DP SSST Literature at GESS (SL only)
The School-Supported Self-Taught (SSST) Literature course allows GESS students to study Literature A in their mother tongue or strongest language when it is not offered as a taught course. This ensures that students maintain and develop their first language while engaging in literary analysis at a high academic level.
💠 Who is it for?
Students who wish to explore literature in their native language while developing analytical and critical thinking skills for possible tertiary studies in this language.
Students who have a strong academic foundation in analysing and writing about literature in their mother tongue, e.g., they took part in the GESS MYP Mother Tongue Programme in grades 9/10.
Students with excellent self-management skills. Although the course is coordinated by a knowledgeable language A teacher at GESS and content delivered by a private tutor, a part of SSST will be conducted via self-study.
Students with a love of literature.
💠 How does it work?
Self-directed study with guidance from an assigned SSST coordinator and external tutors.
The course follows the IB Language A: Literature SL syllabus, covering 7* literary texts drawing from works originally written in the course language and translation. All nine works students study must be selected from the IB's Prescribed Reading List.
Together with their tutor, students set up a booklist that covers all IB-course requirements, and develop a course timeline
Students meet with their SSST coordinator regularly as scheduled on their timetable. In this class, students learn how to analyse literary works, the features of genres, and practice assessment skills.
Students complete regular written assessments and the individual oral just like in other Language A courses. The quarterly assessments are administered by the SSST coordinator and marked by an external tutor. This ensures fair assessment conditions and continuous feedback to students and parents.
At GESS, students taking SSST Literature receive structured support and regular feedback to ensure they succeed in managing their studies while balancing the demands of the full IB Diploma Programme.
*Please note, as of August, 2024, these two changes affect SSST students:
The number of required works studied over the two years of the programme has been reduced from nine (9) to seven (7);
The assessment criteria for Paper 2 have been slightly modified.
These changes are not yet reflected in the available IB documents.
