Chiang, Mason

IB English HL I
2023-24
Dr. Malashewski

Self-Assessment: Fall 2023

IB English Literature has contributed to tremendous growth for me as a student of literature thus far.

For example, the summer reading assignment, How to Read Literature Like a Professor, has helped me

to analyze tropes and archetypes in texts, and make connections within and between texts.

Additionally, I started to annotate more often and think about the text more deeply, which is best

exemplified with the book There There. With my newfound interpretive skills, I was able to

understand the complexities, themes, and symbols of the book in ways that culminated in a successful

Socratic Seminar on the book. Additionally, IB English Literature has introduced new ways to analyze

texts which I was previously unbeknownst to, such as the SPECFLIMS format, the three Areas of

Exploration, and the seven Core Concepts. As a result, my ability to recognize intertextualities, draw

connections to common story archetypes, and analyze metaphors and symbols have grown the most. I

feel that this growth is most evident in my dialectical journal responses and Socratic Seminar prep doc.

Those journals began toward the beginning of the year, and by comparing them to the ones I make

now you can observe my growth. I would like to improve my ability to recognize literary devices and

tone, in accordance with the SPECFLIMS format. I feel that by doing so I can elevate my analytical
abilities by multiple levels. I would also like to grow my vocabulary , in order to use more

specific/appropriate, “IB-worthy” verbiage.