Diploma Programme subject outline—Group 1: studies in language and literature
School name
Westlake High School
School code
Name of the DP subject
Language A: Language and Literature
923327
(indicate the language)
Level
Higher
(indicate with X)
Name of the teacher who
completed this outline
Date when outline was
completed
X
Standard completed in two years
Hernandez, Gramisha
Reynolds, Brandon
February 4, 2015
Standard completed in one year *
Date of IB training
Summer 2014
Name of workshop
Language A: Language and
Literature (Category 1)
(indicate name of subject and workshop category)
* All Diploma Programme courses are designed as two-year learning experiences. However, up to two standard level subjects, excluding languages ab initio and pilot subjects, can be completed in one
year, according to conditions established in the Handbook of procedures for the Diploma Programme.
1.
Indicate the literary works chosen for each of part of the programme
Language A: literature
Higher level
Part 1
The Awakening K. Chopin (female)
As I Lay Dying W. Faulkner(male)
The Things They Carried T. O’Brien (male)
Standard level
Language A: literature
Higher level
Part 2
Othello Shakespeare (male)
Taming of the Shrew Shakespeare (male)
Sonnet Sequence Shakespeare (male)
Various Mass Media Texts
Part 3
A Doll’s House H. Ibsen (male)
Frankenstein M. Shelley (female)
Love in the Time of Cholera G. G. Marquez (male)
Eat, Pray, Love E. Gilbert (female)
Part 4
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn M. Twain (male)
A Raisin in the Sun L. Hansberry (female)
The Death of a Salesman A. Miller (male)
What Do We Know M. Oliver (female)
Standard level
2.
Course outline
–
Use the following table to organize the topics to be taught in the course. If you need to include topics that cover other requirements you have to teach (for
example, national syllabus), make sure that you do so in an integrated way, but also differentiate them using italics. Add as many rows as you need.
–
This document should not be a day-by-day accounting of each unit. It is an outline showing how you will distribute the topics and the time to ensure that students
are prepared to comply with the requirements of the subject.
–
This outline should show how you will develop the teaching of the subject. It should reflect the individual nature of the course in your classroom and should not
just be a “copy and paste” from the subject guide.
–
If you will teach both higher and standard level, make sure that this is clearly identified in your outline.
Topic
Contents
(as identified in the
IB subject guide)
Allocated time
Assessment
instruments to be
used
One class is
90
minutes.
In one week there are
3
classes.
Resources
List the main resources to be
used, including information
technology if applicable.
State the topics in the order you
are planning to teach them.
Year 1
Part One: Language in
Cultural Context
(see beneath table
for details)
The Awakening
As I Lay Dying
The Things They
Carried
Part Four: Critical Study
The Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn
A Raisin in the Sun
Death of a Salesman
What Do We Know
Eighteen weeks
Unit 1: The Awakening
(Weeks 1-6)
Unit 2: As I Lay Dying
- Written Tasks 1 and 2
20%
- Socratic seminar
- Presentations
(Weeks 7-12)
- Further Oral Activity
15%
Unit 3: The Things They Carried
(Weeks 13-18)
- Individual Oral
Commentary 15%
Eighteen weeks
- Practice Writing
Prompts
Unit 1: The Adventures of Huckleberry
Finn (Weeks 1-6)
Unit 2: A Raisin in the Sun/The Death
of a Salesman (Weeks 7-12)
Unit 3: What Do We Know (Weeks 1318)
The Awakening
As I Lay Dying
The Things They Carried
How to Read Literature
Like a Professor
(throughout programme)
- In Class Writing
Voice Lessons:
Classroom Activities to
Teach Diction, Detail,
Imagery, Syntax, and
Tone (throughout
programme)
- Formal and Informal
Analysis
Rhetorical Grammar
(throughout programme)
The Bedford Glossary of
Critical and Literary
Terms (throughout
programme)
The Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn
A Raisin in the Sun
The Death of a
Salesman
What Do We Know
Critical Encounters
(throughout programme)
Topic
Contents
(as identified in the
IB subject guide)
Allocated time
One class is
90
minutes.
In one week there are
3
classes.
State the topics in the order you
are planning to teach them.
Year 2
Part Two: Language and
Mass Communication
Resources
List the main resources to be
used, including information
technology if applicable.
Othello
Eighteen weeks
Othello
The Taming of the
Shrew
Unit 1: Othello (Weeks 1-6)
The Taming of the Shrew
I
Collected Sonnets of W.
Shakespeare
Collected Sonnets of
W. Shakespeare
Part Three: Texts and
Context
Assessment
instruments to be
used
Unit 2: The Taming of the Shrew
(Weeks 7-12)
Unit 3: Collected Sonnets of W.
Shakespeare (Weeks 13-18)
- Formal and Informal
Analysis with focus on
poetry
A Doll’s House
Eighteen weeks
- Written Task 3 and 4
20%
Frankenstein
Unit 1: A Doll’s House (Weeks 1-3)
- Class Discussion
Love in the Time of
Cholera
Unit 2: Frankenstein (Weeks 3-6)
- Individual Student
Teacher Discussion
Eat, Pray, Love
Unit 2: Love in the Time of Cholera
(Weeks 7-10)
Unit 3: Eat, Pray, Love (Weeks 11-14)
- Individual Oral
Commentary 15%
- Paper One 25%
- Paper Two 25%
Contents (details)
The Awakening
 Gain an insight into Realism and such concepts as fate, hubris, and (dramatic) irony
 Learn about the origin and development of women’s liberation
 Analyze and critically assess the specific role of characters within the novel
As I Lay Dying
 Develop skills in reading and appreciating different narrative forms
 Analyze and critically assess the specific role of characters within the novel
 Explore the traditions in different cultures
 Explore the use of stream of consciousness
A Doll’s House
Frankenstein
Love in the Time of
Cholera
Eat, Pray, Love
-
I
The Things They Carried
 Students will read the text closely, paying attention to detail and drawing conclusions about literary devices used by the author
 Develop skills in reading and appreciating meta-fiction
 Explore elements of meta-fiction
 Analyze and critically assess the specific role of characters within the novel
 Explore the use of allusions, archetypes, syntax
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
 Students will understand satire incorporated into a narrative form
 Infer the meanings of unfamiliar words encountered in the novel by using structural and contextual analysis
 Explore how environment and experiences shape a person's character
A Raisin in the Sun and Death of a Salesman
 Identify the conflicts in both plays
 Evaluate the cultural implications of the time period and how it can affect the outcome
 Explore the concept of the “American dream” as it applies to different groups
 Understand the significance of the resolutions
 Appreciate conflict in its relationship to character and plot
 Develop skills in reading and appreciating the dramatic form
What Do We Know
 Perform a close analysis of an assigned poem by Mary Oliver
 Identify patterns and rhyme scheme
 Define poetic devices and identify their use in a poem
 Grasp the meaning of a poem and its themes with the help of poetic devices
Othello
 Students will read the text closely, paying attention to detail and drawing conclusions about literary devices used by the author
 Relate specific text/quotations to character traits
 Explore the use of dramatic devices in the play
The Taming of the Shrew
 Demonstrate an understanding of why certain literary works may be considered classics or works of enduring quality and substance
 Explore the relationship between music, history, and culture
 Understand various meanings of social group and the ways in which they function
 Understand how role, status, and social class may affect interactions between individuals and social groups
William Shakespeare
 Perform a close analysis of an assigned poem by Shakespeare
 Define poetic devices and identify their use in the poem
 Discuss how poetic devices contribute to the overall meaning of the poem
 Explore the poem’s themes with the help of poetic devices
 Identify patterns and rhyme scheme
A Doll’s House
 Identify those qualities and traits associated with the ideal woman over several time periods and several cultures
 Demonstrate an understanding of why certain literary works may be considered classics or works of enduring quality and substance
 Explore the dramatic elements within the play
Frankenstein
 Explore shifting narrative points of view within the novel
 Evaluate the effectiveness of a frame narrative
 Explore characteristics of the Gothic Novel
 Discuss symbolism and imagery found in the novel
Love in the Time of Cholera
 Demonstrate detailed critical understanding in analyzing the ways in which structure, form and language shape meaning in the novel
 Understand the significance of Point of View and Narrative Structure as important aspects of this work
 Form relevant and informed responses to novel
Eat, Pray, Love



3.
Explore how historical events are represented fiction
Understand narrative perspective as culturally-positioned
Demonstrate an understanding of why certain literary works may be considered classics or works of enduring quality and substance
IB Internal and external assessment requirements to be completed during the course
Explain briefly how and when you will work on them. Include the date when you will first introduce the internal and external assessment requirements, when they will
be due and how students will be prepared to complete them.
Part One: Written Task 1 (Internal and External) 20-25% ~ Exploring Cultural Aspects of American Novels
- Reflective statement 300–400 words in length
- Literary essay 1,200–1,500 words in length
Further Oral Activity (Internal) 15%
- Interactive Orals
The previously stated assessments will be introduced by the second week of school. Students will have the option of completing their interactive oral
individually or with group members (this may depend upon class sizes). Each interactive oral must be 30 minutes in length, and while the individual/group is
completing the interactive oral the rest of the class will be observing. These will occur throughout the duration of Part One. Interactive orals can be completed
in various ways including, but not limited to, Socratic seminars and presentations. Students will prepare for interactive orals through classroom instruction and
individual study. After each Interactive Oral, every student must write a reflective statement responding to the prompt: How was your understanding of cultural
and contextual considerations in the work developed through the presentation? This prompt will be discussed and explained before any presentations are
given. Students will also participate in supervised writings. Supervised writings are timed, open-book, in-class writings that last 40-50 minutes in length. The
writings will be based upon 3-4 teacher created prompts. Finally, students will be required to complete a literary essay. During student- teacher conferences,
guidance will be given in order to aid the development of the literary essay.
Formative Assessments
-
Discussions
Quizzes
Daily exercises from Voice Lessons: Classroom Activities to Teach Diction, Detail, Imagery, Syntax, and Tone by Nancy Dean
Introduction and explanation of different rubrics will begin week 2 of part 1.
Part Four: Written Task 2 (Internal and External) 20-25% ~ Exploring Cultural Aspects of American Novels
- Critical Response
Individual Oral Commentary (Internal) 15%
- Interactive Oral Activities
The previously stated assessments will be introduced by the second week of school. Students will have the option of completing their interactive oral
individually or with group members (this may depend upon class sizes). Each interactive oral must be 30 minutes in length, and while the individual/group is
completing the interactive oral the rest of the class will be observing. These will occur throughout the duration of Part Four. Interactive orals can be completed
in various ways including, but not limited to, Socratic seminars and presentations. Students will prepare for interactive orals through classroom instruction and
individual study. After each Interactive Oral, every student must write a reflective statement responding to the prompt: How was your understanding of cultural
and contextual considerations in the work developed through the presentation? This prompt will be discussed and explained before any presentations are
given. Students will also participate in supervised writings. Supervised writings are timed, open-book, in-class writings that last 40-50 minutes in length. The
writings will be based upon 3-4 teacher created prompts. Finally, students will be required to complete a literary essay. During student- teacher conferences,
guidance will be given in order to aid the development of the literary essay. The Individual Oral Commentary will be discussed during week one of part four.
Students will be encouraged to use creativity; however, a ‘statement of intent’ will be required. Students will prepare for the Individual Oral Presentation using
classroom instruction and hands on practice.
Formative Assessments
-
Discussions
Quizzes
Part Two: Written Tasks 3 / Paper 1 (Internal and External) 20-25% ~ Shakespeare in the Modern World
- Reflective statement 300–400 words in length
- Literary essay 1,200–1,500 words in length
Further Oral Activity (Internal) 15%
- Interactive Orals
The Individual Oral Commentary and Discussion and Paper 1 will be discussed by week two of part two. Students will prepare for the Individual Oral
Commentary through classroom activities in which they will be called upon to discuss a poem. Students will also create discussion questions based on poems
that are being taught during part two in order to foster ways of dissecting and interpreting the poem. Preparation for paper one will begin early in order to
ensure students are able to respond to two previously unseen passages and write a literary analysis on the given passages. Preparation will be both formal
and informal and will be completed both in class and at home.
Formative Assessments
-
Discussions
Quizzes
Practice Oral and Written Commentaries in which students will receive passages from the current works we will be studying. Students will have to
annotate passages, spend time preparing and then deliver their oral commentary.
Snippet Assignment will require students to pick a small bit of text from the work we are currently discussing and present it to the class with an
explanation of why it was selected. Students should be prepared to facilitate discussion.
Part Three: Written Task 4 / Paper 2 (External) 25%
Paper two will be discussed during week one of part three in order to ensure students are prepared to respond to questions without access to texts. Practice
sessions will be held before and after school with an emphasis on comparing and contrasting the similarities and differences between two works.
Formative Assessments
-
4.
Discussions
Quizzes
Students will receive passages from the current works we will be studying. Students will have to annotate passages, spend time preparing and then
write a commentary on the use of literary conventions in the passage.
Links to TOK
You are expected to explore links between the topics of your subject and TOK. As an example of how you would do this, choose one topic from your course outline
that would allow your students to make links with TOK. Describe how you would plan the lesson.
Topic
Link with TOK (including description of lesson plan)
Part Four: Critical Study
After students have read and gained a strong understanding of the texts that were assigned in part four, they will participate in
Socratic seminars. Questions such as: What is reality? How does one define reality? How does one know that their
understanding of reality is true? How do the characters in the texts define reality? In essence: How do we know what we
know? A discussion of techniques both in literature and in our own human reasoning will be addressed. Emphasis will be put
on self-guided student discovery.
5.
International mindedness
Every IB course should contribute to the development of international mindedness in students. As an example of how you would do this, choose one topic from your
outline that would allow your students to analyze it from different cultural perspectives. Briefly explain the reason for your choice and what resources you will use to
achieve this goal.
Topic
Topic One: Language in
Cultural Context
Contribution to the development of international mindedness (including resources you will use)
- I will use The Things They Carried from part 1 as the primary text for discussing international mindedness. We will first
look at how war not only impacted America, but North and South Vietnam. We will look at literature from all three areas.
We will also look at contemporary pieces about the war’s lasting effects.
- I will ask students to follow an international columnist and an American columnist and compare and contrast the workings
of the world with the workings of the United States.
6.
Development of the IB learner profile
Through the course it is also expected that students will develop the attributes of the IB learner profile. As an example of how you would do this, choose one topic
from your course outline and explain how the contents and related skills would pursue the development of any attribute(s) of the IB learner profile that you will identify.
Topic
Contribution to the development of the attribute(s) of the IB learner profile
Parts One: Language in
Cultural Context
Inquirers: There will be assignments given to students that will allow them the ability to follow their own sense of curiosity.
Instruction about research tools will be provided to further guide them. Example: Students will explore attributes of single or
multiple perspectives in novel. Students will be able to decide what point of view would best serve to write a narrative of their
own about a controversial topic.
Knowledgeable: Woven throughout the entire course will be a local and global thread in which students will be asked to think,
write and articulate critically about their gained understanding of their local and global community. This will be done using
outside resources and the texts listed under part one. Example: Students will write a compare and contrast paper in which they
will compare society today with the society presented in the chosen work.
Communicators: Exploring a variety of modes of communication both individually and in a group setting will be vital in their
success. The use of the texts listed under part one will aid in the beginning phase of understanding a variety of modes of
communication and will lead to the eventual production of their own modes of communication. Everyone will participate in an
interactive oral and students will later communicate those ideas through a supervised writing, followed by a final essay.
Open-minded: Through the analysis of different texts listed in part one; students will hopefully gain a more open-minded
approach to different perspectives, values and traditions. This will, in part, be accomplished through class discussion. For
example: Students will discuss the issues that arise from socioeconomic divides.
7.
Resources
Are instructional materials and other resources (for example, equipment for recording if you teach languages A or room for the performance aspect if you teach
literature and performance) available in sufficient quality, quantity and variety to give effective support to the aims and methods of the courses? Briefly describe what
plans are in place if changes are needed.
-Attending IBO-sponsored workshops
-The Online Curriculum Centre
-The Language A Subject Guide
-Teacher Support Material
-IB Course Companion: English A Literature (Ib Diploma Programme) by Hannah Tyson
- Writing About Literature by Edgar V. Roberts
-Voice Lessons: Classroom Activities to Teach Diction, Detail, Imagery, Syntax, and Tone by Nancy Dean
-Rhetorical Devices: A Handbook and Activities for Student Writers by Brendan McGuigan
-IB English A1 Standard and Higher Level (OSC IB Revision Guides for the International Baccalaureate Diploma) by Elizabeth Stephan
Multimedia Resources
http://www.ncte.org/
http://www.chalkface.net.au/
http://www.pz.harvard.edu/
http://www.ted.com/search?q=language+and+culture
http://www.childinfo.org/
http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/
http://www.unicef.org/photoessays/index-pe.html
http://www.theoneminutesjr.org/
- DVDs for selected works
- Recordings of readings for selected works (example: students will record themselves reading John Donne’s poetry and then I will play different readings
of William Shakespeare’s poetry)