English

"What we become depends on what we read…the greatest university of all is a collection of books. "
Thomas Carlyle

Welcome to the English Department at Glenalmond College.  We hope that you enjoy reading this page and finding out what goes on both in and out of class. 

The importance of English cannot be overstated.  In a world where the current trend seems to be the lowest common denominator and the great dread of “dumbing-down” bears heavily upon us, we see ourselves as holding the wolf at the door through the necessity of accuracy and creativity that we strive to instil in our pupils.  Each member of the department is highly skilled in delivering excellent teaching methods and classes that stir and motivate even the most reluctant of readers.  We all have our own areas of expertise be they Medieval Literature, the Victorian novel, the Gothic, Romantic Poetry, The modern American novel or creative writing and we aim to work to our strengths in teaching a wide range of texts in a forward-thinking department with one eye on our great literary traditions.

Therefore, we see English at the very heart of all learning and aim to instil the importance of accurate writing, talking, listening and thinking.  Wouldn’t the world be benefited by the literate scientist and the eloquent arithmetician?

The key to our success lies in shaping the critical thinking faculties of all our students and the high expectations that we have of all pupils regardless of their abilities.  All this should benefit each student in the wider world even if they are foolish enough not to read English at university.  In short, we aim to foster in our department the life-long love of literature that our muddled world most needs.  A reading society is a questioning one and one that is likely to lead to progress.

In addition to our classroom endeavours we also run a Debating Society, A Critical Thinking Group, The Essay Society, The Personal Reading Challenge, Prep School Writing and Debating competitions and many theatre trips to Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and propose to offer a weekend trip to Stratford.  There are also opportunities to get involved with visiting theatre workshops.

Below you will find the names and contacts of all our staff members and a year by year description of what we do.

Staff

"And Gladly Wolde He Lerne and Gladly Teche"

Junior Entry

"Science arose from poetry--when times change the two can meet again on a higher level as friends. "
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
German dramatist, novelist, poet, & scientist (1749 - 1832)

The principal aims of this year are broadly set at introducing the style of study expected at Glenalmond of giving pupils confidence in the key areas of reading, writing and speaking.  Throughout the year students will read from a wide range of fiction and non-fiction texts including poetry, prose and drama.  Through an end of term examination pupils will consolidate their knowledge of the English language as well as having written in a wide variety of contexts.  By the end of the year they will be widely read, helped in no small way by close links to the library, confident and experienced writers and speakers.  Educational support for those with learning or linguistic requirements is always on hand through our superb Educational Support Department.

3rd Form

"Books are the carriers of civilization. Without books, history is silent, literature dumb, science crippled, thought and speculation at a standstill. "
Henry David Thoreau
US Transcendentalist author (1817 - 1862)

The Third Form is a crucial year in that it bridges the gap from Prep School or Junior Entry to the heady world of GCSE English and English Literature.  To that end this year is devoted to preparing students for the demands and skills needed to succeed in this area.  Therefore, students will continue to read widely but more is expected of them in terms of writing.  Included in this year’s study is the reading of a complete Shakespeare play as well as poetry, prose, drama and non-fiction.  It is the aim of the department this year to improve and develop the Third Form curriculum so keep your eyes peeled for developments.   

GCSE

"[Poetry] is the lava of the imagination whose eruption prevents an earthquake. "
Lord Byron
English poet & satirist (1788 - 1824)

The GCSE has copped some unfortunate flak of late and we believe this to be unfair.  In English, at least, it is still a demanding and challenging subject where, thankfully, the onus is on the students to develop critical thought and writing.  As a result, on a national level, it remains one of the most difficult subjects in which to achieve the golden A*.  However, at Glenalmond we have a good reputation for pushing our best students to attain this dizzy height and also in raising the enthusiasm and love for literature that prompts many students to opt for Literature at A-Level and beyond.

We currently study the AQA syllabus, specification B which offers a broad range of fiction and non-fiction and a variety of opportunities for teaching.

The course is structured around two GCSE grades for English Language and for English Literature.  There is a substantial coursework requirement of five essays and three oral pieces.  In English the division of coursework to exam work is 40/60% whilst in Literature it is 30/70%.  So we assure that our students are familiar with the written requirements so that they can proceed to the examinations with confidence and “money in the bank”.
Over the two year course students can expect to study Shakespeare, a number of novels, a wide range of non-fiction texts including media and a mind-boggling plethora of poetry.  The course will be finally assessed by three examinations (two for English and one for Literature).

AS and A2 Level

"Writing gives you the illusion of control, and then you realize it's just an illusion, that people are going to bring their own stuff into it. "
David Sedaris, interview in Louisville Courier-Journal, June 5, 2005
American writer

At A-level we currently follow the AQA B syllabus but this is set to change from September 2008 when the new specifications are brought into action.  Please refer to the site in the near future for an update on which syllabus is to be followed and for further information on the course content.

Presently, students are likely to come across Shakespeare, Chaucer, F Scott Fitzgerald, Donne and many others.  The course is divided into six units comprising two coursework modules and a division of poetry and drama, prose and a final synoptic unit.