What is 'School-supported, Self-Taught' Literature A?

In addition to taking English A, students may take another Language A course, either in Danish Language A: Literature or any language of their choice in which they have native-like fluency - as a School-Supported Self-Taught Language. Students may, for example, study Korean, Bulgarian, Russian, or Hindi in their Self-Taught Course. All Self-Taught courses are available as Language A: Literature only, which implies that students can read and write with proficiency in this language.

A student wishing to take this option should make an appointment with the DP Coordinator, who will – in consultation with other teachers – assess whether the Self-taught Language is, in fact, the best option for the individual student requesting it.

Students choosing the Self-Taught option will be provided with regular support (once every nine-day rotation) from an experienced Language A: Literature teacher.

In the timetabled lessons, the teacher will

• discuss the choice of texts

• assist the students in designing a syllabus

• set up a schedule of study for the two years

• offer advice on useful study techniques

• provide tuition, in English, in literary analysis, oral commentary and essay writing

• provide past papers for practice

• manage the oral examination

• liaise with each student's self-taught tutor.

Students need to be highly motivated as well as proficient in their language of study to make such a course a success. It is required that the student finds a tutor outside the school, the cost of which is mainly covered by the student's family. The school may be able to help find a tutor.

Meetings for students and parents are held as appropriate to ensure that students and parents are aware of the requirements of the course. Since students taking a Self-Taught course typically have limited exposure to the language they are studying, parental support and involvement will be very beneficial to the student’s progress.

More details about the School-Supported, Self-Taught option can be found here.

Prerequisites - What do I need to know before choosing to study a Self-Taught Language A

• As you will be studying much of the course on your own, you need to be a self-disciplined learner, independent, and a self-starter.

• You should be a native or near native speaker of the language which you are studying

• You should love literature - as you will be reading a lot!

• You should be prepared to pay for a tutor - as having a tutor for this course is an IB requirement.

• More important than knowledge is a keenness to discover and explore your literary and cultural background through the study of the language and literature of your home country.

What will allow me to be successful?

Try and find out (before signing on) how this course will play out: Who else might be study the same language? Who might serve as your external tutor (teaching you analytical skills and communication skills in that language)? What are the requirements (number of texts studied, authors to choose from etc.)?

This course requires a lot of organization, and the key to success lies in starting early! Please contact the Language A supervisors or your IB Co-ordinator for more specifics.

What can I do with the study of Literature in the future?

Literature remains a great course to study at university: it is a highly-regarded degree that can launch undergraduates into all manner of careers. All universities offer Literature courses, and the subject combines well with History, Modern Languages, Drama , Creative Writing or as part of a Liberal Arts degree. Danish A HL is equivalent to 'Dansk A' when considering requirements for entry to Danish universities. The fact that you are able to ready and study literature in more than one language will make you quite attractive to universities and to future employers.