The new IB English curriculum is a diverse and unwieldy thing. Covering texts from different eras, genres, text types, genders, languages and continents – it’s enough to confuse anyone! But don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. This page will go through the specifics of the course, the assessments and how to do well, essay and exam tips, and some suggested texts for study. Notice something is missing? Please get in touch and let me know!
What is IB English Language and Literature?
The new curriculum (first assessment 2021) is all about global issues, context and culture and reading critically.
During this course, the IB suggests that:
- Students are expected to develop their proficiency, fluency and linguistic range, and in particular to acquire the vocabulary appropriate to the analysis of texts.
- They will deepen their understanding of a wide variety of concepts explored through literary and non-literary texts in order to interpret, analyse, evaluate and then communicate this understanding in clear, organized and developed products.
Both courses explore elements of language, literature and performance and focus on:
• the relationships between readers, writers and texts
• the range and functions of texts across geographical space and historical time
• aspects of intertextuality.
Language is treated more broadly in the language A: language and literature course. Literary texts are the sole focus of the language A: literature course, while the language A: language and literature course examines both literary and non-literary texts.
The study of literary, non-literary, visual and performance texts provides a focus for understanding how meaning is constructed within belief or value systems, and how it is negotiated across multiple perspectives generated by single or multiple readers. Thinking critically about texts, as well as responding to, producing or performing them, leads to an understanding of how language sustains or challenges ways of thinking and being. The study additionally builds an awareness that all texts may be understood in relation to their form, content, purpose, audience and their associated contexts, such as social, historical and cultural circumstances.
Essentially, the IB wants us to:
- Explore a range of texts – both fiction and non-fiction – from a variety of places and periods in history
- Explore multiple perspectives and develop our own arguments
- Examine the making of texts, including but not limited to word choices, language devices, structural and organisational features and genre.
- Compare texts and make connections between them.
Both the Language and Literature and Literature courses are, in essence, the same.
Both courses follow the same assessment structure but with minor differences.
| HL | SL | ||
| Paper 1 – Unseen analysis | 35% | Paper 1 – Unseen analysis | 35% |
| Paper 2 – Comparison of previously studied texts | 25% | Paper 2 – Comparison of previously studied texts | 35% |
| Oral assessment | 20% | Oral assessment | 30% |
| Coursework essay on a text of your choice | 25% |
For Language and Literature, the unseen analysis will include non-fiction media and one literary text, whereas for Literature it will be a choice between a poem and prose.
For Language and Literature, the oral assessment will compare a non-fiction text to a literary one. For the Literature course, the oral assessment will compare two literary texts – one in translation, one in English. Both courses compare/connect the texts through a global issue of the student’s choice.
The Literature course will include a much broader selection of literary texts.
This will differ between HL and SL students.
| HL | SL | ||
| English language texts | 6 | English language texts | 4 |
| Translated texts | 4 | Translated texts | 3 |
| Free choice texts | 4 | Free choice texts | 3 |
| Total | 13 | Total | 10 |
You may think then that there is more reading for Literature and, to a degree, that is correct. However, for the Language and Literature course, you will supplement the smaller selection of Literary texts with a large selection of non-fiction, ranging from newspaper articles to advertisements.
If you’re not sure which to choose, ask yourself whether you prefer studying a majority of:
- Poetry, prose and plays (Literature).
- Media, advertisements, newspaper articles, speeches, letters etc. (Language and Literature).
The English Revision Room 