Changes to Paper 2 for May 2026 Exams and Beyond
Friday 9 August 2024
Attention Language and Literature teachers!
The IB has made a clear change to the Paper 2 assessment criteria. This change will take effect for first teaching in September of 2024 with first exams in May of 2026. What you need to do: For the start of this upcoming school year (for Northern Hemisphere schools), teachers need to adapt to these changes!
Changes Announced by the IB for Paper 2
You will have to login to My IB, but the link to the changes can be found here: https://resources.ibo.org/dp/news/364?categories=dp
Further details about these changes can be found on the Programme Resource Centre on My IB (in the coming months, according to the IB annoucement).
Changes to the Paper 2 Assessment Criteria
Criterion A: Knowledge, understanding and interpretation: this criterion is now out of 5 marks (prevoiusly it was worth 10 marks)
Criterion B: Analysis and Evaluation is still out of 10 marks but is now split into two different sub-categories, each worth 5 marks:
- Criterion B1: Analysis and evaluation of textual features and/or broader authorial choices (5 marks)
- Descriptor: To what extent does the candidate analyse and evaluate how meaning is shaped by the choices of language, technique and style, and/ or broader authorial choices
- Criterion B2: Comparative analysis (5 marks)
- Descriptor: How effectively does the candidate analyse similarities and/or differences between the two works studied?
Criterion C and D are unchanged. These changes apply to both the Literature and the Language and LIterature courses.
Implications: If you teach students who will take exams in May 2025 or November 2025, you must use the criterion you have been using this whole time. If you will teach students who will take exams in May 2026 or November 2026, you must use the new assessment criteria and the new point system.
InThinking Response: We will - in August - update our Paper 2 pages to reflect these new changes. As with any curriculum changes, we are here to help! Finally, reach out if you have any questions or want further clarifications. We will do our best to support you!
Best,
Tim and David