IB Literature Year 2

Course Overview: 

The course is built on the assumption that literature is concerned with our conceptions, interpretations and experiences of the world. The study of literature can therefore be seen as an exploration of the way it represents the complex pursuits, anxieties, joys and fears to which human beings are exposed in the daily business of living. It enables an exploration of one of the more enduring fields of human creativity, and provides opportunities for encouraging independent, original, critical and clear thinking. It also promotes respect for the imagination and a perceptive approach to the understanding and interpretation of literary works. 

Through the study of a wide range of literature, the language A: literature course encourages students to appreciate the artistry of literature and to develop an ability to reflect critically on their reading. Works are studied in their literary and cultural contexts, through close study of individual texts and passages, and by considering a range of critical approaches. In view of the international nature of the IB and its commitment to intercultural understanding, the language A: literature course does not limit the study of works to the products of one culture or the cultures covered by any one language.

Course Aims

The aims of all subjects in studies in language and literature are to enable students to: 

1. engage with a range of texts, in a variety of media and forms, from different periods, styles, and cultures 

2. develop skills in listening, speaking, reading, writing, viewing, presenting and performing 

3. develop skills in interpretation, analysis and evaluation 

4. develop sensitivity to the formal and aesthetic qualities of texts and an appreciation of how they contribute to diverse responses and open up multiple meanings 

5. develop an understanding of relationships between texts and a variety of perspectives, cultural contexts, and local and global issues, and an appreciation of how they contribute to diverse responses and open up multiple meanings

 6. develop an understanding of the relationships between studies in language and literature and other disciplines 

7. communicate and collaborate in a confident and creative way 

8. foster a lifelong interest in and enjoyment of language and literature. 

View Class Syllabus

A Google class code will be given to students for access to specific class documents. 

 Curriculum model overview Language A: literature higher level 

MATERIALS:

Additional Mandatory Materials:

-          3-ring binder (at least 1.5 inches thick)                          - Dividers (or “Post-it” tabs).

-      Plenty of Post-It Notes

1. College ruled (loose-leaf) notebook paper. 

2. Blue and Black ink pens.

3. Highlighters

4. Access to your school Google Account/Google Drive/Microsoft OneNote

5. Earphones to use during class

6. Access to a charged computer/tablet, the Internet, and/or a word processor & a Gmail account after class hours

Approaches to Learning:

• The five approaches to learning 

• (developing thinking skills, 

• social skills, 

• communication skills, 

• self management skills 

• research skills)  

Syllabus component

Teaching hours HL

Readers, writers and texts 

Works are chosen from a variety of literary forms. The study of the works could focus on the relationships between literary texts, readers and writers as well as the nature of literature and its study. This study includes the investigation of the response of readers and the ways in which literary texts generate meaning. The focus is on the development of personal and critical responses to the particulars of literary texts. 

80 HOURS

Time and space:

Works are chosen to reflect a range of historical and/or cultural perspectives. Their study focuses on the contexts of literary texts and the variety of ways literary texts might both reflect and shape society at large. The focus is on the consideration of personal and cultural perspectives, the development of broader perspectives, and an awareness of the ways in which context is tied to meaning. 

80 HOURS

Intertextuality: Connecting texts 

Works are chosen so as to provide students with an opportunity to extend their study and make fruitful comparisons. Their study focuses on intertextual relationships between literary texts with possibilities to explore various topics, thematic concerns, generic conventions, literary forms or literary traditions that have been introduced throughout the course. The focus is on the development of critical response grounded in an understanding of the complex relationships among literary texts. 

80 HOURS 

TOTAL HOURS FOR HL 240

Assessment Objectives

1. Know, understand and interpret: 

• a range of texts, works and/or performances, and their meanings and implications 

• contexts in which texts are written and/or received 

• elements of literary, stylistic, rhetorical, visual and/or performance craft

 • features of particular text types and literary forms.

 2. Analyse and evaluate:

 • ways in which the use of language creates meaning

 • uses and effects of literary, stylistic, rhetorical, visual or theatrical techniques • relationships among different texts 

• ways in which texts may offer perspectives on human concerns.

 3. Communicate

 • ideas in clear, logical and persuasive ways 

• in a range of styles, registers and for a variety of purposes and situations 

Students’ success in the language A: literature higher level course is measured by combining their grades on external and internal assessment. Students must demonstrate their ability to provide literary commentary about prose and poetry, both in written form and orally.  

Assessments 

External assessment (4 hours)                                                                          80%

Paper 1: Guided literary analysis (2 hours 15 minutes)                               35%

The paper consists of two passages from two different literary forms, each accompanied by a

question. Students choose one passage and write an analysis of it. (20 marks)

Paper 2 Comparative essay (1 hour 45 minutes)                                       25%  

The paper consists of four general questions. In response to one question, students write a

comparative essay based on two works studied in the course. (30 marks)

Higher level (HL) essay                                                                                     20%

Students submit an essay on one literary text or work studied during the course. (20 marks) The essay must be 1,200–1,500 words in length. 

Internal assessment

This component consists of an individual oral that is internally assessed by the teacher and

externally moderated by the IB at the end of the course.

Individual oral (15 minutes)                                                      20%

Supported by an extract from one work written originally in the language studied and one

from a work studied in translation, students will offer a prepared response of 10 minutes,

followed by 5 minutes of questions by the teacher, to the following prompt:

Examine the ways in which the global issue of your choice is presented through the content

and form of two of the works that you have studied. (40 marks)