Literature

The aims of IB Literature are to enable students to engage with a range of texts and to develop interpretation, analysis and evaluation skills.  Close analysis of varied texts will allow students to develop an appreciation for different perspectives, cultural contexts, and to develop an awareness of the relationships between texts and other disciplines.  Students will learn to communicate and collaborate in creative ways and be encouraged to foster a lifelong interest in and enjoyment of language and literature.  This learning experience can then be applied to a range of contexts at the secondary and post-secondary levels.  

curriculum.brief-languagea.literature-eng.pdf

At Cardinal Carter Catholic High School our grade 9 and 10 students interested in an IB pathway as well as studnets  IB students study a variety of classical, contemporary and media texts and a range of genres including fiction, non-fiction, poetry,  and drama.  Our students have the opportunity to engage with the local literary community through author talks, excursions and by participating in local and national writing competitions.  Through our study of literature, it is our hope that our students learn to fully appreciate literature’s ability to “enrich” and add meaning to our lives.  It is our hope that, in line with the Catholic Graduate Expectations, our students become critical-thinking, responsible, caring global citizens who recognize our common humanity and duty to create a better, more peaceful world.

I. Course description and aims

The IB Diploma Programme language A: literature course develops understanding of the techniques involved in literary criticism and promotes the ability to form independent literary judgments. In language A: literature, the formal analysis of texts and wide coverage of a variety of literature—both in the language of the subject and in translated texts from other cultural domains—is combined with a study of the way literary conventions shape responses to texts. 

Students completing this course will have a thorough knowledge of a range of texts and an understanding of other cultural perspectives. They will also have developed skills of analysis and the ability to support an argument in clearly expressed writing, sometimes at significant length. This course will enable them to succeed in a wide range of university courses, particularly in literature but also in subjects such as philosophy, law and language. 

Texts studied are chosen from the prescribed literature in translation (PLT) list and the prescribed list of authors (PLA) or elsewhere. The PLT list is a wide-ranging list of works in translation, from a variety of languages, allowing teachers to select works in a language different from the language of the examination. The PLA lists authors from the language of the examination. The authors on the list are appropriate for students aged 16 to 19. 

All group 1 courses are suitable for students experienced in using a language in an academic context. It is also recognized that students have language backgrounds that vary significantly. For one student the target language may be his or her only proficient language; another student may have a complex language profile and competence in more than one language. While students in the group 1 courses will undergo significant development in their ability to use language for a range of purposes, these are not language-acquisition courses. In group 1, it is assumed that students are highly competent in the target language, whether or not it is their mother tongue. 

The aims of the language A: literature course at both higher and standard levels are to: 

• encourage a personal appreciation of literature and develop an understanding of the techniques involved in literary criticism 

• develop the students’ powers of expression, both in oral and written communication, and provide the opportunity of practising and developing the skills involved in writing and speaking in a variety of styles and situations 

• introduce students to a range of literary works of different periods, genres, styles and contexts 

• broaden the students’ perspective through the study of works from other cultures and languages 

• introduce students to ways of approaching and studying literature, leading to the development of an understanding and appreciation of the relationships between different works 

• develop the ability to engage in close, detailed analysis of written text 

• promote in students an enjoyment of, and lifelong interest in, literature. 

III. Assessment model

The IB assesses student work as direct evidence of achievement against the stated goals of the Diploma Programme courses, which are to provide students with: 

• a broad and balanced, yet academically demanding, programme of study 

• the development of critical-thinking and reflective skills 

• the development of research skills 

• the development of independent learning skills 

• the development of intercultural understanding 

• a globally recognized university entrance qualification. 

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.