English A: Language and Literature Workshop Workshop Leader: Marguerita Wilson

English A: Language and Literature Workshop

Workshop Leader: Marguerita Wilson

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007

What is Language and Literature?

This course is not just a language acquisition course, it is more complex than that.

As a Group One subject it is based upon our understanding of how texts are constructed, for what purpose and which audience. In addition, how do our cultural values and context effect the way we respond and interpret texts.

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International mindedness in this subject

How can we become more responsive to internationalism in our study of this course?

First by considering our cohort and their background context

Second by choosing texts that will challenge their understanding of their own context and that of other cultures

Third by focusing on intercultural elements in the texts we study

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© International Baccalaureate Organization 2007Page 4

Critical Literacy: what is it, how do we use it?

Cultural practices: what are they how do they shape our responses to texts?

To present students with skills such as “textual analysis, and the understanding that all texts whether literary or non literary can be autonomous yet… related to culturally determined reading practices p.5”What is the focus of this course?


How is the reader’s position in relation to a text determined?

What are the contextual factors that effect our response to a text?

Do you agree that all texts challenge or confirm our values?

How do culture and hegemonic beliefs control our responses?

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Culture

Cultural Beliefs:

How do these effect your response to a text?

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Hegemony

How does hegemony control our response?

Do hegemonic beliefs vary from culture to culture and from time to time?

Which texts support the dominant hegemony?

Which text challenge it?

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IB Learner Profile

Read through the Learner Profile document in your workbook

In groups consider how characters from texts display the Learner Profile attributes for example:

Hamlet was he a risk taker? Iago was he principled? Othello was he a problem solver? Consider two texts and the major characters how do

they fit into the Learner Profile?

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How to Structure or Plan the Course?

Schools can structure the course as they see fit: Part 1 and 4 followed by 2 and 3 OR Part 1 and 2 followed by 3 and 4 OR Holistically Holistically means to weave the literary texts

throughout each part of the course and revise them for their specific assessments e.g.

Macbeth as a Part 3 text could be taught in Part 1 when discussing Language and Power

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Part One: Language and Culture:

A wide range of texts both fiction and non-fiction. The texts can be extracts or whole texts Literary and non Literary, Print and or Visual

Assessments linked to this section: A written task SL and HL

A further oral activity Paper 1, textual analysis - comparative at HL, the

skills assessed in paper 1 are relevant to the entire course.)

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Part One:

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The three learning outcomes for this section of the course:

Analyse how audience and purpose affect the structure and content of texts.

Analyse the impact of language changes.

Demonstrate an awareness of how language and meaning are shaped by culture and context


OCC/PLA/PLT

IB Acronyms Online Curriculum Centre

Prescribed list of Authors

Prescribed Literature in translation: Note neither texts nor authors can be repeated in Part 3 & 4

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teachers should aim to illustrate... the meaning of texts is rarely fixed but is instead shifting and fluid, constantly affected by the impact of language change and the specific cultural contexts in which texts are produced and received.

Encourage students to develop an awareness of the fact..choices are made and that they have consequences and an impact in the social world—texts and their meaning, then, need to be understood as problematic rather than “natural”.

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If we look at these areas for study: Language and power Language and gender • Language in translation • Language history and evolution Language and social relations

Assessment focus for Part One Paper 1 (practice) Further oral (potentially summative) Written task 1

(potentially summative) (HL: Written task 2—potentially summative)

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Part Two: Language and Mass Communication A wide range of print and non-print texts including,

films, documentaries, fiction, advertising, internet,radio etc

Assessments linked to this section: A written task both SL andHL

A further oral activity Paper one practise

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Part 2 Learning Outcomes

Examine different forms of communication within the media.

Show an awareness of the potential for educational, political or ideological influence of the media.

Show the way mass media use language and image to inform, persuade or entertain

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• Develop skills of close analysis and analytical connection

• Recognize importance of contexts of writing/receiving

• Encourage appreciation of formal, stylistic and aesthetic qualities of texts

• Develop understanding of the impact of language, culture and context on the construction of meaning

• Encourage critical appreciation of interactions between text, audience and purpose

• Develop students’ oral/written powers of expression • Study texts from different periods, styles and genres

Encourage appreciation of perspectives from other cultures

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Language and political campaign • Media and violence • Media and Stereotypes/Gender) • Media and Language and the state Text Types • Presentation (and oral presentation

skills) Essay—analytical and persuasive (HL:comparative essay)

• Novel, Drama (film text) • News report, Blog • Editorial • Memoir • Opinion column • Instructions

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Part Three: Literature, Texts in Context Texts in their cultural, historical, political context are

the focus of this section. Please add suggestions for texts and resources or formative activities and strategies.

SL 2 texts one from PLA one from PLTHL 3 texts from PLA one from PLT, one from elsewhere may be in translation

(Note that in parts 3 and 4 both SL and HL texts must cover at least 2 genres, 2 places, 2 periods for example you could do drama in part 3 and prose and /or poetry in part 4)

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• • • • Paper 1 and 2 (practice) Individual oral (practice) Written task 1 (potentially summative) (HL: Written

task 2 critical response—potentially summative may be part of this section)

In general, students should be made aware of the importance and influence of context when studying any work.

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Part 3 Learning Outcomes Consider the changing historical, cultural and

social contexts in which particular texts are written and received.

Demonstrate how the formal elements of the text, genre and structure can not only be seen to influence meaning but can also be influenced by context

Understand the attitudes and values expressed by literary texts and their impact on readers

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Part 3 Standard level: At SL students study two literary

texts. •One text must be taken from the PLT list•One text can be chosen freely— from the PLA or elsewhere—and must written in the language A studied

Higher level: At HL students study three literary texts.•One text must be taken from the PLT list •One text must be from the PLA for the language A studied •One text can be chosen freely—from the PLA, the PLT list or elsewhere—and may be in translation

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Specifically, students should be given the opportunity to prepare for paper 2, an assessment that incorporates the part 3 texts and constitutes a large part of their overall mark for the course.

Students will be asked to consider not only the social issues inherent in a text (such as gender issues, political issues, conflicts between the individual and society), but also the ways in which the literary devices at work (such as narrative structure, elements of style) could be influencing the meaning of the text..

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The paper 2 questions, which are the same for both standard and higher level,

students are free to either compare or contrast their texts, in terms of the questions asked,

Consider the changing historical, cultural and social contexts in which particular texts are written and received.

• Demonstrate how the formal elements of the text, genre, and structure can not only be seen to influence meaning but can also be influenced by context.

• Understand the attitudes and values expressed by literary texts and their impact on readers.

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Part Four: Literature, A Critical Study

This section is both a detailed study and focused textual analysis

The assessment for this is an Individual Oral Commentary worth 15%.• Written Task 1 may be included both SL and HL

SL study 2 texts from the PLA HL 3 texts from the PLA

SL and HL texts for Part 3 and 4 must come from at least 2 genres/places/periods

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Close reading is simply the art of reading a text with the intention of understanding both its fabric and its purpose. The close reader does not simply access the text, but maintains a critical perspective

The main assessment for part 4 is the individual oral commentary, although students may also submit a written task based on their part 4 texts.

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Assessment :

IOC/extracts up to 40 lines Written Task SL/HL

Teachers must encourage students to engage closely with the language and structure of the texts, and to search for ways of interpreting them. They should not be satisfied with only one interpretation, but should search for alternative (maybe even oppositional) readings.

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it is vital that the teacher chooses the texts with care… as badly chosen texts that are too obscure in language, or too difficult in theme or topic, will disadvantage students

Care should be taken not to choose texts that are too long for close study by the proposed group in the allocated teaching period, which is 30 hours at SL and 50 hours at HL

Texts should challenge the students, but not overwhelm them

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The fact that the teacher enjoys the text may prove to be of little importance in determining the suitability of the text for study at this level, and teachers should therefore be ready to look for suitable material outside their own personal preferences.

Consider the cultural and linguistic background and context of the cohort before choosing texts

If possible give students a choice of texts or alternative choices

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Textual Analysis Practise: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë A portion of a letter by

Charlotte Brontë could be given for analysis beside a passage from Jane Eyre. The students could then look closely at the impact of audience and intent on a writer's style.

Articles on education in the early nineteenth century could be analysed against passages from the text as well.

Passages from two different biographies of Charlotte Brontë from different times or places could be analysed for intent, style and context. The same can be done with critical reviews.

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Paper One SL:25%

At SL the students will be given a choice of two separate, previously unseen texts, together with guiding questions, and will be asked to offer an analysis of one of the two texts. The texts will be non-literary and may include:

• a complete piece of writing a complete piece of writing with visual content an extract from a longer piece of writing, or an extract

from a complete piece of writing with visual content

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Paper One HL:25%

At HL the students will be given two pairs of previously unseen texts and will be asked to choose one pair for comparative analysis. The pair could include two non-literary texts, or a literary text and a non-literary text, but will never include two literary texts.

Each pair will be linked in some way that invites a discussion of similarities and differences.

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Higher level teachers will need to focus on the comparative essay as this is a type of essay that many students struggle to do well. There seem to be three possibilities in structuring the comparative essay:

• to discuss text a, then text b, comparing by referring back to text a as text b is analysed

• to break the argument into a number of related comparative points and then alternate paragraphs between texts, discussing these points in relation to each text in turn, or

• to synthesize ideas, making each paragraph of the essay an analysis of a single comparison between the texts.Page 33


complete pieces of writing extracts from longer pieces, or a combination of both of the above.

One of the pairs may include a visual text, with or without written text. Possible texts types are included in the subject guide.

The students must construct a comparative analysis in which they comment on the similarities and differences between the two texts in a fashion that gives equal attention to both texts.

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Paper Two: 25%

Paper 2 requires students to answer one of six questions in a way that reflects their own achievement of the learning outcomes for part 3 of the…paying particular attention to the creation of meaning in those texts via:

1. literary devices 2. historical context 3. critical reception. Students should also be aware that there is yet another

way in which the meaning of the text is created— and it is 4. personal context.

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Paper Two:

The students were to write on the following question.

"Literature always has a political purpose; its aim is never simply to entertain." Referring closely to at least two of the works in your study, show how far you agree or disagree with this statement.

Plan a response to this question using 2 texts you think would be suitable

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Assessment tasks: Written Tasks 20%

Written tasks: Both SL and HL will write 3 tasks, One from part 1 and or 2, One from parts 3 and or 4

These tasks will be a response to texts studied NOT an essay.

SL One task from Part 1 or 2 and One from Part 3 or 4 will be submitted the third task will be kept at school.

HL only will write a fourth task a formal essay in response to one of 6 questions relating to a text studied in any part of the course. This will be submitted along with a second task from another part of the course

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Assessment: IA Orals 30%

Both SL and HL will complete an IOC in Part 4 this is worth 15%

Both SL and HL will complete further oral activities one in Part 1 and one in Part 2

One of these will be submitted after each oral a reflective statement must be kept at school 15%

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Paper One: 25%

Textual analysis SL only will have to choose from two unseen

passages and they will write on ONE text only

HL will have the choice of two pairs of texts They have to choose ONE pair and compare and

analyse these two texts.

The texts will never be two literary texts

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Paper Two: 25%

Both SL and HL students will have a choice of ONE of six questions (same for SL and HL)

The assessment for SL and HL varies not the questions

Students response should reflect their understanding of the Learning Outcomes in Part 3

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Theory of Knowledge

Ways of Knowing: Language both Verbal and Non Verbal including visual

and aural codes

Emotion, responses plus persuasive language in texts

Perception, ways in which our physical response to texts is gained, synaesthesia, visual codes

Reason, logic, non fiction,objective language

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Theory of Knowledge

Knowledge Issues are questions that arise as we interrogate a text:

How do we know what the theme is? How does language position us to respond to this

character/theme? To what extent does imagery add to our appreciation

of the mood/tone/atmosphere of this text?

These are all natural links between TOK and Language and Literature

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Documents

English A: Language and Literature Workshop Workshop Leader: Marguerita Wilson