English (Standard and Higher Levels)

Previous Knowledge
The English A1 course is designed to extend the students’ existing skills in English Language and Literature. It is desirable that students who wish to study English A1 at Standard Level have gained at least a grade C in Language and Literature at GCSE level or equivalent. Students who wish to study at Higher Level should have gained a grade B or above. Those who have not achieved the desired grades will only gain access to the course after an interview with the IB Coordinator and the Head of English to assess their suitability. (See ‘Who is the IB Diploma Programme for?’)

English A1 SL and HL
The English course aims to encourage a lifelong appreciation of literature in our students, broaden their perspectives and enhance their international awareness through the study of culturally diverse texts. Students will develop their skills as critical readers who can present an independent evaluation of the texts in both written and oral form. Students will be exposed to a range of works which have been selected to create a balance in terms of gender, period, genre and style, including examples from the classics as well as contemporary fiction.

The course consists of the following areas:
Part 1: World Literature (comparison of texts in translation)
Part 2: Detailed Study (close critical reading of Shakespeare and selected poets)
Part 3: Groups of Works (study of texts within a particular genre)
Part 4: School’s Free Choice (exploration of texts from different genres)

In addition, students develop their understanding of the techniques involved in literary criticism through the ongoing practice of unseen commentary writing.

English HL only
Higher Level students follow the above course structure but study additional texts: fifteen as opposed to the eleven studied by Standard Level students.

Assessment
The English A1 course is assessed both through coursework and the final examination, each comprising 50% of the final grade.

Coursework assignments are spread over the duration of the course and consist of both oral and written assessments. Standard Level students will complete one comparative literary essay and two oral presentations, while Higher Level students will produce one additional written assignment. The final examination consists of two papers:
Paper 1— Unseen commentary
Paper 2— Essay based on the texts studied in Part 3.