Edexcel A-Level English Language and Literature (new specification)

I'm a private student doing this qualification, and I feel like a minority here as no posts about this have been created :frown:

What texts are you guys doing and what do you think would come up?

Paper 1: All My Sons

Paper 2: Wuthering Heights, Romantic poetry

Reply 1

rowan-chesters

Hello ! i am doing the same qualification through distant learning. I am doing Withering Heights and the Bloody Chamber for the next exam. How do you feel about it?

Reply 2

zacharylhw

Hi, I feel like most (if not all!) online courses are doing this specificaiton for Eng Lang & Lit and they are all doing encounters. I'm feeling alright, just that they can literally give you anything for encounters!

Reply 3

Mrs Tea Pea

HI!

I am doing this A-level via distance learning distance and also feel like a bit of a minority :s-smilie:

Feel free to bounce ideas off of me if you get stuck :smile:

Goodness knows i need all the help i can get :tongue:

Original post by zacharylhw

I'm a private student doing this qualification, and I feel like a minority here as no posts about this have been created :frown:

What texts are you guys doing and what do you think would come up?

Paper 1: All My Sons

Paper 2: Wuthering Heights, Romantic poetry

Reply 4

Mrs Tea Pea

Im doing this qualification via distance learning... however I'm doing All my sons and vooices in speech and writing for my first paper... how comes they are so different?

Original post by rowan-chesters

Hello ! i am doing the same qualification through distant learning. I am doing Withering Heights and the Bloody Chamber for the next exam. How do you feel about it?

Reply 5

whitewolf2901

Hello!

I'm doing this specification through distance learning as well :smile:

I haven't really started yet, are there any suggestions for this syllabus?

And also, if anyone happens to know of a test center for this specification in Asia please let me know :biggrin:

Thanks in advance :smile:

Reply 6

zacharylhw

Original post by whitewolf2901

Hello!

I'm doing this specification through distance learning as well :smile:

I haven't really started yet, are there any suggestions for this syllabus?

And also, if anyone happens to know of a test center for this specification in Asia please let me know :biggrin:

Thanks in advance :smile:

Hi whitewolf, I just did this specification and am waiting for my result... FINGERS CROSSED. I'd be more than happy to give you some advice IF I get a decent grade.

Where are you from? I think A-Level (if there is nothing like "i-A-Level") can only be done in the UK. According to Oxford Learning Centre, "if you wish to study for a GCSE or A Level qualification, then you will need take your examinations in the UK". Usually the same specification wouldn't spread over 2 weeks, so it may be the best if you stay in the UK during that period.

Reply 7

whitewolf2901

Original post by zacharylhw

can only be done in the UK. According to Oxford Learning Centre, "if you wish to study for a GCSE or A Level qualification, then you will need take your examinations in the UK". Usually the same specification wouldn't spread over 2 weeks, so it may be the best if you stay in the UK during that period.

Hello! I'm from Taiwan, we're mostly not native-English speakers XD

I've been hearing that a lot, that the test can't be taken outside the UK, but I've been doing a lot of researching (VERY time-consuming) and finally found a test center in Hong Kong (thank God).

Wow, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you too :wink:

How did you like studying the course though? :biggrin:

Reply 8

Ady1-2

Hi,
I just started this course earlier this week as a private student as well! I'm studying with Open Study College..
Just thought I'd ask how its been for you? Any tips and advice would be much appreciated! Thanks

Reply 9

username4610266

Hi wondering how you did in your exam, I am sitting mine next month and am finding it very difficult to get any help on encounters. Did you find any online resources? I am studying the same texts Matt

Reply 10

Evil Homer

TSR Community Staff

Original post by SendNoodles

Why not start a new thread and we can set it up as an official exam discussion, that way you should be able to find other people taking the same exam as you!

If you set me up just tag me in @Evil Homer and I can add it to the list.

Reply 11

zacharylhw

Hello guys, I have just received a private message from one of you and I thought it’d be helpful if I share my reply.

‘Hi that was AGES ago but I can still remember how much I struggled with it. But fortunately I ended up with an A* and I’m now doing literature at my dream university. Are you doing the lang/lit spec or the straight lit spec? You must’ve done a lot of research to come across my thread (dw, I did the exact same thing two years ago too). To be honest there aren’t many resources online for the edexcel specification, especially when it’s relatively new. Some advice -

Glossary - I don’t know if you’re familiar with the literary terms, but this website basically covers everything (more than you need to know) https://literarydevices.net/

Study guides (e.g. York notes) - I found them very helpful. Although usually they don’t tackle any specific specification, it doesn’t matter. I’m sure you can find one for your text easily from one of the major bookstores / Amazon.

Exam board - read everything you can find on their website including the specification, mark schemes, past papers and exemplar scripts! When I did my exam, it was the FIRST year of the specification and there was no available past paper.

Online course - I did enrol on an online course (which costed me a lot, about £250). All I got was a set of notes for the course which I didn’t find particularly helpful. I also had a tutor whom I met face to face every week but tbh she wasn’t very helpful in terms of tackling the exam too.

Online tutors - In the end, I looked for tutors online to mark essays for me. I have to admit that I wouldn’t have secured the grade I want if I hadn’t got an online tutor especially I struggled a lot with the essay structure. My top tip is to do as many practice essays as you can under timed conditions. It’s quite challenging, at least to me, to write a decent essay within the given time. Even if you’ve run out of questions, MAKE UP your own questions and something similar may come up in the exam.

I’ve been through this and I understand how hard it can be. I’m happy to help if you’ve got any further questions. Good luck with your exams!’