Language A: Literature, 2011-13 HL and SL

SL: 3 Genres, 2 Places, 3 Periods

HL: 4 Genres, 2 Places, 3 Periods
Part 1
Works in
Translation

Part 2
Detailed Study

Part 3
Literary
Genres
Drama

Part 4
Options

Marquez, Chronicle of a Death Foretold

Ousmane, Gods Bits of Wood
Moliere, Tartuffe
(HL only)

Shakespeare, Hamlet
Sylvia Plath, Selected Poems
Gordimer, Selected Short Stories (HL only)

Shakespeare, King Lear

Miller, Death of a Salesman
Williams, A Streetcar Named Desire
Beckett, Waiting for Godot (HL only)

Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

Conrad, Heart of Darkness
Coetzee, Boyhood

Teaching Sequence 2011-13

Formative Assessment

Summative Assessment

Weighting
Part 4
(September
December 2011)

Part 1
(January early
May2012)

Part 3
(August- December
2012)

Part 2 (2 Texts)
(January May
2013)

Paper 1

Oral presentations,
Essays, Quizzes
based on texts in
P4, unseen
commentary
essays
Three Interactive
Orals
Three Reflective
Statements, 3
Supervised Essays,
unseen
commentary
essays
Comparative
Essays on works
studied, quizzes,
presentations,
unseen
commentary
essays
Oral presentations,
oral practice
assessment,
quizzes, essays
based on P2 works,
unseen
commentary
essays
Mock P1 in March
2013

IOP Presentations,
to be held final two
weeks of semester
in class

15 % (Internally
Assessed)

Final Essay to be
submitted August
2012. Feedback,
Final Draft due Oct
12

20% (Externally
Assessed)

Paper 2 Essay
Exam (December
2012 + Mock
Exam)

25 % (Externally
Assessed)

Individual Oral
Commentary, Mock
+ Final (March/April
2013)

15% (Internally
Assessed)

Paper 1 Unseen
Commentary (End
of Y1 Exam +
Mock)

25 % (Externally
Assessed)

Teaching Strategies

Pre-reading exercises: students encouraged to brainstorm about the core

issues and ideas raised by the works (in groups and/or class as a whole).

Where possible, this process should make full use of the international nature
of the class. For example, before students learn Antigone, could get them to
discuss and share their cultures practices/values around burial and
bereavement. Or a discussion about the impact of America on Hong Kong
culture could form the preliminary context for learning about Death of a
Salesman
Understanding context: Making students consider the
historical/cultural/political contexts that shape the works is important
(especially in Part One). This will be done partly through lecture style inputs
from teacher (via p/points, audio visual material, and so on). Students will
also be encouraged to do their own independent research into the way that
context affects works, particularly in the phase where they are doing texts
from Part One works.
Summary before analysis: Important to ensure that the students to have a
sound overall knowledge of the work from the outset. For example, for King
Lear a summary of the plot and an outline of the main features of the work
should be provided in the first lesson or two as a precondition of more
detailed and in-depth understanding and interpretation. (Note that it is
expected that students will have read the work at least once before starting
work on it.)
Close analysis of key passages and poems: This is an essential component of
the literary course, and should be built into most lessons and be a strategy
for both teaching and assessment in all parts of the programme. Both oral
and written close analysis skills should be developed over the course of the
two years so that students are prepared for the Paper One Unseen
Commentary and the Individual Oral Commentary.
A variety of teaching activities: Because of the reduced teaching time
available, it is sometimes necessary to adopt a teacher-centred approach.
However, it is important to keep the lessons varied by use of such things as
audio-visual material; debates; role-playing; and paired and group activities
that encourage the students to work in an independent fashion. Assignments
should include prepared presentations to the class on various topics. These
will enable students to teach their peers and test their learning in a very
direct way.

Mark Eyeington @ LPCUWC 2011