Literary studies in foreign language curricula: a case-study of the A-level Portuguese syllabus

Abstract

The English examination system offers a variety of modern foreign language (MFL) examinations, most of which are taken up by heritage language learners. These are subject to the same pressures as the most popular MFL subjects (French, German and Spanish). In line with awarding body OCR policy for MFL, the 2009 reform of the Portuguese language post-16 Advanced Level examinations eliminated the list of literary texts which had hitherto been a standard feature of the examination at this level. An examination of syllabi and examination papers suggests that the study of literary texts was perceived as a useful instrument for advanced language training aimed at promoting a higher level of thinking, especially in regard to writing skills. However, although the guided reading of literary texts still entails a capital of prestige and suitability for advanced language study, it is difficult to reconcile it with a profit-oriented education policy aimed at widening access to language learning and providing benchmarked outcomes.