IB Language A1 SL Year 1
COURSE INFORMATION
Teachers: Mr. David Krocker davidk@isb.ac.th
Course Description:
IB Language A aims to promote an appreciation of the wealth and subtleties of the language and to lead to an awareness of linguistic structures. It seeks to facilitate the clear expression of ideas, to aid clear, precise presentation of argument and to assist in the understanding of both oral and written discourse. The program encourages the development of an appreciation of literature and a knowledge of the culture of the
student’s own society and that of other societies. In view of the international nature of the International Baccalaureate, the program does not limit the study of literature to the achievements of one culture. Through the study of World Literature, which is a central and integral part of the program, the student may gain a broadened and international perspective of literature and human thought. Students must be aware that this course is rigorous and time consuming. Students who take this course must be willing to read and reread each of the texts to ensure genuine familiarity with them. Critical thinking skills, together with the ability to analyze and write well about literature, are necessary for success. Oral presentations and class participation are major components of this course and students must be willing to prepare diligently for
each class period so that they can contribute to the oral discourse.
Learner Outcomes: Students will
• develop their ability to think critically and independently,
• be able to analyze poems and prose passages in depth,
• be able to recognize and comprehend the central aspects of significant literary genres and conventions,
• be able to make inferences between literature and real life,
• develop a comprehensive understanding of literary terms and devices,
• significantly develop their vocabulary skills,
• be able to write formal literary essays which are cohesive, concise and lucid,
and
• develop their oral skills in both impromptu and prepared situations.
Assessment:
Students will be expected to complete a variety of assignments including a variety of essays, written commentaries, tests, quizzes, answers to comprehension questions, vocabulary exercises, journal entries, and oral commentaries. The focus of Year 1 IBSL will be the acquisition of the skills needed for written and oral commentaries. For IB assessment, students will begin writing an essay on the world literature texts which will be sent to IB examiners for assessment. Students are also required to complete two formal oral presentations, including one which will be recorded, for external moderation.
Semester 1
Unit 1: Macbeth, William SHakespeare
Major skills: Introduction to Literary Criticism
Close Reading/Annotation
Commentary
Unit 2: The Scarlett Letter, Nathaniel Hawhorne
Major skills: Introduction to Elements of Novel
Dialectical Journals/Close Reading
Socratic Seminar
Unit 3: The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood
Major skills: Introduction to Elements of Prose
Compare Contrast Essay
Dialectical Journals/Close Reading
Formal Oral Presentation
Semester 2
Unit 4: Siddhartha, Hermann Hesse
Major Skills: Thematic Study Essay
Compare and Contrast Writing
Unit 5: The Stranger, Albert Camus
Major skills: Thematic Study
Compare and Contrast Writing
Unit 6: The House of the Spirits, Isabelle Allenda
Major skills: Thematic study essay
Compare and Contrast Writing
Unit 7: The Individual Oral Presentation (IB Requirement)
In individual Oral Presentation made to the class based on an aspect of the works covered in Semester 1 (Macbeth, The Scarlett Letter and The Handmaid’s Tale).
Unit 7: World Literature Paper 1 (IB requirement)
A Compare and Contrast Essay of between 100 and 1500 words based on two of the three works from Units 4 through 6.
IB Language A1 SL Year 2
COURSE INFORMATION
Teachers: Ms. Jo Hanson josephih@isb.ac.th
Ms. Ronna Stefan ronnas@isb.ac.th
Course Description:
IB Language A aims to promote an appreciation of the wealth and subtleties of the language and to lead to an awareness of linguistic structures. It seeks to facilitate the clear expression of ideas, to aid clear, precise presentation of argument and to assist in the understanding of both oral and written discourse. The program encourages the development of an appreciation of literature and a knowledge of the culture of the
student’s own society and that of other societies. In view of the international nature of the International Baccalaureate, the program does not limit the study of literature to the achievements of one culture. Through the study of World Literature, which is a central and integral part of the program, the student may gain a broadened and international perspective of literature and human thought. Students must be aware that this course is rigorous and time consuming. Students who take this course must be willing to read and reread each of the texts to ensure genuine familiarity with them. Critical thinking skills, together with the ability to analyze and write well about literature, are necessary for success. Oral presentations and class participation are major components of this course. Students must be willing to prepare diligently for each class period and complete detailed annotation of the text so that they can contribute to the oral discourse.
Learner Outcomes: Students will:
• develop their ability to think critically and independently,
• be able to analyze poems and prose passages in depth,
• be able to recognize and comprehend the central aspects of significant literary genres and conventions,
• be able to make inferences between literature and real life,
• develop a comprehensive understanding of literary terms and devices,
• significantly develop their vocabulary skills,
• be able to write formal literary essays which are cohesive, concise and lucid,
and
• develop their oral skills in both impromptu and prepared situations.
Assessment:
Students will be expected to complete a variety of assignments including tests, quizzes, answers to comprehension questions, vocabulary exercises, journal entries, oral and written commentaries, creative writing, and a variety of essays. Students will also be graded on their detailed annotations of the texts studied. For IB assessment, students will finish writing an essay on the world literature texts which will be sent to IB examiners for assessment. Students are also required to complete a formal oral commentary, which will be recorded for external moderation, as well as Paper 1 and Paper 2 of the exam.
Semester 1
Unit 1: Richard III, William Shakespeare
Major skills: Formal Oral Commentary
Written Commentary
Unit 2: Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
Major skills: Formal Oral Commentary
Written Commentary
Unit 3: Formal Oral Commentary (IB Requirement – Dec/Jan)
Semester 2
Unit 4: Poetry Michael Ondaatje
Major skills: Essay
Written Commentary
Unit 5: Poetry Wislawa Szymborska
Major skills: Essay
Written Commentary
Compare and Contrast Writing
Unit 6: Poetry Lorna Goodison
Major skills: Essay
Written Commentary
Unit 7: IB Final Exam (May)
Paper One (Commentary)
Paper Two (Compare/Contrast Essay)
IB Language A 1 HL Year 1
COURSE INFORMATION
Teacher: Mr. James Fitzgerald jamesf@isb.ac.th
Mr. Conor Duffy conord@isb.ac.th
Course Description:
IB Language A aims to promote an appreciation of the wealth and subtleties of the language and to lead to an awareness of linguistic structures. It seeks to facilitate the clear expression of ideas, to aid clear, precise presentation of argument and to assist in the understanding of both oral and written discourse. The program encourages the development of an appreciation of literature and a knowledge of the culture of the
student’s own society and that of other societies. In view of the international nature of the International Baccalaureate, the program does not limit the study of literature to the achievements of one culture. Through the study of World Literature, which is a central and integral part of the program, the student may gain a broadened and international perspective of literature and human thought. Students must be aware that this course is rigorous and time consuming. Students who take this course must be
willing to read and reread each of the texts to ensure genuine familiarity with them. Critical thinking skills, together with the ability to analyze and write well about literature, are necessary for success. Oral presentations and class participation are major components of this course and students must be willing to prepare diligently for each class period so that they can contribute to the oral discourse.
Learner Outcomes: Students will
• develop their ability to think critically and independently,
• be able to analyze poems and prose passages in depth,
• be able to recognize and comprehend the central aspects of significant literary genres and conventions,
• be able to make inferences between literature and real life,
• develop a comprehensive understanding of literary terms and devices,
• significantly develop their vocabulary skills,
• be able to write formal literary essays which are cohesive, concise and lucid,
and
• develop their oral skills in both impromptu and prepared situations.
Assessment:
Students will be expected to complete a variety of assignments including tests, quizzes, answers to comprehension questions, vocabulary exercises, journal entries, oral and written commentaries, and a variety of essays. For IB assessment, students will be required to begin writing two assignments on the world literature texts which will be send to IB examiners for assessment. Students are also required to complete two formal oral presentations, including one which will be recorded, for external moderation.
Semester 1
Unit 1: The Selected Poetry of Sylvia Plath, Elizabeth Bishop and Carol Ann Duffy
Major Skills: Introduction to Literary Criticism
Commentary
Unit 2: Man’s Search for Meaning (Viktor Frankl)
Major Skills: Introduction to Existentialism
Annotation and Socratic Seminar
Unit 3: The Things They Carried (Tim O’ Brien)
Major skills: Introduction To Elements of Novel
Analysis of Absursity, Existentialism and Metafiction
Unit 4: Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
Major Skills: Thematic Study
Elements of Novel
Semester 2
Unit 5: Siddhartha (Hermann Hesse)
Major skills: Thematic Study
Oral Presentation
Unit 6: The Stranger (Albert Camus)
Major skills: Thematic Study
Compare and Contrast Analysis
Unit 7: Candide (Voltaire)
Major skills: Thematic Study
Compare and Contrast Analysis
Unit 8: Individual Oral Presentation (IB Requirement)
An individual oral presentation based on an aspect studied in the four works of the first semester (Units 1, 2, 3 and 4).
Unit 9: World Literature 1 (IB Requirement)
A compare and contrast essay based on at least two of the works studied in the second semester (Units 5, 6 and 7)
Unit 10: Macbeth (Shakespeare)
Major skills: Thematic Study
Oral Commentary
IB Language A1 HL Year 2
COURSE INFORMATION
Teachers:
Mr. James Fitzgerald jamesf@isb.ac.th
Course Description:
As a continuation of IHA1 HL Year 1, this course continues to promote an appreciation of the wealth and subtleties of the language and to lead to an awareness of linguistic structures. It seeks to facilitate the clear expression of ideas, to aid clear, precise presentation of argument and to assist in the understanding of both oral and written discourse. The program encourages the development of an appreciation of
literature and knowledge of the culture of the student’s own society and that of other societies. In view of the international nature of the International Baccalaureate, the program does not limit the study of literature to the achievements of one culture. Through the study of World Literature, which is a central and integral part of the program, the student may gain a broadened and international perspective of literature
and human thought. Students must be aware that this course is rigorous and time consuming. Students who take this course must be willing to read and reread each of the texts to ensure genuine familiarity with them. Critical thinking skills, together with the ability to analyze and write well about literature, are necessary for success. Oral presentations and class participation are major components of this course and
students must be willing to prepare diligently for each class period so that they can contribute to the oral discourse.
Learner Outcomes: Students will
* develop their ability to think critically and independently,
* be able to analyze poems and prose passages in depth,
* be able to recognize and comprehend the central aspects of significant literary genres and conventions,
* be able to make inferences between literature and real life,
* develop a comprehensive understanding of literary terms and devices,
* significantly develop their vocabulary skills,
* be able to write formal literary essays which are cohesive, concise and lucid,
* develop their oral skills in both impromptu and prepared situations, and
* be able to transfer their improved language and analytical skills to other subject areas.
Continuous Study
Throughout the year, students will develop their ability to communicate about literature by being exposed to vocabulary development, literary commentary, comparative essay writing skills, college essay writing skills, oral presentations, Socratic seminars, journal writing, quizzes, tests, personal responses and small group and whole class discussions. For IB assessments, students will complete their World Lit 1 and World Lit 2 Essay, the Formal Oral Commentary and Paper 1 and Paper 2 of the exam.
Semester 1
Summer Reading: The Penelopiad (Margaret Atwood)
Major Skills: Personal Narrative Writing
Unit 1: The poetry of W.B. Yeats and Seamus Heaney
Major Skills: Oral Commentary and Thematic Study
Close Reading, Annotation
Unit 2: Hamlet (William Shakespeare)
Major Skills: Oral Commentary and Thematic Study
Close Reading, Annotation
Unit 3: Waiting for Godot–Review (Samuel Beckett)
Major Skill: Thematic Study
Compare and Contrast Analysis
Unit 4: Formal Oral Commentary (IB Requirement - Dec/Jan)
Unit 5: World Literature 2 Essay (IB Requirement – Dec/Jan)
Semester 2
Unit 6: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (Tom Stoppard)
Major Skill: Thematic Study
Compare and Contrast Analysis
Unit 7: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Edward Albee)
Major Skills: Thematic Study
Compare and Contrast Analysis
Unit 8: Buried Child (Sam Shepard)
Major Skills: Thematic Study
Compare and Contrast
Unit 9: IB Final Exam (May)
Paper One (Commentary)
Paper Two (Compare/Contrast Essay)
