The content of this IAL is relevant, engaging and up to date. Topics relate to the interests of students studying Arabic for purposes of communication, for example in study and leisure situations. Contexts and settings will be those that students are likely to encounter, for example school, the media. Culturally sensitive and authentic reading texts used throughout.

The aims and objectives of this qualification are to enable students to develop:

• an understanding of a wide variety of complex reading texts for different purposes
• an understanding of standard written language on both unfamiliar and familiar topics normally encountered in personal, social, academic or vocational contexts
• the ability to write clear, well-structured texts using an appropriate style, highlighting relevant salient issues, expanding and supporting points of view with supporting arguments (where relevant) and showing controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices
• the ability to express themselves fluently, spontaneously and appropriately in a range of written contexts
• the skills necessary for further study or employment, either in Arabic-speaking countries or where Arabic is used as the main medium of communication for business and commerce
• an understanding of the nature of language in different cultural contexts in order to build up competence in written communication.

Unit 1: Understanding and Written Response (IAS)

This unit consists of three sections.:

• Section A: Reading
• Section B: Grammar
• Section C: Essay

Students will be expected to recognise and use Arabic in a variety of contexts and in relation to the following general topic areas:

• Youth culture and concerns
• Lifestyle, health and fitness
• Environment and travel
• Education and employment
• Technology in the Arabic-speaking world
• Society in the Arabic-speaking world
• Ethics in the Arabic-speaking world.

Unit 2: Writing and Research (IAL)

This unit consists of three sections:

• Section A: Translation
• Section B: Creative/Discursive Essay
• Section C: Research-based Essay
• Students will be expected to undertake a short translation from English into Arabic. They will be assessed on their ability to transfer meaning from an English-language passage into Arabic. A maximum of 20 marks will be awarded in accordance with a translation-specific mark scheme.
• Students will write a 240-280 word essay, in Arabic, in response to a short Arabic-language stimulus. They will be able to select how they respond to the stimulus – either discursively with a critical essay, or creatively through a short fictional or artistic piece. The assessment rewards students for communicating relevant information effectively as well as for the quality of the Arabic language produced.
• Students must answer one question, in Arabic, which relates to a topic, text or film chosen from the prescribed list featured in Section 2.4 (Set topics, texts and films). The essay should relate to topic, text or film that students have studied in advance of the examination.
• A choice of two questions will be offered for each of the prescribed topics and texts. Students will be expected to write 300–400 words in Arabic. A maximum of 30 marks will be awarded for their essay content, quality of language and critical analysis and organisation of ideas

Unit 1: Understanding and Written Response (IAS)

80 marks and 2 hour 30 minute examination in three sections:

• Section A: Reading: Students will need to understand, retrieve and convey information from a short series of different Arabic-language texts. They will be required to provide a mix of non-verbal and Arabic-language responses. In addition, marks will be given for vocalisation of text
• Section B: Grammar: Students will be assessed on their ability to manipulate Arabic language, grammar and lexis. They will be assessed on their ability to vocalise Arabic vowels and select the right word form over three distinct tasks focusing on a topic area to provide contextualisation.
• Section C: Essay: Students will write a 240–280 word essay, in Arabic, in response to a short Arabic language stimulus and related bullet points. The assessment rewards learners for communicating relevant information effectively as well as for the quality of the Arabic language produced.

Unit 2: Writing and Research (IAL)

80 marks and 3 hour examination in three sections:

• Section A: Translation Students will be expected to undertake a short translation from English into Arabic.
• Section B: Creative/Discursive Essay: Students will write a 240–280 word essay, in Arabic, in response to a short Arabic language stimulus. Students will choose to write creatively or discursively on the topic through two options provided. The assessment rewards students for communicating relevant information effectively as well as for the quality of the Arabic language produced.
• Section C: Research-based Essay: Students must answer one question, in Arabic, that relates to a topic or a text chosen from the prescribed list featured in Section 2.4 (Set topics, texts and films). A choice of two questions will be offered for each of the prescribed topics and texts. Students should write 300–400 words.

Ministry careers, communications, international relations, teacher/lecturer, business, entrepreneur

Cambridge International AS Level English General Paper develops a set of transferable skills. These include comprehension, constructing an argument, presenting views, and writing English coherently and persuasively. Learners can apply these skills across a wide range of subjects and these skills equip them well for progression to higher education or directly into employment. Our approach in Cambridge International AS Level English General Paper encourages learners to be:

Confident: explaining, analysing and evaluating multi-disciplinary issues and communicating arguments

Responsible: seeking a wide range of knowledge and opinion from varied sources, directing their own learning

Reflective: considering and reflecting upon a diverse range of ideas, incorporating these into their responses

Innovative: creating their own ideas and style as they explore topics and express ideas in writing

Engaged: developing informed opinions, engaging with the challenges of our dynamic world.

The aims and objectives of these qualifications are to enable students to:

• develop understanding and use of English language in the context of contemporary topics
• encourage and appraise a broad range of topics
• develop a wider awareness and knowledge of contemporary issues through reading
• develop independent reasoning skills
• develop the skills of interpretation, analysis, evaluation and persuasion
• develop skills in writing structured and developed arguments, and present reasoned explanations
• develop the ability to present a point of view clearly and consider and reflect upon those of others.

Learners will have the opportunity to gain knowledge and understanding of issues in these three broad topic areas:

1. Economic, historical, moral, political and social
2. Science, including its history, philosophy, ethics, general principles and applications; environmental issues; technology and mathematics
3. Literature, language, the arts, crafts, and the media.

Learners consider topics within local and international contexts. Learners should be able to draw upon knowledge and understanding gained from studying other subjects.

Through the study of these broad topic areas, learners develop effective reading and writing skills in English. They work with information, ideas and opinions. They analyse and evaluate opinions and ideas. They also learn how to build an argument. These skills are all highly transferable and will help learners in other subjects they are studying, and equip them for higher education or employment.

Paper 1

• Essay 1 hour 15 minutes
• 30 marks
• Candidates answer one essay question from a choice of 10.
• Externally assessed
• 50% of the AS Level

Paper 2

• Comprehension 1 hour 45 minutes
• 50 marks
• Candidates answer compulsory questions on reading material.
• Externally assessed
• 50% of the AS Level

Journalism, communications, law, politics, literature, MFL teacher, author, marketing

Cambridge International AS & A Level English Language develops a set of transferable skills. These include critical analysis; constructing arguments; presenting knowledge and understanding; and writing English in a balanced, articulate and fluent manner. Learners can apply these skills across a wide range of subjects and real-world situations. These skills will also equip them well for progression to higher education or directly into employment.

The aims are to enable students to:

• enjoy the experience of studying English language
• develop a critical and informed response to texts in a range of forms, styles and contexts, produced for a variety of audiences
• communicate effectively, creatively, accurately and appropriately in their writing
• develop the interdependent skills of reading, analysis and research
• develop an appreciation of concepts and techniques in the study of English language
• Build a firm foundation for further study of language and linguistics.

AS Level content (Paper 1 and Paper 2)

In Paper 1, candidates are primarily assessed on skills and techniques related to reading.

In Paper 2, candidates are primarily assessed on skills and techniques related to writing.

Paper 1 : Reading

• Learners are encouraged to read widely throughout their programme of study, continually deepening their appreciation of an increasingly rich array of reading material.
• They should develop an intimate knowledge and understanding of the conventions and discourses associated with a diverse range of genres, styles and contexts.
• Furthermore, learners should continue to cultivate their personal relationship with reading, enabling them to respond reflectively, analytically, discursively and creatively, as is appropriate to the task or context.

Paper 2: Writing

• Using their reading as inspiration, learners should explore and experiment with a similarly extensive variety of genres, styles and contexts in their writing.
• In addition to refining their ability to express themselves with precision and clarity of purpose, learners should become increasingly reflective writers, capable of adapting the style of their writing to fit a diverse range of forms, audiences, purposes and contexts.
• The knowledge and understanding that candidates are required to demonstrate in Paper 2 is the same as is covered in Paper 1.

At A Level, candidates are required to build upon the knowledge and understanding established at AS Level, and to concentrate their study on four specialised subject areas:

• Language change
• Child language acquisition
• English in the world
• Language and the self.

Similarly, the skills and techniques required at A Level expand upon those required at AS Level. Paper 3 primarily focuses on skills and techniques related to analytical reading, while the emphasis in Paper 4 is on discursive writing.

Paper 1:

This paper has two sections:

1. Section A: Directed response, and
2. Section B: Text analysis. Each section is worth 25 marks.

Candidates must answer two compulsory questions: Question 1 in Section A, and Question 2 in Section B.

Each question requires candidates to respond to one unseen text. Examples of the text types candidates may be required to read (or produce for Question 1(a)) include: advertisements, brochures, leaflets, editorials, news stories, articles, reviews, blogs, investigative journalism, letters, podcasts, (auto)biographies, travel writing, diaries, essays, scripted speech, narrative writing, and descriptive writing.

Section A: Directed response

Question 1 is in two parts:

1. directed writing task in response to a text (10 marks)
2. comparison of the form, structure and language of the candidate’s response in part (a) with that of the original text (15 marks)

In Question 1(a), candidates are required to read a text of approximately 550–750 words, and write a directed response of 150–200 words, choosing their vocabulary, style and structure to fit a specific form, purpose and audience.

In Question 1(b), candidates are required to:

1. identify, analyse and compare characteristic features of the texts
2. relate these features to the purpose, audience and context of the texts.

Section B:

In Question 2, candidates are required to read a text of approximately 550–750 words, and comment on the form, structure and language of the text.

Candidates are required to:

1. identify characteristic features of the text, relate them to the meaning, context and audience of the writing, and organise information in their answers
2. comment on aspects of form, structure and language
3. write in an appropriate style.

Paper 2:

• Written paper, 2 hours, 50 marks
• This paper has two sections, Section A: Shorter writing and reflective commentary, and Section B: Extended writing.
• Each section is worth 25 marks.
• Candidates must answer two questions: Question 1 in Section A (compulsory), and one question in Section B.

Section A: Shorter writing and reflective commentary

Question 1 is in two parts:

1. writing a short text in response to a prompt (15 marks)
2. writing a reflective commentary based on how the text produced in part (a) fulfils the brief (10 marks)

In Question 1(a), candidates are required to write a response of no more than 400 words to a prompt, choosing their vocabulary, style and structure to fit a specific form, purpose and audience.

Examples of the text types candidates may be required to produce include advertisements, brochures, leaflets, editorials, news stories, articles, reviews, blogs, investigative journalism, letters, podcasts, (auto)biographies, travel writing, diaries, essays, scripted speech, narrative writing, and descriptive writing.

Section B: Extended writing

Candidates choose to answer one out of three questions. Each question corresponds to one of the three following categories:

• imaginative/descriptive
• discursive/argumentative
• review/critical

Depending on the category, examples of the text types candidates may be required to produce include advertisements, brochures, leaflets, editorials, news stories, articles, reviews, blogs, investigative journalism, letters, podcasts, (auto)biographies, travel writing, diaries, essays, scripted speech, narrative writing, and descriptive writing.

In each question, candidates are required to:

• produce a continuous piece of writing of 600–900 words
• express their ideas clearly, coherently and accurately, using an appropriate range of language
• develop their writing in a manner appropriate to the form, purpose and audience

Paper 3: Language Analysis

Section A: Language Change

In Section A, learners will explore how English has continually adapted to reflect changes in the social, cultural, political and technological contexts in which it has been used. Learners will explore the causes and consequences of language change in English, developing their knowledge of the topic through research, analysis, and an understanding of conventional methods of presenting historical language data.

• Written paper: 2 hours 15 minutes, 50 marks.
• This paper has two sections, Section A: Language change, and Section B: Child language acquisition. Each section is worth 25 marks. Candidates must answer both questions. Dictionaries may not be used.
• Section A: Language change In Question 1, candidates are required to respond to three texts:
• a prose text of approximately 300–400 words, written at any time from the Early Modern English period (beginning c.1500) to the present day
• two sources of quantitative language data: an n-gram graph and a word table of corpus data. Examples of the prose text types candidates may be required to analyse include advertisements, brochures, leaflets, editorials, news stories, articles, reviews, blogs, investigative journalism, letters, podcasts, (auto)biographies, travel writing, diaries, essays, scripted speech, narrative writing, and descriptive writing. Candidates are required to analyse how the prose text exemplifies ways in which the English language has changed over time. They are required to support their response with reference to the two sources of quantitative language data provided, and also to their wider study of language change.

Section B: Child Language Acquisition

In Section B, learners will explore the stages of early development (0–8 years) in child language acquisition, considering the various features and functions of spoken language use during this period, and familiarising themselves with a range of relevant theories, theorists and conventions within the field.

In Question 2, candidates are required to respond to a transcript featuring language spoken by a child or children between the ages of 0 and 8, possibly alongside other speakers. Candidates are required to analyse ways in which the speakers in the transcript use language, referring to specific details from the transcription, and relating their observations to ideas and examples from their wider study of child language acquisition.

Paper 4: Language Topics

Section A: English in the world

In Section A, learners will explore the history of English as a ‘global’ language; the development of standard and nonstandard forms of English, including the varieties used by first-language users outside the UK; and ethical considerations related to the continuing expansion of English usage around the world.

• Written paper: 2 hours 15 minutes, 50 marks
• This paper has two sections, Section A: English in the world, and Section B: Language and the self. Each section is worth 25 marks.
• Candidates must answer both questions. Dictionaries may not be used.
• Section A: English in the world In Question 1, candidates are required to respond to approximately 400–500 words of text on the topic of ‘English in the world’. In their essay, candidates are required to discuss the most important issues the text raises in relation to a specified aspect of the role and status of the English language in the world. They are required to refer to specific details from the text, relating points in their discussion to ideas and examples from their wider study of the topic of English in the world.

Section B: Language and the Self

In Section B, learners will explore how language allows us to communicate our sense of self to others, as well as playing a highly significant role in the ongoing construction, determination and development of that self. Learners will study the degree to which language is innate, learned, or both; the ways in which language and thought are both interwoven with, and separable from, each other; and how we use language, both consciously and unconsciously, to construct and maintain social identities.

In Question 2, candidates are required to respond to approximately 400–500 words of text on the topic of ‘Language and the self’. In their essay, candidates are required to discuss the most important issues the text raises in relation to a specified aspect of the relationship between language and the self. They are required to refer to specific details from the text, relating points in their discussion to ideas and examples from their wider study of the topic of language and the self.

Author, English teacher/lecturer, translation studies, law, journalism, business, media, copy writer, communications