then link to context and/or theorists and don't allow yourself to ramble.

I hope I've helped. I'm not sure I have >.> If I haven't, I apologise.

And thankyou for those theories, Syko. My teacher really hasn't taught us anything solid theorist-wise about language change =/

Reply 51

rurounikenji

13

Anewor

It's pretty difficult to suggest things for time management. Which section do you have trouble in?

If you have a problem with spending too long planning, I suggest forcing yourself to spend the max of 15 mins (giving an hour to write your answer) and choosing things very selectively. You don't have to write about everything in the exam and, as long as you have one quote or example that supports your point/a theory, you should be ok.

For Language change, focus on finding one or two things to comment on (which you can contrast and compare between the texts) for the areas like Graphology, Lexis/pragmatics, tone of the text ect (look at Nadine189's list, it's very good) and no more than that. Don't spend too much time picking out examples and only pick out examples which aid you to say something specific about a text (e.g 'The amount of spelling mistakes may be down to the writing being done in a rush because (context)')

Language Acquisition is a bit more difficult. I'd focus on picking out examples that support certain theorists, like the Chomsky and Vygotsky or anything unusual and particular.

Basically, I think the key is forming an argument first (e.g. In specimin paper, the older car advert had emphasis on the car being best for the family, whereas 80s had an emphasis on style and lexis/tone reflected this), then picking out examples to support it. Then when you come to write it, make points and explain why this might have happened and then link to context and/or theorists and don't allow yourself to ramble.

I hope I've helped. I'm not sure I have >.> If I haven't, I apologise.

thanks for the advice. It's really good advice that i will defo keep in mind. i will send you a rep for that . i usually have trouble finishing the questions cause i spend too much time on planning thats why.

Reply 52

Aliyah123

Hey can someone help me? In the language change question what can we talk about with regards to phonological change, so far my list contains:

- Great Vowel shift
- Martha's Vineyard study
- Milton Keynes study
- Aitchison

Reply 53

Laurennn2010

Hey! I've had a lot of time off this year and I'm really dreading this exam. I wondered if anyone could clear this up for me about the actual questions. I know there are two questions on each and we answer one from each but which do we compare? And which do we analyse? I wondered if I could get away with revising for one section of the CA more than the rest, say Writing more than Speaking or Reading.

Thanks! I'm in a right muddle! x

Reply 54

Laurennn2010

Hey! I've had a lot of time off this year and I'm really dreading this exam. I wondered if anyone could clear this up for me about the actual questions. I know there are two questions on each and we answer one from each but which do we compare? And which do we analyse? I wondered if I could get away with revising for one section of the CA more than the rest, say Writing more than Speaking or Reading.

Thanks! I'm in a right muddle! x

There are 2 questions. Each question gives you 2 texts, which for Language Acquisition is likely to be either 2 transcripts, a transcript for a child reading out loud plus reading material or possibly text child has written plus a transcript of the text (I don't know for sure since the specification paper only did reading and speaking). On this one you analyse how the child speaks. On Language change, you have 2 texts from different times in histories which you must compare.

From what I've gathered, Speaking is pretty much guaranteed to come up and the other question could be either Writing or Reading. I would most definitely suggest learning Speaking in detail. If you just revise Writing, there's a good chance you'll lose out.

Reply 55

Aliyah123

Hey can someone help me? In the language change question what can we talk about with regards to phonological change, so far my list contains:

- Great Vowel shift
- Martha's Vineyard study
- Milton Keynes study
- Aitchison

Martha's vineyard and milton keynes...??? I dont know anything about this. Worried now. hah.

Reply 56

Ash1ir

1

I thought it was an OK paper today, did speaking and the secretary text.

Reply 57