A1 English SL / HL

Structure of the English A1 Syllabus

• The IB English A1 syllabus is structured into four parts. Each part involves the study of a group of texts selected by the school following IB guidelines.
   
• Each of the four parts is assessed differently. Two of the parts are oral assessment and are assessed internally, one of which is recorded and both are moderated. One of the other assessments, the world literature essay, is worked on by the students with teacher feedback, over a period of time. Higher lever students do two world literature essays. The final assessment of this four part structure takes the form of an exam question based on the texts in Part 3 (Groups of Works – in Chatsworth’s case, Drama).
   
• There is one other assessment which also takes the form of an exam at the end of the course. This is the written commentary paper. In many ways, giving the students the skill to write written commentary of unseen prose or poetry is the backbone of the course. The skill to talk and write critically about language is seen as a transferable skill at the heart of the course and one that they are encouraged to develop in the other areas.
   
• Another major structural aspect of the course involves the concept of world literature text, which basically is a text translated into English from some other language. Although Part 1 of the syllabus structure is referred to as World Literature, Parts 3 & 4 also need to contain one world literature text. In our case the Part 3 text is ‘Hedda Gabler’ and the Part 4 text is ‘I’m Not Scared’ by Niccolo Ammaniti.
   
• Part 4 is referred to as the school’s ‘free choice’ though in reality the students do not really have a choice. The assessment for this part of the course is done internally in the form of a presentation by the student.
   
• The syllabus is split into higher level (HL) and standard level (SL), the difference being the number of texts studied, essays written and length and difficulty of exam, as in outline.

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IBA1 English Checklist

Parts of English A1 Syllabus

Part 1: World Literature     The Stranger by Albert Camus A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexandr Solzhenitsyn Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka Assessment: SL: A comparative essay HL: A comparative essay + one other

Part 2: Detailed Study     SL/HL: Hamlet by William Shakespeare SL/HL: Animal Poetry of D.H. Lawrence & Ted Hughes HL: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou HL: Macbeth by William Shakespeare Assessment: SL: An individual commentary based on extracts from Hamlet and the 3 poets. HL: An individual oral commentary based on extracts from Hamlet, the 3 poets, Caged Bird and Macbeth.

Part 3: Groups of Works / Drama         SL/HL: Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen SL/HL: The Crucible by Arthur Miller SL/HL: The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster HL: Talking Heads by Alan Bennett Assessment: SL: A written exam paper (1 and a half hours long) HL: A written exam paper (2 hours long)

Part 4: School’s Free Choice         SL/HL: Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck SL/HL: I’m Not Scared by Niccolo Ammaniti SL/HL: To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee HL: The Color Purple by Alice Walker Assessment: SL: Individual presentation to be based on one or more of the Part 4 works HL: Individual presentation to be based on one or more of all the Part 4 works

Assessment: SL: Written commentary of an unseen text (1 and a half hours long) HL: Written commentary on an unseen text (2 hours)

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