What makes A-Level English Lit difficult?

The standard of literary analysis that the A-Level English Literature course demands is hard for the average student to meet, especially since there is an overwhelming amount of texts to consolidate and absorb. Study strategies are not always straightforward enough for the individual student. The long essays and nuanced textual comparison makes this an even more difficult process; indeed, when analysing texts like Othello, the language itself can be alienating for students. The exam format also means that those who have become used to submitting coursework and sitting shorter exams may find the longer exams and in-depth, essay-based assessments difficult to understand, as they come with their own set of structure and analysis rules. Even students who succeeded at GCSE or MYP often find the jump to A-Levels overwhelming as they lack the planning, preparation and rigour of analysis required to succeed.

Why is A-Level English Lit rewarding?

Despite the challenges of the course, it is a highly rewarding experience with useful and transferable skills for tertiary education and across career paths. A-Level English Lit trains students to be able to write, think, and interpret sophisticated ideas and complex texts while situating this in a wider scope of literary traditions and theories. With the right support, students will learn how to build convincing arguments and structure their expression accordingly.

Being exposed to the classics taught in the A-Level Eng Lit syllabus also allows for students to expand their worldview, develop critical thinking, and build knowledge as well as an understanding and, indeed, empathy for different perspectives and cultures. The practice of extensive and consistent reading naturally elevates a learner’s vocabulary and awareness of writing conventions, and instils an intuition for language that cannot be replicated by any other method. In this increasingly interconnected world, the edge that so many graduates lack is true independence of thought and worldly knowledge, deeper elements of which are only accessible through literature.

Revision tips for A-Level English Lit

Having helped countless students to top marks in A-Level English Literature over the years, BartyED tutors have collected some tips on how to improve and revise for the exams and assessments:

Consider context carefully: Context informs textual and subtextual analysis in many ways, and it is important for students to understand and express this in a sophisticated way.
Structure helps analysis: Part of the challenge of the exams is filtering out the unnecessary information. Confidence in essay structure will help this massively.
Practise planning essays: Practising planning your responses to essay prompts under timed conditions is essential for benchmarking your revision progress and testing your exam skills.
Check the rubric: Knowing how you are assessed and where you should try to signpost is very important for top marks.
Ask for help: Seeking the guidance of an experienced A-Level English tutor helps students work on their areas of weakness and make the most of revision time.

How can A-Level English Lit tutoring help?

Even if English is your first language, the long essays and challenging textual comparison in A-Level English Literature make this a difficult course. Nonetheless, it is one that can be tamed with the right A-Level English tutoring. BartyED’s A-Level English Lit tuition targets students' understanding and analysis of specific literary techniques such as rhythm, rhyme scheme, diction/connotation, metaphor, imagery, and irony. This enables a deeper analysis of texts like Shakespeare’s tragedies, Keatsian poetry, modern prose, and all other aspects of the course. Our tutors work on coaching essay structure, exam technique, and crucial practical skills that help students ace their assessments.

Our A-Level English tutors are ready to teach in-person at the student’s home, at our offices, or online. Our flexibility and experience means that our candidates can focus on learning and our tutors can focus on building the analytical skill set needed for the rigour of the A-Level English exam.

Find out more about our A-Level English tutoring programmes here, or reach out today at (852) 2882 1017 or enquiries@bartyed.com.