English Language

What is the nature of English at FC?

The FC English course prepares students for six possible English courses at IB level: English Literature (HL or SL), English Language and Literature (HL and SL) and English B (HL and SL). Students will study both units of Literature and Language. In the Literature components, there will be an emphasis on improving students’ appreciation and understanding of Literature through the study of a variety of genres such as Poetry, Prose and Drama. In the Language units, the focus will be analysing and developing students’ understanding of how language works across a range of texts. Skills of analysis and evaluation are also developed alongside the ability to think independently. In order to prepare students for the rigorous demands of IB English, the Department aims to instil in students the importance of wider reading. Homework is an integral part of the course.

What is the approach to learning?

As students will be aiming to take one of six courses at IB level, differentiation by task and ability is key to this course.

In English Language, all students are taught to communicate accurately and effectively in both speech and writing. A range of skills are developed:

● The ability to understand and respond appropriately to what is heard, read and experienced. ● The ability to enjoy and appreciate a range of text types incorporating a variety of styles. ● The ability to analyse, synthesise and evaluate. ● The ability to effectively identify the audience, purpose and context of a range of texts.

For second language speakers of English, students will develop the skills below in addition to those above:

● The ability to communicate clearly and effectively in a range of situations, demonstrating linguistic competence and intercultural understanding ● The ability to understand and use language to express a range of ideas with accuracy and fluency ● The ability to organise ideas on a range of topics in a clear and convincing manner ● The ability to understand, analyse and respond to a range of written and spoken texts.

In English Literature, all students are encouraged to enjoy the experience of reading and to develop the following:

● An understanding of, and the ability to respond to, a range of literary texts from different periods in literary history. ● The ability to produce an informed personal response that is appropriate and effective. ● An appreciation of the ways in which writers use language to achieve specific effects. ● An understanding of the contribution of Literature to areas of human concern.

For second language speakers of English an additional area will be developed:

● Understand and use works of literature written in the target language.

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Students will study three main units during the year:

Area of Exploration Name of the unit: What will be included:

Readers Writers and Texts

January to May How Texts Move Us Poetry from Different Cultures A variety of poetry from the English speaking world.

Audio Visual Texts (music videos and media campaigns)

Advertisements and persuasive techniquesHow language is used to persuade- stylistic analysis.

Time and Space

June to September FC Exam: essay on an unseen poem, and an essay on an unseen

advertisement.

Borders and Barriers Personal Barriers/ Boundaries Language and gender How does language show bias?

Gatekeepers to the Media - barriers and borders

Media Bias What is news? To what extent are our views of the world our own?

Physical boundaries

Language and power How is language used to include and exclude?

The Great Gatsby (Novel study)

America in the 1920s- barriers in this context (prohibition, race, gender, social class, poverty, etc..)

Coursework: A 10 minute oral presentation on how an area of human concern is conveyed in two texts of the candidates choice.

Intertextuality

October to End of school year How Texts Entertain Us

Importance of Being Earnest – 19 Century play by Oscar Wilde

Analysis of different texts which satirise society- textual analysis.

What is the nature of assessment?

Students will be evaluated through a variety of summative and formative assessments which will be modeled on IB internal and external assessments. In addition, there will be a final FC examination towards the end of the year.

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