Aqa web conference presentation v1.2

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A Level English Language B:Feedback on AS

Ian Wheeler


Key questions for the web conference

• What key skills are assessed in sections A and B of the exam paper?

• What skills do candidates find hard?

• What are the characteristics of an A grade answer?

• What can we do to raise the performance of candidates in this exam?


Structure of the session

Question 1 – Grouping Texts• Summary of what candidates did well / less well• Assessment of exemplar material• Useful strategies for exam performance

Part 2 – Language and Gender/Power/Technology• Summary of what candidates did well / less well• Assessment of exemplar material• Useful strategies for exam performance

Implications for teaching and learning• Teaching resource



ENGB1 grade boundaries – Summer 2012

Grade Boundary Mark

A 70

B 61

C 52

D 43

E 35


Assessment Objectives for question 1

AO1: Select & apply a range of linguistic methods, to communicate relevant knowledge using appropriate terminology and coherent accurate written expression (16 marks)

AO2: Demonstrate critical understanding of a range of concepts and issues related to the construction and analysis of meanings in spoken and written language, using knowledge of linguistic approaches (16 marks)

AO3: Analyse and evaluate the influence of contextual factors on the production and reception of spoke and written language, showing knowledge of the key constituents of language (16 marks)


What did candidates do well in question 1?

• Addressed all parts of the question – various ways… linguistic reasons for choices

• Covered a range of clear groupings, addressing the need to compare texts and analyse differences

• Found sub-groups within text groups

• Supported points made with clearly selected evidence

• Explored the original context of data in an imaginative way

• Used appropriately tentative / comparative vocabulary


What did candidates do less well in question 1?

• Failed to exemplify, leading to descriptive answers

• Created groups of 1 text

• Covered a narrow range of language features or took a “feature spotting” approach

• Went into the exam with a plan of groupings and mangled the data to fit preconceptions


What qualities characterise an A response?


A grade responses…

• Are tentative in their discussion of reasons for grouping texts

• Select interesting linguistic points about texts and link them to the specific context, often speculatively

• Cover a range of reasons for grouping and sub-grouping texts

• Demonstrate a clear understanding of the subtle and complex nature of this question


Assessing weaker responses



Suggestions for an approach to grouping

• Group 1 – C/B/F – Multi-modal (clear signpost to student / examiner)

• Discuss group feature in relation to texts

• Differences? Reason why one text is a weaker choice for group?

• Chaining of texts to show awareness that texts belong in more than one group

• Coverage of linguistic methods in group choices. E.g. Not just three different purposes as groups


Assessment Objectives for questions 2-4

AO2: Demonstrate critical understanding of a range of concepts and issues related to the construction and analysis of meanings in spoken and written language, using knowledge of linguistic approaches. (16 marks)

AO3: Analyse and evaluate the influence of contextual factors on the production and reception of spoken and written language, showing knowledge of the key constituents of language. (32 marks)


What did candidates do well in questions 2-4?

• Took a blended approach – selecting appropriate theory/conceptual knowledge and using it to illuminate linguistic features in the data

• Recognised the specific contexts of data – the genre of a romantic novel / the function of text messages and the different relationships between one producer and different receivers

• Recognised that context applies to both producer and receiver

• Covered a wide range of language features with clear, concise exemplification and a focused link to specific contextual factors


What did candidates do less well in questions 2-4?

• Wrote extended essays about gender, power or technology with little or no reference to the data provided

• Ignored the concept of representation in Q2 and treated the exchange as real speech

• Overstated the power of leaflet producer/receiver

• Became obsessed with the idea that texting led to laziness and the collapse of standards

• Focused on surface language features and oversimplify the original context of data



Assessing mid-level responses


Accessing the higher mark bands


Representation Questions - Gender

In both January and June 2012, the gender question focused on representation, using extracts from published fiction.

Successful students recognised that both male and female roles were represented in the data and made perceptive points about the language choices used by writers to portray stereotypes.

Some students struggled to engage with the data and repeated learned theory (often applicable only to spoken language) and tried to make the data fit the theory.



Raising performance

• Students must get used to working with previously unseen data

• Encourage students to identify interesting linguistic features and link them to context in an imaginative way

• Make sure that section B discussion are language/context led rather than reliant on learned theory

• Take an exploratory approach to grouping rather than entering the exam with a prepared selection of groups

• Apply linguistic terminology accurately


Raising performance

• Acknowledge that power is rarely fixed, but shifts

• While theory does have its place, conceptual approaches to data are often much more productive (especially on technology texts)

• Encourage students to collect and analyse their own data


Teaching Resource


Thank you for your participation