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Virtual Think-Ins
Paper 1 in DP Language A: Language & Literature and Literature
Virtual Think-In, 22 May 2024
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Paper 2 in DP Language A: Language & Literature and Literature
Virtual Think-In, 23 May 2024
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Subscriber comments
- Hi Tim,I have a few students who are interested in using a graphic novel for their individual orals. Kindly guide me on how to choose an excerpt from Persepolis or Maus. I am not sure if it should be a page or more.
- Thank you for your response. This gives me a lot to think about this summer as I do some redesigning.
- Hi Micah,Thanks for letting us know! I've checked and it seems like the ITDP has taken the pdf down from the site. So, I did a quick google image search and found it. I used the following search terms "The Benefits of Shifting to...
- Hi Michael,I just checked; you're right, he's not on the PRL. You can still study Miss Julie as a free choice work if you wish. But if you are looking to fulfill the requirement of two works in translation for HL, this can't be...
- The infographic links are dead on the website. :( Thank you for all of the work that y'all do!
- Hi Adam,I'll give a longer answer first. The school I used to work at was part of a pilot program to help develop IOs for the IB before assessment actually occurred. This is part of that trial run (an IO that was not used by the...
- Hi, I have a fairly specific question..is Miss Julia by August Strindberg no longer an option as a work in translation as it is not on the Prescribed Reading List as I cannot find it... Do you have any similar themed short - ish texts...
- Hi, We have just discussed this sample in class. Would you still grade this the same way? E.g. There is no real discussion of the literary text or the BOW in the students speech. Thank you, I realize this is pre-2021 but the mark...
- Hi Ieena,Yes, this is possible. And this EE - although based on the old EE syllabus - is a great model example to show a student who is interested in writing about a TV show.Best,Tim
- Can students do their EE on popular shows on netflix like "The Crown" as part of their category 3 Lang & Lit
- Hi Yvette,This is not a problem at all! Best,Tim
- Hi Ervin,Our advice is that for the "extract," students select about 60 continuous seconds. They transcribe the dialogue and include 2-4 screenshots (still images) from within that 60 seconds. The put this on one page (if possible)...
- Hi Tim and David My student used Liza Donnelly's Cartoons for her Individual Oral and would like to use a different body of work from a different cartoonist / comic strip artist for her HL Essay. This is not considered "double-dipping"...
- Dear Tim/David,Some of my students want to chose a documentary, for their non literary work. However I am not quite sure how will they present it during the IO. Will they print out the script of the documentary? If so, how long should it be...
- Hi Liz,I can't, of course, know the answer to your question. That said, I find it highly unlikely. It would be unwieldy and there are likely to be significant issues of copyright. If I were to suggest one thing (typical of many exams), it would...
- Hi Laura,We are not permitted to reproduce the paper on the site. To do so would be in breach of copyright law. It is the case that your school may buy (sic) past papers. Alas, doing this may not give you what you want. Why not? Well, when...
- Hi Tim and David, I am wondering if you think film could ever be used as a Paper 1 text? If so, how might this look? For example, could there be an extract of the script along with a few screenshots of the corresponding scene? I took over...
- Hi, where is the paper for May 2023 please to use in class?Thank you.
- Hi Silke,As Tim says, above, song lyrics are literary. If it is song lyrics that the student is discussing, then the album cover is not relevant (to this particular assessment task or consideration of the 'work'). If the student is discussing...
- Hi Robert,A few things: The non-literary work the student selects must be part of something you studied in class. I am not familiar with the documentary. However, I had a quick look at it (thanks for the link); I get the sense that it is about...
- Hi Tim, thanks for the quick reply. I do have another question concerning the music by SZA. Is the student allowed to talk about the album cover? Probably that would only work without her making connections to the songs (because...
- Hello David and Tim,Hope this finds you well again. I've got a question regarding this non-liteary work my student wishes to dive into. Her global issue is Reconciling identity in the face of religious fundamentalism using Persepolis...
- Hi Silke,Welcome to the course! It can be a lot to get your head around at first, but in time, it gets easier. I've put my answers in number order just to sort them out in my own head.1. Song lyrics are literary. So,...
- Hi Flavia,I've just checked on my end. They work for me. Hmm. A few things and if these quick tricks don't work, please let me know as we obviously want you to have access to them. Can you use a different browser? Firefox...
- Hi Robert,I've put my answers in corresponding number order for ease of reference.1. No and no. It's not a requirement and it's not in the grading criteria. It is one way - out of many - that a student may get to a line of...
- Hi Tim or David, I am new to teaching LangLit (and IB in general) and are facing my first round of IOs. One of my students would like to use Carol Ann Duffy's "Frau Freud" and the song “Doves In The Wind” by SZA featuring Kendrick...
- Hi Tim, the links in the text above and in your message don't work. Any suggestions?
- Hello David and Tim,Hoep you're well. Got a question about using films in the HL essay. This student is analysing the Barbie film: In Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" movie, how does the protagonist's transformation from a pre-programmed doll to a gender...
- Hi Sara,I can't provide a definitive answer here; we aren't the IB and this is a bit tricky. However, I personally would be confident in constructing a non-literary body of work of short films all by the same director. Why the same...
- Hi, guys! Thanks for all you do. Question: How would I assemble a BOW for the IO consisting of short films? They are all between 5-10 minutes. Do they need to be by the same....director, producer, writer, studio? How many pieces...
- Hi Clara,No problem. Any literary work - 6 at HL; 4 at SL - may be used once only for any of the assessment components of the course.Kind regards,David
- Dear David and Tim, I have a student who wants to use 2 poets for the Paper 2 exam (both poets studied fall under the "free choice" category). Would this be allowed for the assessment? Thank you!
- Hi Kristin,As you know, one of the principles of course design is autonomy, and my view is that this key guiding principle, one that we should be inscribed in what we do and how we construct our courses. At the same time, you can 'gerrymander'...
- Hi Tim or David or anyone else,I'm struggling with one aspect of the the IO and assessments in general in IB Lang and Lit. The rule is that once a student uses a text on an assessment, it cannot be used again on another assessment. We...
- Hi Tim and David,Brilliant!Thanks for the quick responses. I went back in and everything is there. Thanks again for having such a great resources or students and teachers. Cheers,Chris
- Hi Chris,I'm going to jump into this thread as well. I played around a bit on our end with it. I think you should be more clearly able to provide your students access to these resources. It will require you to click each box...
- Hi Oscar,Yes, it is a literary work. Marjane Satrapi is on the PRL.Kind regards,David
- Hi Chris,We might need to reconfigure the pages to make this happen. I'll have a look at it as soon as I can.Kind regards,David
- Hi Amalia,The IB doesn't prescribe a method. Students do frequently add asterisks. This can work. I would suggest that students don't rewrite whole sections. This is time consuming. Students - it's difficult; it's an important exam, I know...
- Hi Klara,As you say, teachers will have different opinions. And do. Leave it at that. Paper 1 in not an essay. It shares many similarities with essays and 'academic writing' generally, but a key thing to keep in mind is that students must respond...
- Dear David and Tim, Can a student chose PERSEPOLIS as a Literary Work?Yours Oscar Nowak.
- Good morning,I am trying to get my students to access this section; however, the samples are not available to the students in their portal. Have I missed how to provide them access? I have all the relevant boxes ticked. Cheers,Chris
- Hello, I have a few students ask after an in-class practice of Paper 2 if they wanted to add in something in their writing later (or when they've finished and have leftover time) how they should note it. Should they add an asterisk or...
- Hi,Sorry, I know teachers can argue about marks until the cows come home, but I wanted to ask about the organisation. I'm surprised that this achieved a 5/5 for organisation when the introduction seems to be a summary of the text, albeit in...
- Thank you, Tim. Your prompt responses are much appreciated. Kind regardsYvette
- Hi Yvette,As far as I know, the IB has never used Twitter or Tweets for a Paper 1 exam. And given the complexity - do we now say X and posts? along with Elon Musk's various controversies - I doubt they will anytime soon. Of course,...
- Hi David,IB Answers emailed me earlier. 'Now and Then' is fine as a literary text for the IO: Thanks again for your help.
- Dear Tim / David With regards to Paper 1, have Twitter posts been used as texts for guided textual analysis before? Also, if this were the case, would students be required to refer to it as "Twitter" and "Tweets" or "X" and "Posts"?Thank...
- Dear DavidThanks a lot for your guidance. Good nightLuvRadha
- That was exactly what I meant.Thank you very much.I have doubts on how deep the argument should be developed as to get the top band. When I mention argument, I think of a whole paragraph.Thank you Again!Best,Andrea G.
- Thanks, Tim, that has been very helpful for this morning's lesson. Best wishes, Simon
- Dear Angela,Are you asking for a transcript of the film? If that is what you are asking for, I have no idea.Kind regards,David
- Where can I find the transcript?
- Hi Radha,This looks like a broad and appropriate selection, and it seems that all the prescriptions have been met. I'd regard Desai as a 20th century writer (for your purposes) as the novel is very much of that century. Persepolis scapes into...
- Dear David and TimGood morning. Please look at my book selection.IBDP 1- Textbook selection HL 2024- 2025. Could you please guide me if this is a good selection, especially for paper 2? Any suggestion? Book ...
- Hi Andrea,Can you clarify a bit by what you mean? Are you asking if a student can write 4 total paragraphs for a Paper 1 (introduction, 1 focused argument as one body paragraph, another focused argument as another body paragraph, conclusion)?...
- Hi Everyone!A question: Would it be ok for a student to write 2 well organised and focused arguments for paper 1? Would that be enough? I would appreciate your imput on this. Thank you very much!!!!!Greetings from Chile
- Hi Simon,I'm responding to all of your queries in this post to make it easier to find. I've put my comments in corresponding number order. But before I do so, let me alert you to this page: https://thinkib.net/englishalanglit/page/40091/what-are-global-issues...
- Hi David and Tim, I have some more.4) [Beliefs, Values, and Education] How do the beliefs and values of society influence the will and opinions of the individual in Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove and Dai Sijie's Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress?5)...
- Number 2 feels a little unclear to me. Does the student need to refine their focus a little and/or should they express it as a question? Thanks, Simon
- Hi David and Tim, Thank you so much for the fantastic support you provide.Once again we are starting to put together our GIs and questions. Please could you have a glance at these and tell me if my students are on the right track?1) [Politics,...
- Many thanks David, much appreciated, I'll contact IB answers for clarification. I included Lennon's lyrics as a literary work, yes. Thanks for the global issue tip.Kind regards,Simon
- Hi Simon,This is one of these question where we can't respond with authority, and we need to direct you to IB Answers for an 'official' response. Can I assume you have included the song lyrics of John Lennon as a literary work? For what's it...
- Hi David / Hi Tim,One of my students wants to use 'Now and Then' by The Beatles for the IO. As Lennon has the main writing credit and Lennon is on the reading list, does this sound OK? The student is considering AI as the global issue - it...
- Hi Paul,We have no 'suggested answer'. I certainly don't think marking comments are useless. On the other hand, I have a certain ambivalence about them as they tend to point to a 'right answer' (which, you'll know, many students ask for). While...
- Hi, David/Tim,You don’t happen to have a “Marking Comments”/suggested answer for this last text “Senior Fall Prevention” do you?God blessPaul
- Hi Amanda,Not a silly question at all! Letters, as a text type, exist in a gray area. Something like MLK Jr's "Letter from Birmingham Jail" would be considered literary and would not show up on a Paper 1 exam for Language and Literature...
- 10 April 2024
Tim Pruzinsky
Make a Decision (Cycling) – Which Guided Textual Analysis is Better and Why (Two Lessons)
Hi Ellissa,Got it! Thanks for clarifying. While the IB provides a mark scheme for examiners, and while that mark scheme has suggested content of what a student may write about in the Paper 1 exam, we aren't allowed to publish it.... - Hi, sorry if this is a silly question: would this be considered a literary text or a non-literary text for paper 1?
- 10 April 2024
Ellissa Meacham
Make a Decision (Cycling) – Which Guided Textual Analysis is Better and Why (Two Lessons)
Sorry - maybe indicative content is a very 'British' examiner term! Basically the list of features the IB would publish with the mark scheme that they would expect students to include. Guiding content, suggested content - something like that? - Thank you. Will ask IB answers then. Lasma
- Hi Lasma,To be blunt, upfront, I really don't know. I believe fan-fiction would be considered "literary" as I don't see how it's "non-literary." It's fiction, after all. Can this be used for the EE? Again, I don't know....
- 9 April 2024
Tim Pruzinsky
Make a Decision (Cycling) – Which Guided Textual Analysis is Better and Why (Two Lessons)
Hi Ellissa,Unfortunately, I don't fully understand what you are looking for. Can you please provide us with a bit more information of what you want/need? For example, there's a very short answer key in the "teacher only" box under... - Hi Tim and David, One of my students is considering fandoms/fan-fiction as the texts she would like to focus on when writing her EE. She intends research under-representation of a specific social group. I presume that this could be Category...
- 9 April 2024
Ellissa Meacham
Make a Decision (Cycling) – Which Guided Textual Analysis is Better and Why (Two Lessons)
Hi. Do you have the indicative content for this text please? - Hi Amy,Here are two resources. The first is a transcribed and annotated version of an IO: https://thinkib.net/englishalanglit/page/41186/annotating-an-individual-oral-brave-new-world-and-sara-rahbarScroll down to the teacher questions....
- Thanks, Tim. While I was hoping for a different answer, I can appreciate the reasoning! I actually haven't had a listen to all of the samples or looked at ALL of the resources available (it's on my list!), so forgive me if this suggestion...
- Hi Amy,Unfortunately, we don't. David and I have talked about this numerous times. And we keep deciding not to add a question bank. Our worry is that teachers won't tailor their questions to what the student has, or has not,...
- Hello! I've been looking for an IO question bank for the 5 minute discussion. Do you have something like this? I understand that my questions have to be tailored to each student, but was looking for some inspiration. Thanks! - Amy
- thanks for the sample papers
- Thank you for the detailed response David.Ah yes, the age-old debate of aesthetics. As far as the poetic function of language is concerned, I don't think it applies to the text in question.I think "allow" was not the correct word, I only meant...
- Hi Fatima,The notion of 'clear aesthetic purpose' is... well, excuse me, not clear. Approaches to literature that pay attention to form and creativity go back, to the extent I know, to Aristotle's Poetics. Much later, in one influential typology...
- Hello,I am allowing the students to choose one literary text for their HL course after setting up certain criteria regarding periods, continents, forms etc. to ensure it falls within the requirements. They ended up choosing a biography titled,...
- It does help, thanks! I asked the same question on a L&L teacher forum and have so far received similar responses. One person echoed what I was feeling - we are teaching high school students and it seems a little over-the-top to (potentially)...
- Hi Angel,It is true that it is not a requirement to quote in a Paper 2 examination. Ask most teachers - and I have asked very many - and they are of the view that apposite quoting can add value to a Paper 2 response. At very least, in my view,...
- Hi David, Thank you so much for your detailed response - very helpful! I have another difficult question regarding paper 2. Students have been asking me how much they need to memorize quotes. And of course, I know that IB has repeatedly...
- Hi Angel,There is no one good answer to your question. How you answer that depends very much on your knowledge of who asks the question. That said, there is little to be gained in establishing some form of individual or group Pygmalion effect....
- Hi Amy,Often, if not always, Tim and I are pretty confident in what we express when we respond to questions on the forum. Nevertheless, we need to tread carefully as we are not the IB, nor do we wish to give the impression we are. In addition,...
- Hi David and Tim, For paper 2, I know that there is no word limit for the exam, but based on your experience and expertise, what would be an ideal word count? I have seen wide ranging examples -- 1000 words vs 2500 words. Of course,...
- One of my colleagues recently came back from a training stressing the need to identify the speech writer when using speeches as a body of work. From what I can tell, Sarah Hurwitz was Michelle Obama's consistent collaborator during her White...
- Hi Shalini,We don't recommend that students create their own guiding question. Under exam conditions, with the stress and anxiety that is involved, and with the potential to create their own guiding question that doesn't "work" per se,...
- Thanks for much for your prompt reply!
- I have a very specific question. Is it recommended that students look to create a proposal for Paper 1 High-end response? And how to help the students to create a Proposal for Paper 1 attempt? Pls share insights. Thanks,Shalini
- Hi Tim,Great! Understood the crux! Thanks so much!
- Hi Emily,That's a good question. What is this thing called 'literature'? When does language become 'literary language'? What is 'language art'? Why is a newspaper story not 'literary', but a play text is? These questions, and similar questions,...
- Hello!Perhaps this is a silly (or dumb) question, but how do these columns constitute a body of work? If we examine the words and language being used, how can it be considered non-literary? I do not doubt your understanding; I am more curious...
- Hi Karen,I think they are many "right" ways to structure a Paper 2. I also don't think - big picture - there is one "right" way to structure a Paper 2. And finally, I think that different languages have different ways of doing things...
- Hi Donna,How much they matter is debatable. I moderate IOs. We are told to not look at the marks and comments until we have made a decision ourselves (so we aren't influenced one way or the other). Then, we look. So,...
- I have a question on structure for Paper 2. When collaborating with a colleague who teaches another Language A language, I noticed that her good examples of Paper 2 responses were structured differently than the best examples I see here. The...
- Thank you for the prompt answer, Tim!
- Hi Tim,thanks for your clarification! I am especially grateful for the reminder that "Paper 1 preparations" on various texts and text types actually take up quite a bit of the "non-literary" time in the course. I've done 5 BOWs so far but felt...
- Hi Tim,Thank you for the quick response. I had a question about the importance of teacher comments for the IO. I've already written my comments, but after reading about the significance of teacher comments for the moderation of the TOK Exhibition,...
- HI Tim, Thank you for clarifying for me. Much appreciated, and have a wonderful week.Regards, Desiree
- Hi Desiree,Students should write extensively about more than one poem in the exam. One is simply not enough. After that though, it gets muddled. Are two poems enough? Maybe. In our eyes, 3-4 seems to be the sweet spot,...
- Hi Ran,The IB doesn't explicitly tell us. What they do say very clearly is that there must be an equal amount of time spent on the literary and the non-literary. Of course, Paper 1 exists, and Paper 1 requires breadth rather than...
- Hi Ervin,I'll give it a shot! 1. Lauren Greenfield photography (about wealth....make sure to scroll to the bottom of the page): https://www.thinkib.net/englishalanglit/page/31033/the-individual-oral-global-issues-the-great-gatsby-and-generatio 2....
- Hello Tim, Thank you for all the great tips here. I just have one question as we approach exams: if students choose a "work" of poetry for paper 2, are they expected to focus on one poem, and make general references to the rest of the...
- Hi, sorry if you've answered this question somewhere before (I think you have, but I cannot seem to find it now and I cannot remember what you might have answered.) How many BOWs do you tend to get through in a course for a HL group? ...
- Hi Tim or David,I have just started to teach "The God of Small Things" and I was wandering if you could suggest a couple of non literary texts that can be related to this novel. Thanks.Ervin
- Hi Angel,The task of Paper 2 is, in my view, really quite challenging. It asks an awful lot of young people in the space of the examination. That said, it is the case that students must both compare and contrast, and this comparing and contrasting...
- Hi Tim, I have two questions regarding paper 2. Thank you in advance!1) I am not sure if this makes a difference, but would emphasizing difference vs. emphasizing similarity both be ok or is one preferred over the other? For example:...
- Hi Fatma,For your literary choices, you have one on the PRL (Nichols's poetry), one in translation (Persepolis), and two free choice (Things Fall Apart and either Antigone or The Reluctant Fundamentalist). You hit the time period, place,...
- Or The reluctant Fundamentalist instead of Antigone
- Hi Tim, It's my first year and I am struggling with the choice of BOWs. I'd like also your opinion on this outline for an SL class:1. Persepolis2. Anntigone3. Things Fall Apart4. Poetry of Grace NicholasPlease tell me what you think. So far...
- Hi Anne,I like this idea. You are right about refinement; 'to what extent' is simply a nonsense, and I'm not sure one can know what the impact of such confessions is on actual people (one might speculate, I suppose) I think that three videos...
- Hi Tim and DavidThis is my first year as an IB teacher, and I appreciate this site so much. I need your help with an EE topic. One of my students is interested in writing a category 3 EE about celebreties' public confessions. This...
- Dear TimThanks a lot, I totally agree with you. Thanks a lot and good nightLuvRadha
- Hi Radha,Unfortunately, we can't. We aren't the IB and the IB isn't explicit here in terms of the minimum number of lines. Do know that in one of the subject reports the IB does recommend against using short extracts (5-10 lines)....
- Hi Clara,Correct: students first sat exams in the "new" iteration of the course in May of 2021. However, because of Covid-19, the IB cancelled Paper 2 in 2021 and 2022. As such, the first time students sat Paper 2 wasn't until May...
- Dear David and TIM Could you please suggest the minimum lines for Literary text for IO? Can a student use a short poem (!0 lines). Thanks in advance.Radha
- Good Morning, It is said that "no student has sat a Paper 2 exam in the "new" iteration of the IB Language and Literature course", but wasn't the new guide established in 2021? Best, Clara
- Hi Mirna,If she is only considering the lyrics, it is a category 1 essay. I believe one of the seasons on the Dissect podcast (season 11?) considered Radiohead. I think it would be very worthwhile for the kid to listen to this podcast.Kind...
- Hi Tim and David :) I have a student who is interested in examining an album by the band Radiohead. I believe she intends to explore it as a 'body of work' or concept album, looking at technology and alienation as the theme that runs through...
- Hi Robert,I've responded in corresponding number order:) I've tried to respond to the specific, bolded question you posed.1. Perhaps. The student may decide to focus on a particular freedom that is limited - speech, assembly,...
- Hi Kristin,I don't think so. We've published these - and have intended them to be used - as a non-literary body of work. In other words, we don't consider them literary. Of course, we aren't the IB and for a final and definitive...
- Hi Paul,Short answer: yes. In other words, repeating text types is fine. Repeating "authors" or "directors" is not. So let's say they wrote on Nolan's Batman Begins for the HLE and want to use Oppenheimer for the IO. That...
- Hi Donna,I went back to the criteria, to double-check my response. Criterion A reads ..."in relation to the global issue." So students aren't expected to show they know everything about the novel if it isn't in relation to the global...
- Hi Donna,Let's see if I can clarify any comments I made and add to them as well. Every school I have worked at does things a bit differently. You have to work within the constraints of how your school operates. That means...
- Hello David and Tim, Hope this finds you well. This is my first time doing Lang A and wish to make sure the GI students have winded up are narrowed enough for their exploration in 10 minutes. You may not wish to provide feedback on all...
- Can the Monbiot essays be considered literary in terms of the IO? For example, could you pair a Monbiot essay with a Steve Cutts image? Or would that be disqualified?
- Thank you David!
- Hi, Tim and David. Hopefully, a quick cross discipline question for you - if a pupil has written on a film studied as part of our Cinematography unit for the HL Essay, can he also use another film (again studied by us, but by a different producer)...
- Dear Tim and David,Hope you guys are doing fantastic! I am currently marking IOs and I have a few doubts.1. One of my students chose "The Kite Runner," and her global issue concerns racial discrimination against minority races and its effects....
- Hi Tim,Firstly, thanks a ton for this comprehensive reply! It was not overwhelming, but rather exactly what I needed. I do agree with you about the switching between units 2 and 4. It did not cross my mind while outlining the units. I...
- Hi Robert,With respect to the HL Essay, I sometimes feel that the course study guide talks in tongues. However, if you amalgamate your reading of the study guide + FAQ document (see MyIB) + subject reports, there seems to be better clarity...
- Hi Camilla,This isn't something that I have had experience of either. Part of me wants to discourage it but, as in every case, I would want to listen to the student in the first instance and try to harness their interest in some way. For example,...
- Thanks David :)
- Hello, I would really appreciate some guidance on an EE a student would like to do. They are interested in The Rolling Stones- The album 'Hot Rocks' (1964-1971). The songs appealing are: Sympathy For The Devil, Brown Sugar, Paint It Black,...
- Hello David, Hope this finds you well. I've got a question regarding a non-literary work. One of my student wishes to work on the music video “Running Up the Hill” By kate Bush. His LOI reads: "To what extent does Kate bush use symbolism...
- Hi Donna,I'm going to say a few things, and I would take all with a grain of salt. Other people, with other ideas, might see things differently. The first thing is that I haven't been closely involved with an evaluation team or...
- Dear David and Tim,During the last academic year, I attempted to integrate seven different concepts and create units from them. The outcome was four units that will include both literary and non-literary texts, covering two years (DP 1 and...
- Hi Eve,The outline should not exceed 10 bullet points. To the extent I know, there is not 300 word limit; I think this is more of a generic recommendation that has 'done the rounds'. It's sensible advice, in my view. I would go a little further...
- Hi Tim and David,I wonder if you could clarify an issue for me. Somewhere along the line we have come across the stipulation that the IOP Student Outline Form should be kept to ten dot points and 300 words, but am trying to find evidence that...
- Hi Joe,If you remove Persepolis anywhere, you must maintain the number of works in translation studied (a minimum of one at SL, and a minimum of two at HL). In other words, all the criteria outlined on pp.21-22 of the study guide must be met...
- Hi Clara,As long as the student is not otherwise studying The Hunger Games (say in a language B they are studying), there is no 'technical' issue. However, students should exercise cautious in writing about works of young adult fiction. Often,...
- Hello David,Thank you for your reply. I see what you mean with the SL selection being a bit 'thin'. I was initially planning to include only Maus, but we came across Persepolis and the kids really enjoyed it. However, now that you mentioned...
- Dear Tim and David, In our school we do English A and English B. One of our English A students wants to do her EE on one of the books that we are reading in English B (The Hunger Games). Would that be a problem?BestClara
- Hi Kathleent,The IB doesn't give us explicit and definitive directions here. The student should discuss the rest of the music video - in some fashion - for in the body of work portion. How many other music videos they should/must...
- David,Thank you so much for your response! You are one of our prime resources and really appreciate you taking the time.Harley
- Hi Tim,I have some students who have chosen to analyse a music video (extract is the last 45 seconds). In this case, is the reference to the Body of Work the rest of the music video and one other music video from the Body of Work? I would just...
- Hi Harley,I would prefer not to provide an apparently authoritative, unequivocal answer to that question. The probable answer is no, but it may depend on other factors (and you don't say much about the essay), and it may better to contact IB...
- Hi Joe,The IB could ask for portfolios, particularly if academic malpractice is suspected. In truth, this is highly unlikely. It may have taken place somewhere at some time, but I have never heard of it. One function of the learner portfolio...
- Hello Tim,Our school just got authorized for the DP and most of our teachers are new to the DP, and all of us could use some help, especially with some new changes in the IB curriculum. :)I understand we need 4 core literary pieces for SL and...
- Hi Nisreen,For the IO, students should use a non-literary body of work that was studied in class. So, in this case, they should use an excerpt (up to 40 lines) from an op-ed they studied in your class for the "extract." For the...
- Hi,I have a student who is interested in writing about a non-literary text for their Extended Essay and then also including it as part of their IOA. Is that possible?Thanks
- Hi Tim,This has been fantastic support! Thank you so much.All the best,Nas
- Hello,For Non-literary texts my students have done Op-eds. Should the op-Ed they use be from the ones we have studied in class or can they choose any article from the body of work of an author we have studied, provided it was not used for assessment?...
- Hi Clara,The HLE does not require students to explicitly mention one of the seven course concepts in the essay. It's not in the grading criteria, for example.Best,Tim
- Hi Nas,It depends on what you want out of your unit of study. Sometimes, teachers are explicit (say Angelou poems and the documentary 13th). We have some resources available for this documentary here: https://www.thinkib.net/englishalanglit/page/34940/part-2-a-documentaryOther...
- Dear Tim and David, One of my students has chosen this for her HL essay:What is the function of the play-within-a-play The Most Lamentable Comedy and Most Cruel Death of Pyramus and Thisbe in A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare?She...
- Hi Tim,That looks great, I completely overlooked Maya Angelou, so yes, happy to bring her in. For the final work in translation perhaps I could stick with The Woman from Tantoura for the HL student. I can't bring in Persepolis as it is on the...
- Hi Nienke,These are not questions we can answer in any official capacity. Please ask IB Answers.Were, students to ask these questions of me, my answers would be (i) no, that's collusion and therefore malpractice, and (ii) yes, the IO is, or...
- Hi Tim and David, Are students allowed to practise their IO with each other and give peer feedback? Are teachers allowed to give feedback to their outlines?Thanks in advance, Nienke
- Hi Eliza,I tried to track it down too. I also failed. I genuinely wish I could be of more help, but in this instance, I just don't know.Best,Tim
- Hi Tim,In the past, I've been able to track down the texts removed for copyright from context clues in the Subject Report or links to the original on the Assessed Student Work page of In Thinking. Any idea about where to find the N23 NatWest...
- Hi Nas,Thanks for clarifying everything as well as adding context. It really helps me help you. In terms of your overall syllabus, and changes you might make, you might consider Maya Angelou poetry (instead of CAD as you want to...
- Hi Tim,Thanks again for your quick response and it's much appreciated. Just for your information, I am based in the UAE and we have faced some issues concerning cultural sensitivity including more recent political events. And thus, for...
- HI Nas,I'm going to make three comments and put them in number order. This is only so I keep things straight in my head and hopefully this number order helps you out too!1. I can't give you any crystal clear feedback about your...
- Hi Benjamin,My short answer would be that I think you need to contact IB Answers. We can't give you a definitive call here as the guide is a bit gray in this area. It's so gray that the IB even recommends three ways around this...
- Hi Tim,Thank you for your quick response. The reason I was thinking ROTHMC was because in addition to Paper 2, I wanted to use it as practice for the IO, and as an option for students to use as their IO (with non-lit texts on racism)....
- Hi David, thank you for your prompt reply. However what I want to ask is, through the BOWs and pieces of literature that I have taught in my units so far I have done some summative assessments that mimic parts of the IO, including having students...
- Hi Nas,Without knowing your entire syllabus, I can't tell you if you are in "compliance" with the IB rules. What I can say is that I think teaching A Thousand Splendid Suns would be a better choice (in my opinion) than Roll of Thunder,...
- Hi Tim,Due to the cultural sensitivity of some of the texts we've previously studied, we have had to make some changes. Do you think it would bw possible to teacher Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor with The Metamorphosis by Franz...
- Hi Louise,I'm not sure what you mean - can you say more?We have a page like this one: https://www.thinkib.net/englishalanglit/page/43355/preparing-for-paper-1-the-commutation-game This is designed to scaffold student thinking, but it integrates...
- Hi Benjamin,I think it will help you to read what we have published and to listen to as many of our published IOs as possible (some of which contain transcripts). The IO is quite complex, as you suggest, consisting of a number of (not entirely...
- Hi Benjamin,It's important to say that we are not the IB, and so do not write with 'official authority'. However, the IO is an examination, and it is a 'one time' examination. Should a student freeze, find things challenging, swear, and so...
- Hello! I am wondering if you have a list of methods students should learn in order to engage/ analyse Paper 1 successfully? Thank you.
- Hi Tim. Another question, as part of my summative assessments I have had students do speeches similar to practice IOs about individual texts we have studied as part of the course. Can students use these texts as part of their IO? It is unclear...
- Hi Tim is it possible for students to redo their oral if they freeze or have a really hard time with it or if they want to resubmit it for other reasons?
- Thank you, David! This is helpful.. Appreciate it.
- Thanks, Tim, that's very helpful indeed! Best, Christa
- Hi Laura,Oh my! Thank you for your keen eye! I've now deleted that sentence. We appreciate the feedback!Best,Tim
- Hi Christa,I'm unsure about topic A. Why? The IB has made it clear that song lyrics are considered poetry and writing about poetry would be a C1 EE. As such, the RQ seems to be more sociological/linguistic based and not centered...
- Hi Lara,The IB doesn't tell us explicitly. This is why many teachers advise their students to not use poetry or short stories in Paper 2. It's not unheard of, but it does (perhaps) add an extra layer of complication.More than 1...
- Hi Shannon,The exam is 1 hour and 45 minutes long (for both HL and SL). In the actual exam, students also get 5 minutes of "reading" time - time to read the exam, but they aren't allowed any writing utensils during this time. Best,Tim
- Hi Reena,There isn't. However, on this page - written for students - it helps them in the process to come up with a global issue for their IO. You can find the page here: https://www.thinkib.net/englishalanglit/page/40091/what-are-global-issuesThe...
- How long do students get to write Paper #2? I'm sorry if I missed it on the summary!
- Hello.Is there a specific way for students to come up with a Research question for their IO?
- Dear Tim and David, I would greatly appreciate your thoughts on two cateory 3 EE ideas of a student of mine: Topic A) English as a lingua franca in music lyrics, based on 2-3 songs (draft research question: "What linguistic strategies...
- Hello Tim and David, If candidates are to use a collection of poems as their first literary work and a novel as the second for their paper 2 examination, how many poems are they advised to use for their analysis? Same question applies...
- Thank you Tim, I really do appreciate it, a very sensible approach to my dilemma:)Have a nice weekend!Reka
- 'Written task 2' from the old syllabus is mentioned under 'Extra!'. A useful resource nonetheless - thank you!
- Hi Reka,Of course we don't mind! We're here to help! My short answer would be 3-7 short stories seems in the right range. Here's my longer answer: Depending on the length and complexity of the short stories in question, 3 of them...
- Dear Tim and David,Another EE-related question, if you don`t mind, short stories again, Category 1 EE. I have a student writing on the deterioration of the protagonist`s psyche in Doris Lessing`s collection of short stories entitled To Room...
- Hi Tracy,There are two category 3 EEs on the site. They are pre-2018, so a little outdated, but the nature of EEs hasn't fundamentally changed over time, so you get a perfectly good sense of how a student could approach a cat 3 EE. You can...
- Hello David. I was going through some of the sample EEs here and am wondering if you could point me towards some examples for a Category 3 EE? Would it be possible for you to add a couple here for reference too?
- That clears it up- thank you Tim. And thank you for your reply on previous question! All very helpful.
- Hi Olivia,I've now responded to your question about the outline and Managebac. As for this question, my understanding is no. Students must come into the "exam room" with clean copies of their extracts and outline. However,...
- Hi Olivia,Our sincere apologies. David and I rarely miss questions, and we seem to have (somehow) missed yours. Again, we're sorry it took so long to respond!There is no need to upload the outline/bullet point plan. The IB...
- Hello,I'm not sure if you saw my question above? I also wondered if you could clarify something we are not sure on- are students allowed 5 minutes before their oral begins to highlight (no notes) their outline or extract? Thanks,Olivia
- Hi Angel,The IB doesn't tell us. You will have to ask IB Answers for a definitive answer here. However, 6-9 seems like a good number, giving the length and the requirements (if so desired) to use it in an assessment component. That...
- Hi Lisette,I'll make a couple of comments to hopefully clarify things. 12 works of art by Barbara Kruger is a perfectly fine amount to use to create a non-literary body of work to study in class. Now, would a student use all 12...
- Hi Tim, I came upon a series of videos "Private Snafu" that Warner Bros Studios produced for the US Army during WWII. How many videos would constitute a BOW? And should the author just be Warner Bros Studios? ThanksAngel
- Hello David and Tim. I have seen and read all the comments and advice. I find myself, however, a bit puzzled, if my student now wishes to write an HL essay on Barbara Kruger's photos. Would a body of work consisting of around 12 photos...
- Hi Albert,I wouldn't worry at all if the essays have been been written, as you say, without collaboration. And, as you say, or suggest, there is some inevitability about all of this given the emphasis of your teaching. I should imagine that...
- Hi TimI have a group of ten HL students and four of them have chosen to do their HL essay on The Stranger by Camus, The four have very different titles but they all consider the narrative voice as that was the focus of my teaching They...
- Hi Nick,I mean in terms of grade boundaries. I don't think it's particularly controversial to say that many teachers experience some difficulty in applying marking criteria. Nor is it controversial - and I'm quite confident in what I say -...
- Thanks very much David.Just to confirm, when you say it is likely to land in the 5+ grade band, do you mean on the scale out of 7? Or are you referring to the 5 or 6 out of 10 band in the first two criteria of the marking rubric for Paper 2?...
- That sounds about right, I`d say, David. Thank you so much. We`ll focus on 4 short stories overall, to ensure we have enough material to explore the theme. Kind regards,Reka
- Hi Reka,That sounds interesting. I know 'The Yellow Wallpaper' very well. I am not widely read in Gilman's wider body of work, but since she was a notable non-conformist, I imagine her other work shares concerns germane to the essay's focus....
- Hi Martin,Thanks for the offer. We do consider publishing materials from 'elsewhere' :) In truth we haven't done much of this (and perhaps not enough). Probably, the main reason for this is that Tim and I tend to know where our site 'requires...
- Hi Nick,This is a really good question. I have been a Paper 2 examiner for a very long time, and there is no doubt in my mind that there is a correlation between the quality of a response and its length. Yes, 2000 words of rubbish is rubbish,...
- Dear Tim and David,I have a student for a Category 2 EE. The topic is mental illness/treatment of nonconformity in society in the texts Han Kang The Vegetarian and the short stories of Charlotte Perkins Gilman The Yellow Wallpaper. I am just...
- Thanks, Tim, I found them!
- Hi Tim, I (finally!) made a unit on Requiem for the American Dream, the documentary with Noam Chomsky that our 40/40 IO student from a few years ago discussed. It is based on the structure you used for 13th, although I have gone into a bit...
- Hi guys! Bit of a tricky question for you. Essentially, how do we read the marking rubric when it comes to the amount that a student has written? All the wording in the rubric seems to relate to the quality of the understanding, the depth...
- Hi Lucirene,Unfortunately, we can't publish them here (because of copyright). You will have to get them from your IB Coordinator (they should have at least one of the exams) and/or buy them from the IB Store. Do know that - oddly...
- Dear David and Tim:Where can I find a copy of the May 2023 and the November 2023 specimen Paper 1s?Best regards,Mrs. Lucirene
- Hi Premila,We don't speak with an 'official voice' - we are not the IB - but I imagine the answer is yes. That notwithstanding, it makes a lot of sense to use (only) one artwork only as the extract.Kind regards,David
- Hi If students are using artwork as their extract for their IO, are they to only use 1 artwork as their extract?
- Great response, Tim…and, perhaps unsurprisingly, exactly the answer, almost to the word, which I gave my pupil.;)ThanksGod bless.
- Hi Amanda,The IB doesn't work on a "penalty" basis. Instead, they say that you are to read the criterion, C in this case, and determine what is the best fit. Work from the bottom up until you read the band that "best fits" what...
- Hi Paul,We can't give a "definitive" answer - only IB Answers can do that for you. However, I would be very, very surprised if they allowed this. Why? As you say, it's "double-dipping." And, as you say, they don't allow...
- Hi everyone, Quick question over here about the IO and timing. The IO is supposed to be 10 minutes in length followed by 5 minutes of Q&A. What if the 10 minutes is cut short and the student (because they were speaking quickly) ended...
- Dear David and Tim,A slightly more generic question than purely Higher Level Essay related - can a pupil use the same non-literary artist in English Langauage A as well as Spanish Language A for Individual Oral/assessment purposes, i.e. Banksy....
- Hi Flavia,Yes, they can. 40 is the maximum number of lines. It is often better to have far fewer lines than 40.Kind regards,David
- 18 February 2024
Flavia Marin-Drews
2021 Individual Oral: Exemplar 1 (Brave New World and Sara Rahbar)
Hi Tim, The extracts can be below 40 lines, correct? - Great exercise for understanding image, sound, and camera angles incorporated into a commercial to bring across a message. Wonderful!
- Hi Tim,That's what I thought. Thank you for confirming!Best,Suranji
- Hi Suranji,Actual quotations from the novel count toward the word count; they always have.However, the citation of the quotation does not count. I hope that clarifies things for you!Best,Tim
- Hello Tim,Lately, I've been hearing different comments about the quotations that students do in the EE in relation to the word count.Some are saying that the quotations from the novel do not count as IB only focuses on the analysis of the student...
- Hi Dave,I'm not familiar with this work, but what I can ascertain from an Internet search is that Alexievich is the author of this work, and not the editor of different voices. Assuming that's the case, no problem and no further comment needed.With...
- Cassy sends her best..she is head of English now, so my boss again...Another question for you... One of mine is using Alexievich's ''Chernobyl Prayer'' wihch is a collection of monologues from a range of people on the Chernobyl disaster. Does...
- Thanks for the tip about Henri Cartier-Bresson. Just the photographer I was looking for.
- Hi Tineke,I may be wrong here, and the IB may have updated their advice and I have not seen it or remembered it, but I don't remember a rule that there must be a minimum of 20 lines. Can you let me know where that has come from? And...
- What about using Poem 41 by Emily Dickinson? Would a student need more poems to reach the minimum of 20 lines for an extract?Kind regards, Tineke
- Hi Dave,Long time no hear! Hope all is well with you and yours!InThinking, obviously, is not the IB and so we can't provide an 'official' response. We should, I suppose, send you off to IB Answers for that 'official answer'. Here's what I would...
- Hey Tim, David. How are you two going??Quick question for you..I have a student wanting to do Szymborska's poems for her HL essay. The question she has is she has found a translation she likes more than the ones we did in class. Can she use...
- Hi Simona,We've published these differently. So, we have them as stand alone rather than both of them together. You can find the other portion - No Diet, No Detox - here: https://www.thinkib.net/englishalanglit/page/51205/2023-paper-1-sample-response-1-no-diet-no-detoxI...
- Hi, I´m missing the second part of Paper 1 - for HL students.
- 13 February 2024
David McIntyre
2021 Individual Oral: Exemplar 6 (Masters of War and Requiem for the American Dream)
Hi Brian,I think you make some very good points. This sample was offered to us (and we are thankful for that). It was moderated - it's difficult to imagine a full pot oral not being moderated. So, the examiner (or is it two in this case?) and... - 13 February 2024
Brian Carl
2021 Individual Oral: Exemplar 6 (Masters of War and Requiem for the American Dream)
Hi all, Thank you so much for sharing these samples. They've been an invaluable resource. I just wanted to ask about the grading of this specific sample. It was given full marks and after reading the transcript and the examiner's comments,... - Oh, and thank you to David for the Generation Wealth photo option.
- Dear Tim,Thank you for so many options. I will explore -- and possibly teach two of the list to ensure student options for pairings --- and let you know what worked and what worked well! Thank you again,Debbie
- Hi TimThank you, I appreciate your cautionary feedback and I share your apprehension. I have a meeting with my student today and will further discuss their planned approach. Thank you, again. Kind regardsYvette
- Hi Sara,It looks like you have changed Death of a Salesman to The Handmaid's Tale (from our earlier discussion) and added Persepolis as your work in translation (and 21st century work). All looks good to me. In the eyes of the IB,...
- 11 February 2024
Tim Pruzinsky
Make a Decision (Cycling) – Which Guided Textual Analysis is Better and Why (Two Lessons)
Hi Angelita,Thanks for the positive feedback! Best,Tim - Hi Tim, Thank you for your prompt reply. How does this look? - A Streetcar Named Desire- The Great Gatsby - A Doll's House (Work in Translation)- Persepolis (Work in Translation) - A World's Wife by Carol Ann Duffy -...
- 11 February 2024
Angelita Stephens
Make a Decision (Cycling) – Which Guided Textual Analysis is Better and Why (Two Lessons)
Thank you for this exercise. It was very helpful for my SL students, and I expect it to improve their Paper 1 analysis, focus, and structure. - Hi Sara,First, welcome to the IB and the Language and Literature course! At HL, you will also need to "hit" three time periods. You currently only have two. So, you will need to choose a work in translation from the 21st century...
- 11 February 2024
Tim Pruzinsky
Make a Decision (Cycling) – Which Guided Textual Analysis is Better and Why (Two Lessons)
Hi Angelita,I've just updated the page to include a (short) answer key. Best,Tim - 10 February 2024
Angelita Stephens
Make a Decision (Cycling) – Which Guided Textual Analysis is Better and Why (Two Lessons)
Do you have a quick answer key to the sentence level worksheet? - Hi InThinking team, New IB teacher here wanting to that I've hit all the necessary requirements for HL IB requirements. So far this year for our literary works, we have studied A Doll's House, A Streetcar Named Desire and The Great...
- Hello,I think it is best you ask this question to IB Answers. We can't provide an authoritative, unequivocal answer. In my view, if the episode is as long as a film (although what exactly that is/should be I couldn't say), then I think one...
- Hello. What if the student chooses to use a Black Mirror episode, say Nosedive, as her non-literary text. What should be the body of work? Is it enough to refer to the entire Nosedive since it has a runtime just that of a film or does she need...
- Hi Yvette,Yes, this is allowed for a C3 EE. So, two films, one in English and one sub-titled in English is fine. A quick word of caution - while I have not watched "Saltburn," I have read a bit about it. Some scenes in particular...
- Dear Tim Can you please clarify the following regarding an English A: Language and Literature Extended Essay Cat 3:May a student use two films, one produced in English and the other in Korean? Or does one of the texts (if the film is not...
- Hi Dorina,Not an issue! I'll take care of deleting the comments (in a day or so, once you read this). And yes, please ask on the English B page as they are the specialists for English B EEs.Best,Tim
- Hi Tim,Sorry I meant this is an English B EE (I teach both, so I'm registered in both), Cat 2b and the movie serves as the cultural artefact. My apologies for the confusion, would you like me to delete my comment from here and move it to the...
- Hi Dorina,Okay, so this is an English A EE. It's a C3 as it's a film. And she has written a full complete draft. My personal opinion - and this is just a personal opinion - is to remove "to what extent" and replace it with...
- Oops, sorry Tim! I got confused with the English B website. Indeed, she has written it and is on the second draft already. At the moment she’s working on her secondary sources. Best, Dorina
- Hi Iain,Click in the margin on the left - May 2023 Paper 1s. A menu of samples - currently 5 - will drop down for you.Best regards,David
- I'm not sure where to find the link.
- Hi Harley,I don't know of any "curriculums" you can buy out there - either for IB English Language A: Language and Literature or MYP. There are, of course, textbooks from Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press. Of...
- Hi Dorina,Before I provide more feedback, I have a couple of questions. Is this an English A or English B EE? And how much has she already written? Once I know a bit more, I can be more explicit in my feedback. Thanks!Best,Tim
- Hi Debbie,Thanks for letting me know - and anyone else who reads this thread know - that the documentary is NOT appropriate for use in the course! Okay, so David has suggested the photos we have curated from Generation Wealth. I...
- Hello,Our school is needing to purchase an IB Language & Literature curriculum. Which outfit do you recommend?Also, is there an MYP curriculum that follows the DP version appropriately? Our school has both MYP and DP.Thanks,Harley
- Hi David,I am writing to ask for your feedback on the research question that a student of mine worked on for her EE. The question is the following:To what extent does the film Harry Potter and The Order of Phoenix reflect the...
- Hi Tim and David,I have a question about what to upload for the IOs on managebac. There is a space for the bullet point plan, but I have read that this should not be uploaded- are you able to offer any advice on this?Thanks,Olivia
- Hi Tim, Thank you for the confirmation on the documentary; however, I just watched it last night, and I would probably be fired if I showed my students that much nudity (pornography) or even assigned it for outside watching. I'm back at...
- Hi Nick,The IB is pretty clear that the Q+A is a chance for students to shine. In other words, it matters. Now, as you point out, how much does it matter? This isn't as clear (is any marking?). In your particular case,...
- Hi Debbie,Yes, you can definitely use the documentary Generation Wealth. The IB considers full length documentaries as a non-literary body of work. Best,Tim
- Thanks Tim! It´s so reassuring to know this isn´t a trivial concern, or one which I had invented! If I may, could I take the opportunity to ask another question relating to grading these orals? Essentially my question is, how much...
- Dear David, Yes, I agree, I believe students should inductively work through the oral texts they will connect to a global issue, as well as find their own nuanced global issue. I do this more naturally with my IB Literature course than...
- Hi Cecilia,Three shots will be fine + concomitant lyrics. The extract from the music video must be sequential. Note that it isn't necessary that the global issue was studied in class. It is essential that the music video, as part of a body...
- Hello, One of my students is has selected 3 still shots from music video that addresses a global issue that was studied in class. The objective is to include key images and lyrics in the non-literary text analysis; however, I am...