IB HL English III Survival Guide
IB Higher Level English is a 2 year course. You will take the first year, IB English III, with me and the second
year, IB English IV with Ms. Shemitz. Here is a brief overview of what you need to know to understand how the
course works and what you need to do to succeed to your fullest potential!
What are the 4 Parts of IB English? When do I study them, and what will I study?
In IB English, you will read 13 works over the next 2 years. These will be comprised of prose, drama, poetry,
and non-fiction. The 13 works are divided into 4 parts as follows, and each part is assessed differently.
Part 1: Works
in Translation
Year Studied
Junior Year
Part 2:
Detailed
Study
Senior Year
Part 3:
Literary
Genres
Senior Year
Part 4:
Options
Junior Year
Texts
1. Antigone by Sophocles
2. No Exit by Jean Paul Sartre
3. Selections from 20 Love Poems and a Song of
Despair by Pablo Neruda
1.
2.
3.
1.
2.
3.
4.
1. A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams
2. A Handmaiden’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
3. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
IB Assessment
Written Assignment
Individual Oral
Commentary
Paper 2
Individual Oral
Presentation
So How Do IB Assessments Work?
IB assessments are separated into two overall categories—internal and external assessments. Internal
assessments are graded by your teacher (me this year and senior year, Ms. Shemitz). These scores are
reported to IB who may adjust them (like a curve on a test). External assessments are graded by IB
assessors. These assessments could get sent anywhere in the world!
Each assessment counts for a different percentage of your overall IB score on a scale of 1-7. The table below
will explain to you what each assessment is and what percentage it counts for. You must pass the course with
an overall score of a 4 to get IB credit: 100% of you are capable of this! 
Written assignment
Weighting 25%
The written assignment is based on a work in translation studied in part 1 of the course. Students produce an analytical essay with
reflective statement, undertaken during the course and externally assessed. The goal of the process detailed below is to assist students
in producing individual, well-informed essays.
Stage 1: The interactive oral
The interactive oral is a focused class discussion in which all students and the teacher participate. Each student should be responsible
for initiating some part of the discussion in at least one of the interactive orals for one work. Students may participate as a group or
individually, and teachers may organize the discussion in a variety of different ways.
The discussions should address cultural and contextual considerations.
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Stage 2: The reflective statement
The reflective statement is a short writing exercise and should be completed as soon as possible following the interactive oral. Each
student is asked to provide a reflection on each of the interactive orals. The reflective statement on the same work as the student’s final
assignment is submitted for assessment.
The reflective statement must be based on the following question.

How was your understanding of cultural and contextual considerations of the work developed through the interactive oral?
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Stage 3: Developing the topic—supervised writing
Supervised writing is intended as a springboard to elicit ideas from the student. From these ideas the student develops a topic and the
final essay. The ultimate goal of this stage of the process is to help students to produce good essays with appropriate topics. To this
end students are required to respond to each of the works studied in a written exercise undertaken during class time.
Teachers need to provide three or four prompts for each work studied. There must be no opportunity for students to prepare
beforehand, so it is essential that students are not given the prompts prior to the lesson.
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Stage 4: Production of the essay
Each student is required to produce an essay of 1,200–1,500 words in length on a literary aspect of one work. The essay is developed
from one of the pieces of supervised writing completed in class, with the guidance of the teacher.
The teacher’s role is to provide guidance on the development of the essay topic, discuss connections between the supervised writing
and the essay, ensure that the topic is suitable to the length and the focus of the task, and read the first draft of the essay and provide
feedback to the students. Essay feedback may take the form of a conversation and/or a written response on a piece of paper separate
from the draft essay. After receiving feedback on the first draft, the student must complete the written assignment without further
assistance.
Written Assignment Grading Criteria
Criterion A
Fulfilling the requirements of the reflective
3 marks
statement
Criterion B
Knowledge and Understanding
6 marks
Criterion C
Appreciation of the Writer’s Choices
6 marks
Criterion D
Organization and Development
5 marks
Criterion E
Language
5 marks
Total
25 marks
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The Individual Oral Presentation.
The Numbers:
Weighting: 15% of FINAL IB GRADE
Duration: 10-15 minutes
Choice of Topic: You should choose topics that reflect your personal interests. Topics may be based on any aspects of
the work studied (i.e., cultural context, themes and motifs, characterization, techniques and style, author’s purpose and
perspective, symbolism, etc.). It is EXTREMELY important that you always link your presentation back to literary devices
and techniques!
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Focus: The focus of each IOP will depend on the nature and scope of the topic chosen. Whatever the topic and type of
presentation chosen, students will be expected to show the following according to the IB rubric:
Criterion A
Knowledge and Understanding of the
Work(s)
10 marks
Criterion B
Presentation
10 marks
Criterion C
Language
10 marks
Total
30 marks
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Structure of the IOP: The structure of each IOP will depend largely on the type of activity selected for the topic. It is your
responsibility to select the type of presentation that most effectively enables your objectives to be realized. Whatever the
activity chosen, all IOPs must have a coherent structure. Remember that the activity you select may be either analytical or
creative in nature.
Preparation for the IOP: it is expected that you will prepare for your IOP completely outside of class hours. It is your
responsibility to:
Select appropriate material for the presentation
Organize the material into a coherent structure
Choose a means of presentation and delivery that is suited to the activity
Complete an IOP Proposal Form and have a teacher conference
For an analytical presentation, complete an outline and works cited; for a creative presentation, create your
product and statement of intent. (Remember that for creative IOPs you should provide an oral statement of intent
at the beginning of your oral that will count in your time.)
PRACTICE! 
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