The course is structured around Areas of Exploration and seven Concepts. Even if it is not explicitly evident in the assessment criteria, to do well in the course (and to gain a really wholesome and heart-warming experience) you will need some understanding and appreciation of these. This page will help you.
Areas of Exploration
Consider the following statements, and indicate whether you agree or disagree, strongly agree or strongly disagree with them:
Everyone will have a different leaning, a different emphasis on one of those statements and how it applies to them. You may prefer the first; you may read because of what you can learn about social history from a literary work or non-literary body of work (the second); or you might just love the evolution of textual genres or the direct influences and allusions from one to another (The Lego Movie fans alert).
In reality, a study of this subject is like a triple helix of these three areas of study interweaving like a strand of DNA - interconnected and interdependent, but separate and individual lines of inquiry. Each one addresses each of the different Areas of Exploration of the course:
Concepts
The course revolves around seven key concepts of study. Again, these do not appear explicitly in assessment criteria, but the expectation would be that these would frame any study of literary works and non-literary bodies of work, that you will be able to articulate what they mean, to be able to identify them in your chosen texts for the Individual Oral, the Higher Level Essay, and in unseen texts in Paper 1. From May 2023 onwards, they will doubtless play a role in the questions and responses for Paper 2, as well.
The Subject Guide is the best place for clear explanations of the meaning of these concepts - contrary to some things that can be found in text books and on the internet, 'Transformation', for example, is not about novels transforming lives, but instead about the transformation from one text to something new through the cycle of creation (from one person) to interpretation (of that work from another) back to creation (of the second person... or a new movement) of something new. Do make sure your teachers have given you access to the Subject Guide - the concepts are discussed on pages 27-28.
Here are the Seven Concepts of the English A: Language & Literature course:
The real key is to have some understanding and insight into these essential ideas, and to have considered how the concepts interact with and within the areas of exploration. For that reason, try the following activity:
Take each concept in turn and place it where you think it is most appropriate on the Communication Cycle (the cycle of creation and interpretation) below:
How much of A Conceptual Framework have you understood?
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