It’s that time of year, Back to School 2017, where students are getting ready for a brand new year of A Level English Literature, either for the first time in year twelve or returning to their studies in year thirteen. We’ve got a great rundown of all the essential items you need to complete your studies, and our recommendations about how to approach your course.
Back to School 2017
Course Texts
The most important thing when studying English Literature is to make sure you have your course texts. Your teachers should have told you which texts you will require because different schools pick different available options. However, you may need some of the following popular options if you’re studying the Edexcel AS or A Level course:
- Poems of the Decade Anthology
- A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams
- Othello by William Shakespeare
- King Lear by William Shakespeare
- Hamlet by William Shakespeare
- Doctor Faustus by Christian Marlow
- The Colour Purple by Alice Walker
- Hard Times by Charles Dickens
- Atonement by Ian McEwan
- Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
- The Lonely Londoners by Sam Selvon
- Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
- The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
- The Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde
- Dracula by Bram Stoker
- English Romantic Verse Anthology
It is vital that you have a copy of the text you are studying – and it doesn’t particularly matter whether it is a brand new book with additional criticisms or notes, or an old second hand book with just the text. In class and through your own revision you will be developing your own thoughts and ideas and you need to be able to note these down as you study.
You may also be doing coursework as part of your exam specification, so it is a good idea to prepare early by reading a range of texts which may be suitable for you to use.
Extra Notes from Interpreture
The next most important thing you need to do is make sure you’re keeping up with all the new content from Interpreture. A great way to do this is through our Twitter, Facebook and Instagram pages. You can also bookmark the website, or tap the share button on your mobile browser in order to add a bookmark to your home screen.
We currently have a range of Poems of the Decade Revision resources (and teaching resources for any teachers out there), with more content coming soon.
General Organisation Resources
Now that you’re prepared with your English Literature specific resources, you can now turn attention to general organisation and preparation for A Levels. It is highly important that you are organised with handing in homework, assessments and essays, so make sure you have a good diary or utilise one of the many good homework and assignment tracking apps, such as Homework App or The Homework App.
Have you got any back to school 2017 tips to share with other students, or are you a new A Level student looking for advice? Leave your thoughts in a comment!
- Photo by Eli Francis
