IB English A: Language & Literature

Information:
Jason Simon
Room 306, Block B
American International School (AIS) HCMC, Vietnam
Academic Years 2014-2016
Email: jason.simon@ais.edu.vn
Course Website: http://quoctemy.sharepoint.com/simon-ibenglish
Description:
In this course, you will explore texts from a wide variety of periods, styles and genres. More
specifically, you will observe the effects of context on how texts are constructed and how they
are received by readers and understand how meaning is influenced by external social factors. In
other words, youll read a lot of fiction and nonfiction: short stories, essays, news articles, novels,
poems, etc. and explore how history, culture, gender, sexuality and other social factors influence
the ways authors communicate and how language reflects aspects of context and culture. The
course consists of four parts and reflects 240 hours of study at the higher level (HL) and 150
hours at the standard level (SL).
Course Outline:
Part 1 (Language in Cultural Context) allows students to explore how language
develops in specific cultural contexts and what the unique features are of languages within
specific contexts. Part 1 reflects 60 HL hours of study and 40 SL hours.
Part 2 (Language and Mass Communication) involves how language is used in mass
media. Part 2 reflects 60 HL hours of study and 40 SL hours.
Part 3 (Literature--Texts and Contexts) allows students to explore how literary works
are influenced by the culture in which they are created. Part 1 reflects 70 HL hours of
study and 40 SL hours.
Part 4 (Literature--Critical Study) involves studying literary works and looking at their
themes and unique literary features. Part 1 reflects 50 HL hours of study and 30 SL hours.
Materials:
English A: Language and Literature Course Companion
additional readings supplied in the /Materials/ folder on the course website - Parts 1 & 2
Esquivel, Laura (1989) Like Water for Chocolate (HL/SL) - Part 3 (C20, Free Choice,
Americas, Novel)
Camus, Albert (1942) The Stranger (HL/SL) - Part 3 (C20, PLT, Europe, Novel)
Miller, Arthur (1953) The Crucible (HL) - Part 3 (C20, PLA, Americas, Drama)
Whitman, Walt (1855) Selected Poetry (HL/SL) - Part 4 (C19, PLA, Americas, Poetry)
Atwood, Margaret (1985) The Handmaids Tale (HL/SL) - Part 4 (C20, PLA, Americas, Novel)
Conrad, Joseph (1899) Heart of Darkness (HL) - Part 4 (C19, PLA, Europe, Novel)
Assessments:
External Assessments (60% IB Diploma Grade/55% Course Grade)
o Written Tasks are 600-800 word assignments relating to information taught in
each of the four parts of the course. Students will compose at least one of these
every quarter based on the materials studied. At the end of the course, HL students
will complete submit two of these two IB for assessment while SL students will
submit one.
o Paper 1 involves analyzing unseen texts to analyze their unique features and
context. Students will complete this paper for their IB external exam but will also
compose a few practice versions throughout the course.

Paper 2 involves responding to a guiding question using works studied in part 3 of

the course. Students will complete this paper for their IB external exam but will also
compose a few practice versions throughout the course.
Internal Assessments (40% IB Diploma Grade/35% Course Grade)
o The Individual Oral Commentary (IOC) requires students to analyze an unseen
extract of a work from part 4 of the course and discuss its unique stylistic features
at length. A recording of one IOC will be submitted to IB.
o The Further Oral Activity (FOA) allows students to explore aspects of part 1 and
2 of the course in an oral discussion, presentation, debate or role play. The score of
one FOA will be submitted to IB.
Formative Assessments (10% Course Grade) consist of reading assignments, in-class
activities or exercises based on readings and reading comprehension quizzes when
necessary. These assignments count toward quarterly report card grades but have no
bearing on your final IB diploma grade.
Semester Exams are comprised of mock versions of papers 1 and 2 adjusted to fit into a
two-hour exam time format. These exams count toward your semester grades but also
have no bearing on your final IB diploma grade.
o

Policies:
Participation - Basically, stay awake, limit conversations with the people around you,
dont talk while Im talking and dont do homework for your other classes while Im
teaching you. I dont require a completely silent classroom or want to have a strict and
stressful environment.
Preparation - Come to class on time with the appropriate materials (something to write
with, something to write on) and have your assignments with you when theyre due.
Classroom Cleanliness - Please return the classroom to the condition it appeared as you
entered. Push in your chairs and throw away all papers and garbage. Drinks are OK as long
as you clean up after yourselves, but I would prefer it if you ate before or after class.
Laptops & Gadgets - Unless youre working on an in-class writing response or group
activity or taking notes, you dont need them. You should never be playing games,
chatting or using social networking while Im teaching.
Leaving the Classroom - If you need a drink or to use the restroom and Im not in the
middle of teaching, grab a pass and go. Otherwise, wait until Im done speaking and Ive
given you time to read or work on a project.
Academic Dishonesty - Its an automatic grade of 0% for any copying, plagiarizing or
cheating. No exceptions. If youre attempting to get into a Western university, you need to
understand how serious this is. In many American universities, if youre caught cheating,
youll be expelled from the university and possibly kicked out of the country depending on
your visa status. Please do your own work.
Course Sequence:
Year One
Quarter One
Part 1: gender inequality (HL/SL); sociolinguistics (HL/SL); further oral activity (HL/SL)
Part 2: - Part 3: Like Water for Chocolate (HL/SL); written task (HL/SL)
Part 4: -Quarter Two
Part 1: - Part 2: media bias (HL/SL); written task (HL/SL)
Part 3: - Part 4: Walt Whitman Selected Poetry (HL/SL); practice individual oral commentary
(HL/SL)
Quarter Three
Part 1: language change (HL/SL); written task (HL/SL)

Part 2:
Part 3: The Stranger (HL/SL); practice paper 2 (HL/SL)
Part 4: -Quarter Four
Part 1:- Part 2: citizen journalism (HL/SL); further oral activity
Part 3: - Part 4: The Handmaids Tale (HL/SL); written task (HL/SL)
Year Two
Quarter One
Part 1: civil disobedience (HL/SL); further oral activity (HL/SL)
Part 2: - Part 3: The Crucible (HL); written task (HL)
Part 4: -Quarter Two
Part 1: - Part 2: memes and viral media (HL/SL); written task (HL/SL)
Part 3: - Part 4: Heart of Darkness (HL); individual oral commentary (HL)
Quarter Three
Part 1: - Part 2: further oral activity (HL/SL)
Part 3: - Part 4: written task (HL)
Quarter Four
Part 1: paper 1 (HL/SL)
Part 2: - Part 3: paper 2 (HL/SL)
Part 4: -