Topic Two (1.2): Textbooks and Resources

Introduction

You will use two textbooks for the AL part of the course:

The core textbook for this course is English Language for Cambridge International AS & A Level Coursebook by Mike Gould and Marilyn Rankin (2^ndedition, Cambridge University Press, 2019); ISBN: 9781108455824. We will refer to this text as ‘Gould and Rankin’ in the module pages.
The second book, which you will use for wider reading and research, is Mother Tongue: The Story of the English Language by Bill Bryson (Penguin, 2009); ISBN: 9780141040080. We will refer to this text as Mother Tongue in the module pages.

Read and Make Notes

If this is the first time you have used this version of the Gould and Rankin text, familiarise yourself with the overall course content and textbook now, by reading the introduction: pages iv to vi.
Read about the assessment objectives, command words and the structure of the exams on pages vii to viii and make notes.
Read about how to use the textbook on pages ix to x.

Top Tips

Please note that the Gould and Rankin textbook contains lots of activities and we recommend you complete as many of these as possible to help consolidate what you have learnt. However, the book was originally written for use in the classroom so some of the activities ask you to complete tasks with a partner. Most of these can still be completed alone, but you can skip any activities where this is not possible.

Mother Tongue: The Story of the English Language is not a textbook in the traditional sense; it does not contain exercises, diagrams or pictures, but it does contain a fascinating overview of a wide range of factors that affect the language we use and how we use it. It is written in a humorous and accessible way and will be an invaluable resource for you to consolidate your skills throughout the course. Key chapters you should read for this course are indicated in the module pages but don’t be afraid to read the whole book; it will broaden your understanding of issues surrounding the English Language tremendously.

The A Level exam papers ask students to draw upon their own wider reading and research and successful students will be those who can bring in material that goes beyond the scope of the syllabus. Reading this book is one of the easiest and most stimulating ways of satisfying these requirements.

Terminology

As at AS, terminology is hugely important at AL and there are lots of new terms to learn in the four new topic areas. You should also still be using the terminology you learnt at AS.
The Gould and Rankin textbook contains a glossary at the back, on pages 436 to 443. You should refer to this regularly as you work through the course, but also be aware that there is an additional glossary provided by the exam board which is very helpful as it gathers key terminology into categories. You should print this out now:

PRINT OUT & READ – 9093 CAIE Glossary of Terminology Download PRINT OUT & READ – 9093 CAIE Glossary of Terminology

Your AS glossary is still an important document and you should have it to hand each time you study. If you did not study AS with Wolsey Hall, please print this out now:

PRINT OUT & READ – AS Glossary of Terminology Download PRINT OUT & READ – AS Glossary of Terminology

As you go through each topic, remember to highlight any key terms on your glossaries, so you have an ongoing record of what you have learnt so far.
Another helpful tip is to make flashcards for key terms as you go along, with the word on one side and the definition on the other. You will see regular reminders to do this throughout the course. This makes revision later on much easier. Make sure you always check your spellings!

Top Tips

Please be aware that English Language is very much an applied subject and the material covered is cumulative, including what you learnt at AS.
As at AS, in this subject, anything you may read or hear counts as a text, and you could be asked to analyse any kind of text in the exams. One of the best ways to prepare for this is to read as much as you can and to pay close attention to all the various kinds of text you encounter in everyday life, including blogs, political speeches, emails and even recipes and text messages.