Modern Languages

In studying modern languages, students develop skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing. It enables them to express themselves creatively and imaginatively and to communicate with others effectively.

Faculty Overview

English is a vital way of communicating in school, in public life and internationally. Literature in English is rich and influential, reflecting the experience of people from many countries and times.

Increasingly, students are expected to demonstrate high-level English qualifications for entrance to overseas universities. SCIE offers a range of courses for study as we view them as the most challenging and credible qualifications available at this level. Proficiency in English underpins student success in all subjects. An ability to comprehend and manipulate verbal and written information allows students to extract the most from their lessons, to access complex tasks and to respond with speed and precision.

Studying Spanish/French at AS and A Level is well suited to internationally-minded learners as it develops insights into the culture and society of the countries where the language is spoken (French is the official language in around 30 countries and Spanish is the official language in around 20 countries), including the study of literary texts at A Level. It also encourages positive attitudes toward language learning and a sympathetic approach to other cultures and societies. At the end of each course an independent qualification will be awarded.

Mike Dawick

Faculty – Modern Languages

AS/AL English Language
AS/AL English Literature
AS/AL French
AS/AL Spanish

1 or 2-Year AS Or 2-Year AL

In AS Language

You will develop the skills to analyse a range of texts, commenting on audience, purpose, genre and mode (whether the text is spoken or written or a hybrid of the two). The texts will be drawn from a range of English language sources, including:

Advertising and promotional material
News and magazine articles
Digital texts such as blogs and discussion forums
Spontaneous speech and formal spoken language
Other kinds of non-fiction writing

You will also write to a specific brief, transforming one text type into another text type.

You will study how people use language to perform social functions such as:

Expressing identities
Marking group membership
Claiming power and status

You will develop the skills to analyse data, commenting on how language links to social group behaviour.

In AL Language

You will study the topic of language learning, which includes:

Early language acquisition in young children
Later language development in teenagers

You will also study the topic of international English.
International English is taken as a label to include both:

The idea of established world English
The more recent expansion of English as the lingua franca

There is also a non-exam assessment component, which entails researching an aspect of language use. Students will:

Devise a research question
Collect their own data
Analyse the data
Write up the results in the form of a report of approximately 2,500 words

1 or 2-Year AS Or 2-Year AL

Literature in English

Literature in English provides students with the opportunity to gain further knowledge and understanding of international poetry, prose, and drama, studying all genres across both levels.

A wide range of inspiring set texts have been carefully selected to offer a depth and breadth of literary study and to encourage lively and stimulating classroom discussion.

At AS Level, students will study four set texts.

Throughout the AS and A Level course, students will be encouraged to:

Practise their skills in close reading through the study of literary extracts and unseen texts
Develop skills of analysis and interpretation of texts
Express personal responses to the texts studied
Explore the conventions of literary genres
Understand the contexts in which works have been written, read, and received

For AS Level, students will sit two papers in the summer, testing their knowledge and understanding of the set texts.

At A Level, students will further develop their subject knowledge through:

Evaluation of opinions and ideas, both their own and those of others
The study of four texts, with Component 3 being a coursework portfolio covering two of these texts
An additional written paper on the remaining two texts, also sat in the summer

Available to for AS (1 year) or A level (2 year). Grades at the end of AS do not affect AL grade

French at AS and A Level

French at AS and A Level aims to develop the learner’s ability to:

Understand French in a variety of registers
Communicate effectively and independently using the target language

Studying French at this level is well suited to internationally-minded learners, as it:

Develops insights into the culture and society of countries where French is spoken
(French is the official language in around 30 countries)
Includes the study of literary texts at A Level
Encourages positive attitudes toward language learning and a sympathetic approach to other cultures and societies

The syllabus supports intellectual and personal development by promoting:

Learning and social skills
A strong foundation in language, skills, and attitudes required for further study, work, and leisure
Lifelong learning

Course Content

Both AS and A Level courses cover topics such as:

Culture
Health & well-being
Education & future plans
Community & society
Responsibility for the planet
Science & technology

In addition, during the A Level year, students will study two literary texts in the target language.

At the end of each course, students will be awarded an independent qualification.

A Note on Languages and the World of Work

According to the Korn/Ferry International Executive Recruiter Index:

88% of executive recruiters say the ability to speak more than one language is critical to international business success
79% of North American recruiters cited Spanish as the most in-demand additional language
French ranked next at 43%, followed by Mandarin Chinese

Available to for AS (1 year) or A level (2 year). Grades at the end of AS do not affect AL grade

Spanish at AS and A Level

Spanish at AS and A Level aims to develop the learner’s ability to:

Understand Spanish in a variety of registers
Communicate effectively and independently using the target language

Studying Spanish at this level is well suited to internationally-minded learners, as it:

Develops insights into the culture and society of countries where the language is spoken
(Spanish is the official language in around 20 countries)
Includes the study of literary texts at A Level
Encourages positive attitudes toward language learning and a sympathetic approach to other cultures and societies

The syllabus supports intellectual and personal development by promoting:

Learning and social skills
A sound base of skills, language, and attitudes for further study, work, and leisure
Lifelong learning as an important personal goal

Course Content

The AS and A Level courses cover topics such as:

Culture
Health & well-being
Education & future plans
Community & society
Responsibility for the planet
Science & technology

Additionally, during the A Level year, students will study two literary texts in the target language — most likely contemporary works.

At the end of each course, an independent qualification will be awarded.

A Note on Languages and the World of Work

According to the Korn/Ferry International Executive Recruiter Index:

88% of executive recruiters say the ability to speak more than one language is critical to international business success
79% of North American recruiters cited Spanish as the most in-demand additional language
French was next (43%), followed by Mandarin Chinese (30%)