What will I learn?

Through studying this course, you will develop the following:

  • A personal appreciation of literature and a love for the richness of human expression;
  • An understanding of the formal, stylistic and aesthetic qualities of texts;
  • Strong powers of expression, both written and oral;
  • An appreciation of cultural differences in perspective;
  • An understanding of how language challenges and sustains ways of thinking;
  • Critical-thinking skills through interaction with a range of texts from different periods, styles and literary forms.

What is the structure of the course?

Higher Level (13 literary works)

Standard Level (10 literary works)

Part 1: Works in Translation

A literary study of 3 works in translation

A literary study of 2 works in translation

Part 2: Detailed Study

Close study of work from 3 different genres (one of which is poetry)

Close study of work from 2 different genres (one of which is poetry)

Part 3: Literary Genres

A literary study of 4 works from the same genre

A literary study of 4 works from the same genre

Part 4: Options

4 works are chosen by the school; the approach to the study of works is chosen from 4 options

3 works are chosen by the school; the approach to the study of works is chosen from 4 options

How will I be assessed?

Assessment

Higher Level (13 literary works)

Standard Level (10 literary works)

Oral Assessment

Internal (20%)

1500 word coursework (20%)

Coursework

Close study of work from 3 different genres (one of which is poetry)

N/A

Final Examination

Paper 1: Unseen Guided Literary Analysis – 1 hour 15 minutes (35%)
Paper 2: Comparative Essay – 1 hour 45 minutes (25%)

Paper 1: Unseen Guided Literary Analysis – 1 hour 15 minutes (35%)
Paper 2: Comparative Essay – 1 hour 45 minutes (35%)

Frequently Asked Questions

Which CAS opportunities are available?
Literature Club; Journalism Club; Creative Writing Club; Debating Club.

Which opportunities for further study are available?
The Literature IB prepares you for any university course that requires you to be articulate both verbally and on paper. You will be very well prepared for an undergraduate degree in English Literature, and it is appropriate to a range of careers, including journalism, education, publishing and law.

Is there anything else I need to know?
Literature is not just about reading. It is also about history, culture, morality and the human experience. However, if you are considering studying the Literature IB, be prepared to read widely in your free time, and also to think deeply and write often, in order to form your own opinions and practise expressing them.

Back to ks5 curriculum

Curriculum map

Topics / Units

Intertextuality: Antigone and Homefire

Core Declarative Knowledge
What should students know?

  • Students will analyse both texts with a consideration of context, form, structure, language and theme
  • Students will analyse both texts with a consideration of context, form, structure, language and theme
  • Students will begin to consider the global issues presented in each text as well as the intertextual links to Antigone in Homefire

Core Procedural Knowledge
What should students be able to do?

  • Students will be able to identify and analyse the form, content, context, language, structure, and themes of both Homefire and Antigone
  • Students will be able to write an organised, cogent commentary that has a clear introduction, thesis statement, topic sentences that connect logically, and a conclusion
  • Students will collaboratively lead and assess their own balanced, insightful, and text-based discussions using good enunciation pronunciation and delivery
  • Students will be clear, concise, and direct (as opposed to vague) in their commentaries and essays

Links to TOK

  • Students will be considering the core concepts of TOK. For example, in works of translation, students will consider how culture, values and interpretation and perspective can affect our understanding of truth

Links to Assessment

  • Students will be considering the core concepts of TOK. For example, in works of translation, students will consider how culture, values and interpretation and perspective can affect our understanding of truth

Topics / Units

Readers, Writers and Texts: A Doll’s House and The World’s Wife

Core Declarative Knowledge
What should students know?

  • Students will analyse both texts with a consideration of context, form, structure, language and theme
  • Students will begin to consider the global issues presented in A Doll’s House and The World’s Wife

Core Procedural Knowledge
What should students be able to do?

  • Students will be able to identify and analyse the form, content, context, language, structure, and themes of both A Doll’s House and The World’s Wife
  • Students will be able to write an organised, cogent commentary that has a clear introduction, thesis statement, topic sentences that connect logically, and a conclusion
  • Students will collaboratively lead and assess their own balanced, insightful, and text-based discussions using good enunciation pronunciation and delivery
  • Students will be clear, concise, and direct (as opposed to vague) in their commentaries and essays

Links to TOK

  • Students will be considering the core concepts of TOK. For example, in works of translation, students will consider how culture, values and interpretation and perspective can affect our understanding of truth

Links to Assessment

  • Practice Paper 1: students will be given an unseen extract which they will need to analyse for form, structure, content and theme
  • Students will complete a practice IO, verbally exploring a global issues featured in two texts that they read at key stage three or four
  • Students will complete their learner portfolio for each text studied

Topics / Units

Time and Space: The Sailor Who Fell from Grace from the Sea

Core Declarative Knowledge
What should students know?

  • Students will analyse both texts with a consideration of context, form, structure, language and theme
  • Students will begin to consider the global issues presented in The Sailor Who Fell from Grace from the Sea

Core Procedural Knowledge
What should students be able to do?

  • Students will be able to identify and analyse the form, content, context, language, structure, and themes of The Sailor Who Fell from Grace from the Sea
  • Students will be able to write an organised, cogent commentary that has a clear introduction, thesis statement, topic sentences that connect logically, and a conclusion
  • Students will collaboratively lead and assess their own balanced, insightful, and text-based discussions using good enunciation pronunciation and delivery
  • Students will be clear, concise, and direct (as opposed to vague) in their commentaries and essays

Links to TOK

  • Students will be considering the core concepts of TOK. For example, in works of translation, students will consider how culture, values and interpretation and perspective can affect our understanding of truth

Links to Assessment

  • Practice Paper 1: students will be given an unseen extract which they will need to analyse for form, structure, content and theme
  • Students will complete their learner portfolio for each text studied

Topics / Units

Individual Oral Commentary

Core Declarative Knowledge
What should students know?

  • Students will prepare for their IOC in this module
  • Students will understand the assessment requirements for the IOC, including an awareness of global issues in the texts that they have studied this year

Core Procedural Knowledge
What should students be able to do?

  • Students will be able to identify and analyse the form, content, context, language, structure, and themes of all the texts studied this year. Students will be able to write (and deliver verbally) an organised, cogent commentary that has a clear introduction, thesis statement, topic sentences that connect logically, and a conclusion
  • Students will collaboratively lead and assess their own balanced, insightful, and text-based discussions using good enunciation pronunciation and delivery
  • Students will be clear, concise, and direct (as opposed to vague) in their commentaries and essays

Links to TOK

  • Students will be considering the core concepts of TOK. For example, in works of translation, students will consider how culture, values and interpretation and perspective can affect our understanding of truth

Links to Assessment

  • Students will complete their IOC in this module

Topics / Units

Intertextuality: Antigone and Homefire

Core Declarative Knowledge
What should students know?

  • Students will analyse both texts with a consideration of context, form, structure, language and theme
  • Students will begin to consider the global issues presented in each text as well as the intertextual links to Antigone in Homefire

Core Procedural Knowledge
What should students be able to do?

  • Students will be able to identify and analyse the form, content, context, language, structure, and themes of both Homefire and Antigone; students will be able to write an organised, cogent commentary that has a clear introduction, thesis statement, topic sentences that connect logically, and a conclusion
  • Students will collaboratively lead and assess their own balanced, insightful, and text-based discussions using good enunciation pronunciation and delivery
  • Students will be clear, concise, and direct (as opposed to vague) in their commentaries and essays

Links to TOK

  • Students will be considering the core concepts of TOK. For example, in works of translation, students will consider how culture, values and interpretation and perspective can affect our understanding of truth

Links to Assessment

  • Students will complete their learner portfolio for each text studied
  • They will also begin preparing for Paper 1: Unseen Guided Analysis

Topics / Units

Time and Space: Death and the Maiden and A Doll’s House

Core Declarative Knowledge
What should students know?

  • Students will be introduced to two more works in translation: Death and the Maiden and A Doll’s House
  • Students will analyse both texts with a consideration of context, form, structure, language and theme
  • Students will begin to consider the global issues presented in each text

Core Procedural Knowledge
What should students be able to do?

  • Students will be able to identify and analyse the form, content, context, language, structure, and themes of both Death and the Maiden and A Doll’s House
  • Students will be able to write an organised, cogent commentary that has a clear introduction, thesis statement, topic sentences that connect logically, and a conclusion
  • Students will collaboratively lead and assess their own balanced, insightful, and text-based discussions using good enunciation pronunciation and delivery
  • Students will be clear, concise, and direct (as opposed to vague) in their commentaries and essays

Links to TOK

  • Students will be continually considering the core concepts of TOK. For example, in works of translation, students will consider how culture, values and interpretation and perspective can affect our understanding of truth

Links to Assessment

  • Practice Paper 1: students will be given an unseen extract which they will need to analyse for form, structure, content and theme
  • Students will complete a practice IO, verbally exploring a global issues featured in two texts that they read at key stage three or four
  • Students will complete their learner portfolio for each text studied

Topics / Units

Readers, Writers and Texts: The World’s Wife and The Sailor who Fell from Grace from the Sea

Core Declarative Knowledge
What should students know?

  • Students will be introduced to The Sailor Who Fell from Grace With the Sea and the World’s Wife
  • Students will analyse both texts with a consideration of context, form, structure, language and theme
  • Students will begin to consider the global issues presented in each text

Core Procedural Knowledge
What should students be able to do?

  • Students will be able to identify and analyse the form, content, context, language, structure, and themes of both The World’s Wife and The Sailor who Fell from Grace from the Sea
  • Students will be able to write an organised, cogent commentary that has a clear introduction, thesis statement, topic sentences that connect logically, and a conclusion
  • Students will collaboratively lead and assess their own balanced, insightful, and text-based discussions using good enunciation pronunciation and delivery
  • Students will be clear, concise, and direct (as opposed to vague) in their commentaries and essays

Links to TOK

  • Students will be continually considering the core concepts of TOK. For example, students will consider how culture, values and interpretation and perspective can affect our understanding of a text

Links to Assessment

  • Practice Paper 1: students will be given an unseen extract which they will need to analyse for form, structure, content and theme
  • Students will complete their learner portfolio for each text studied

Topics / Units

Time and Space: The Reluctant Fundamentalist and poetry of Wislawa Szymborska

Core Declarative Knowledge
What should students know?

  • Students will be introduced to The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid and Wislawa Szymborska’s poetry
  • Students will analyse both texts with a consideration of context, form, structure, language and theme
  • Students will begin to consider the global issues presented in each text

Core Procedural Knowledge
What should students be able to do?

  • Students will be able to identify and analyse the form, content, context, language, structure, and themes of both The Reluctant Fundamentalist and poetry of Wislawa Szymborska
  • Students will be able to write an organised, cogent commentary that has a clear introduction, thesis statement, topic sentences that connect logically, and a conclusion
  • Students will collaboratively lead and assess their own balanced, insightful, and text-based discussions using good enunciation pronunciation and delivery
  • Students will be clear, concise, and direct (as opposed to vague) in their commentaries and essays

Links to TOK

  • Students will be continually considering the core concepts of TOK. For example, students will consider how culture, values and interpretation and perspective can affect our understanding of a text

Links to Assessment

  • Practice Paper 1: students will be given an unseen extract which they will need to analyse for form, structure, content and theme
  • Students will complete their learner portfolio for each text studied

Topics / Units

Individual Oral Commentary and HL Essay

Core Declarative Knowledge
What should students know?

  • Students will prepare for their two IAs this module: the IOC and HL Essay
  • Students will understand the assessment requirements for both IAs including an awareness of global issues in the texts that they have studied this year and the IB concepts (of which their HL essay will be centred on)

Core Procedural Knowledge
What should students be able to do?

  • Students will be able to identify and analyse the form, content, context, language, structure, and themes of all the texts studied this year
  • Students will be able to write (and deliver verbally) an organised, cogent commentary that has a clear introduction, thesis statement, topic sentences that connect logically, and a conclusion
  • Students will collaboratively lead and assess their own balanced, insightful, and text-based discussions using good enunciation pronunciation and delivery
  • Students will be clear, concise, and direct (as opposed to vague) in their commentaries and essays

Links to TOK

  • Students will be continually considering the core concepts of TOK. For example, students will consider how culture, values and interpretation and perspective can affect our understanding of a text

Links to Assessment

  • Students will complete their first draft of their HL essay this module and their IOC