Language and Technology A Level Unit

A 10 lesson unit comprising a 68 slide PowerPoint, 9 different worksheets (including texts for analysis) exploring the topic of Language and Technology and a summary terminology and theory sheet.

Each lesson includes a starting discussion prompt which acts as a learning objective, detailed notes on the theories and concepts listed below, a worksheet (with the exception of lesson nine) and activities, and a homework task. The following theories and concepts are covered:

• Hiltz and Turoff – CMC (1978)
• Emmanuel Schegloff – Telephone conversation structure (1986)
• David Crystal – Textspeak (2004)
• Celia Klin – The role of full stops in text messages (2015)
• David Crystal – Netspeak (2004 and 2008)
• Eric Partridge – Dictionary of Abbreviations (1942)
• Crispin Thurlow – Sociolinguistic functions of text messages (2003)
• Tim Shortis – The Language of ICT (2000)
• John McWhorter – Fingered speech and texting (2013)
• Elizabeth Eisenstein – The Printing Press (1983)
• Jeff Jarvis – the positive impact of the internet on language (2023)
• Susan Herring – CMC and CMDA (2018)
• Christopher Werry – IRC and Netiquette (1996)
• Condon and Čech – E-mail discourse (2010)
• Amanda Roig-Marin – Cyber-neologism blends (2016)
• Evelyn Nien-Ming Ch’ien – The Democratization of English (2004)
• Hyejeong Ahn and Jieun Kiaer – Korean Pop Culture Words (2021)
• Philip Seargeant – The Emoji Revolution (2019)
• Michele Zappavigna and Lorenzo Logi – Emoji and Social Media Paralanguage (2024)
• danah boyd – It’s Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens (2004)
• Gretchen McCulloch – Because Internet (2022)

There are some references to AQA-style A Level specification questions, but you can adapt these if needs be. These can be found on slides 57-65. Lesson 9 is based on an AQA A Level question.

The final lesson is a consolidation activity complete with guided revision cards. Alternatively, you could use an app such as Quizlet so that the students could produce digital revision resources.

Check out my other English Language A Level resources!

Language and Gender
Language and Region
Language and Power and Occupation
Language and Global and World Englishes
Language Change
Language and Ethnicity
Language and Social Groups
Language Discourses
Language Discourses Opinion Writing