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IB English A: Literature Year 1
Course Syllabus
Course Description
Welcome to your first year of IB Language A: Literature Year 1! This year you will begin your in-depth study of great works. Through close reading, annotating (including color-marking), writing about and discussing literature, you will gain confidence as independent critical thinkers, readers, writers and speakers. Your academic maturity will be put to the test as you embark on learning like never before!
Required Readings IB
Part 1: Works in Translation (World Literature) (click this link for details)
- The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
- So Long a Letter by Mariama Ba
- The Sand Child by Tahar Ben Jelloun
Part 4: Options
- Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
- The Awakening by Kate Chopin
- Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston
IB Assessments
Year 1 (Junior Year)
You will complete three of the five required IB assessments. These assessments include:
Individual Oral Presentation (10-15 minutes): An essay response to one of three questions provided by the IB about Genre, using at least two of the works you studied in Part 4. You will have two hours to write this essay. (15%)
You will complete three of the five required IB assessments. These assessments include:
Individual Oral Presentation (10-15 minutes): An essay response to one of three questions provided by the IB about Genre, using at least two of the works you studied in Part 4. You will have two hours to write this essay. (15%)
- Rubric
- Do's & Don'ts
Written Assignment (World Lit Paper): A reflective statement and a literary essay. You will have a choice between one of the works studied in Part 1. (25%)
Supplemental Texts and Videos
Throughout the year we will also explore the following supplemental texts to further boost our understanding of literature:
- Various short stories by various authors*
- Goldilocks and the Three Bears by the British Council*
- Why Some of Us Don't Have One True Calling by Emilie Wapnick*
- The Danger of the Single Story by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie*
*Excerpts will be provided
Assignments
- Reading Assignments
- Reading checks
- Reading reflections
- Dialectical Journals
- Discussion Logs
- Annotations and Color-markings
- Short Answer Responses and Essay Writings
- Projects after required readings (visual essays, commentaries, oral presentations)
- Small quizzes (vocabulary, literary and poetic devices)
- Major tests for each unit to prepare for an IB assessment
- Class participation (discussions, seminars, study groups, etc.)
- Mixed Ink
There is no mid-term or final exam requirement. Grades for IB are distinct from and are not based on General Ed English IV assessments, and are considered separately for the purposes of the IB diploma.