IB English Literature

Higher Level
Mr. Andrew McDermott
Canisius College, BA English Lit.
and
MS Ed Secondary English Education
Email: amcdermott @buff aloschools.org
HTTP://WWW.BUFFALOSCHOOLS.ORG/
WEBPAGES/AMCDERMOTT
 An Introduction

On the front of your index card, neatly:

 Write out your full name

 Describe your relationship with reading and writing

 Reveal anything else you want me to know about

 Learning styles
 Personality
 Family background
 Challenges
 Questions for me
“A Good Citizen”
 The “Citizen” and Society

Concisely answer all of the following prompts

on the back of your index card:

1 Define “citizen” and use the word in a sentence.

2 Does the concept of “citizenship” have any relevance in
2015? Explain.
3 What makes a “good "or a “bad” citizen in our culture?
4 In what ways can literature foster the concept of
citizenship?
 A Definition

noun

1 A legally recognized subject or national of a state

or commonwealth, either native or naturalized:

a Polish citizen
the rights of every citizen
 Associated Phrases

citizen of the world

1 A person who is at home in any country.

 Origin

Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French citezein,

alteration (probably influenced by deinzein 'denizen')
of Old French citeain, based on Latin civitas 'city.'
 IB as a Gateway to Global Citizenship

 The International Baccalaureate program asks students to read literature from

other countries, to learn languages and to develop their understanding of
foreign cultures and world history.
 In order to earn an I.B. diploma students must read widely and deeply. They
write often about the topics they study and must demonstrate an ability to
present what they know in formal settings. Expectations for student work and
performances are set high. Imagine a school whose explicit mission is to make
the world a better place by educating students who care about that world.
 [This] instruction invites inquiry into issues percolating across as well as
within our borders: world trade, child labor, air quality, icebreakers in the
Arctic, population migration. The possibilities are endless.
 The International Baccalaureate program provides schools with an elegant
curricular model. While it isn't the only way to raise global citizens, I believe
such a course of study has the potential to save our planet.

--Carol Jago, The New York Times (December 16, 2013)

 IB English is . . .

A college-level course
Administered by the International
Baccalaureate Organization (IBO)
Held over two school years
Fast-paced, intense, demanding,
intellectually stimulating, fun and
rewarding
Focused on “literary reading”—reading
closely for context (plot), word play
(art), and subtext (deeper meaning)
 IB English . . .

Engages students in reading, discussing,

thinking and writing about literature
Equips students to analyze literature
independently– what, how and so what?
AND to write articulately and concisely about
it in a personal, natural voice
Gives students exposure to literary criticism
Enables students to learn more about
themselves, others and the world
 IB English has . . .

A strong focus on World Literature (Lit. in Translation)

“One of the most effective and humanizing ways that people
of different cultures can have access to each other’s
experiences and concerns is through works of literary
merit.”
Salma Jayyusi
The Literature of Modern Arabia
At the same time,
“A work of world literature has an exceptional ability to
transcend the boundaries of the culture that produces it.”
David Damrosch
How to Read World Literature

We will study the context of literature, avoid “premature

universalization,” and examine both the specific and the
universal in each text.
 The course is . . .

Divided into four parts:

1. Literature in Translation (3 works)

2. Detailed Study (3 works)
3. Genre Study (4 works)
4. Options (3 works)

The parts are NOT completed in this order

 Options

(First Ten Weeks of) Semester 1, Grade 11

Three texts chosen by teacher/school:
Citizen, Claudia Rankine
Cloud Atlas, David Mitchell
Macbeth, William Shakespeare
 Assessment

Individual Oral Presentation (IOP)

based on one or more of the Part 4 texts
Internally assessed with IB-provided
rubric, 15% of two-year grade
12 – 15 minutes; not read verbatim;
discussion follows
Students select text(s) and topic, work
independently with some guidance
Class is audience
 Works in Translation

Semester 2, Grade 11
Three works in translation chosen from PLT
*TENTATIVE LIST/ANNOUNCED BY 1/1/17*
Candide, or Optimism, Voltaire
(French satiric novella, 198h century)
Chronicle of a Death Foretold, G. Garcia Marquez
(Columbian magical realist novel, 20th century)
Metamorphosis and Other Stories, F. Kafka
(Jewish/German/Austro-Hugarian/Czech short stories, 20th century)
 Assessment

 Written assignment – externally assessed, 25%

 Four Stages:
 Interactive Oral: part of class teaching; one for each text;
focus on culture and context of the works; teacher gives
prompts (done in pairs or groups)
 Reflective Statement: written soon after and in response
to Interactive Oral (300-400 words)
 Supervised Writing: done in class for each work studied;
notes and texts but no internet; prompts provided at the
start of the writing time; independent thinking
 Essay: students choose one of the SWs to develop into the
essay; teacher can guide development of the topic; teacher
can give feedback on first draft (1200-1500 words)
 Assessment

Students will be assessed in a variety of

ways:
Oral work: discussions, presentations,
recorded commentaries
Written work: essays (in-class and
processed), commentaries, informal
responses, reflections, creative responses
Participation and “Responsibility”
Self-assessments and portfolios
 How to succeed in IB English?

Get enough sleep and have balance

Attend all lessons well-prepared
Read actively—responding to text
through notes, sticky notes, questions—
and reread
Participate actively in class—take risks
Collaborate appropriately
Think and write independently—take
risks
Ask for help
 Questions?

Photo source: battensby.com

Powerpoint adapted from Cathi Wiebusch, IB Lit HL 2010-2012 Parent Night Powerpoint