Languages A1/A Literature
For discussion on Languages A1/A Literature ONLY.
There is a separate forum for Languages A2, B and Ab Initio and a subforum for A Literature & Language.
Subforums
-
- 1.7k
- posts
- English IO
- By Semper,
2,240 topics in this forum
-
Mine was Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys interview with main character ( Antoinette Cosway)
Last reply by pelumi, -
Tough! Okay, maybe not that harsh, but basically: you have to find a topic yourself as this is something you are assessed on. We will happily critique the topics you've found, say whether they're great, rubbish or average and give you plenty of guidance if you ask for it, but we will not give you a topic to write about. It's part of your grade, not ours! Good places to start for searching your OWN topics are sites or books with notes on major themes and characters (e.g. Sparknotes!) which may inspire you. Main themes, characters and symbols are always excellent ways to start thinking about what you want to write about As a hint! You can also find tips on the tips thread.…
Last reply by Schrodinger's CAS, -
- 42 replies
- 160.6k views
Tips for the A1 Individual Oral Presentation (IOP) Skip to: Marking Criteria 1. Topics can be quite general This isn't like the World Literature papers where your question has to be absolutely dead on target. You can pick from themes, characters, symbols, sections and so on. You're at liberty to make this into something of a discussion topic and you shouldn't fret too much about what title you give to the presentation, provided you can give it a decent introduction and conclusion. Even something as simple as "the theme of Death in Book X" should be fine. Remember the IOP is pretty chilled out (which is why it's often the first thing to be tackled). 2. Use your presenting…
-
- 23 replies
- 265.2k views
My classmate sent me this for tomorrows exam and I found it to be most helpful, so I wanted to share it with you guys A good way is to discuss the following for both prose and poetry: · The five W’s – What? Who? When? Where? Why? · Ambiguities · Diction · Imagery · Tone · Mood · Structure · Pattern · Voice · Syntax Prose-specific: · Plot · Narrative point of view · Characterization · Chronology (Use of time) · Setting · Paragraphing Poetry-specific: · Layout · Stanzas · Metre · Sound Organization of Time: 30 minutes – Read the passage, over and over again until you feel confident about the passage and have absorbed its contents. Then analysis and structure your commentar…
Last reply by JeffThorsen777, -
- 21 replies
- 22.1k views
Here are some tips and suggestions for reading books (for A1 languages ) during IB. Not comprehensive; all suggestions and additions appreciated! 1. Read the books early. If possible don't leave the book reading too late... i.e. preferably before you begin working on it in school, and the first time (more about this later) if possible before the start of the school year/term. This takes some of the load off of you during the school year, when you will have homework and other time-erasing responsibilities. 2. Read the books often. In the simplest terms, more is better. There's no universally accepted 'magic number': you can read the books as many times as you want. But I'd…
Last reply by MariadaPenha, -
- 21 replies
- 113k views
Tips for the A1 Individual Oral Commentary (IOC) 1. Find out how your teacher wants to play it... Okay very technically speaking the rules re: the IOC state that you should be presented with a series of envelopes each containing an extract totally unknown to you from any one of the texts/poems etc. you have studied. However, quite a large percentage of IB schools seem to be into alternative versions of the rules, including some where they will let you choose which texts they'll use and even the odd school where they let you choose your extract. Clearly if your teacher is going to let you select which novel you want to get, you're in with an advantage (and can save yoursel…
Last reply by 239sama, -
- 0 replies
- 14.1k views
Here are the links to the notes and sample essays for Languages A1 we have on our Files archive. To be able to download files, you have to be a VIP member or a VIP subscriber. Please see the FAQfor information on how to become a VIP or how to buy a VIP subscription. If you want to donate and contribute files to our archive, please see this announcement or this FAQ section. Languages A1 English A1 Exam techniques and essay notes Tips and notes on how to approach essays, commentaries, oral commetaries and presentations Work-specific notes Notes on specific works of English A1 literature Sample essays Sample essays for English A1,…
Last reply by Survival Robot, -
- 179 replies
- 28.8k views
I once talked to Lc about this. Yesterday I was just having a conversation with one of my classmate about a lit course she's doing and we got around to talk about our A1 books, which is one depressing list. I challenge you to find an A1 text list more laden with pessimism, death, doom and gloom than mine. Part I: Sophocles: Oedipus Rex - you can't get much more depressing than this tragedy, unless you're doing Antigone. Camus: The Outsider - for a while it got me thinking in a very existentialistic way, which, someone like me, is really scary. Buchner: Woyzeck - it's about jealous rages and murder. Part II: Conrad: Heart of Darknes - a bundle of joy, that one. …
Last reply by meghankdm, -
- 67 replies
- 9.1k views
hey everyone, my english teacher told me that it is very rare to get a 7 in English A1. she said that last year she only gave out two 7's in the entire year! is this normal? is it like this at your school? does anyone have any tips? thanks
Last reply by herong2x, -
Spanish help 1 2 3
by Guest CNguyen90- 56 replies
- 5.4k views
This is my first post and I really don’t know if I’m doing this right. Anyways, I was wondering if anyone could help me with Spanish. I will be in IB Spanish four this upcoming school year yet I can barely read and understand very little of what my teacher is saying. I have tried online help and even went out and bought the $130 CD-rom to learn Spanish fluently. Yeah.. DOESN’T WORK! I have a Cuban friend who has attempted to help me, however gave up on the third day. Quite sad actually. Can anyone help me?
Last reply by Bandev, -
IB Bilingual Diploma 1 2
by Guest latingring0- 37 replies
- 9.8k views
Hey fellow IB kids! I am a Senior at Andrew P. Hill High School and I am pursuing the IB Bilingual Diploma. I was wondering if there was anyone else out there insane enough to do the same
Last reply by masochist, -
- 37 replies
- 4.6k views
Ya I'm having problems with my IA's for English too...I really hate the whole English program in my school, mainly because we're forced to take HL in all our Humanities classes. Does everyone else around the globe have to take English HL? Or is it just our stupid school?
Last reply by vp1173, -
Does anyone else find this course a joke? I'm doing it at HL and I have an easy 7 in it without doing anything. I can only imagine how much more slack it'd be if I were in SL.
Last reply by Swasub, -
- 32 replies
- 9.9k views
hello, I was wondering if Perfume and The Stranger are not permissible anymore as world lit. books. I've read them both and loved them, so if we can (teachers) choose them I'd have a talk with my teacher. Also, does anyone have the list of books we can read? thanks
Last reply by rrswong, -
- 29 replies
- 7.1k views
Hey guys, basically I was looking back at my WLA and the criteria before, and still don't understand why it got the grade it got. However when I asked my teacher she told me "it's probably because of your topic being cliche" she is still waiting for the examiner's report, so I will verify if that is the reason or not. So post your WLA titles on here, not because I'm redoing it or anything, so that others might havea better understanding of what a "6" or "7" essay title is like... mine was: "The role authority in Lorca’s The House of Bernarda Alba and Anouilh’s Antigone. To what extent can authorities be described as tyrants?" which received a 5, after about 9 drafts o…
Last reply by Vvi, -
- 27 replies
- 3.3k views
Vamos a practicar Espanol. Que hace para mejorar tu espanol? Mi professora hace nada en el primor ano de class.
Last reply by saya, -
- 26 replies
- 13.8k views
hi! just want to know how other people in the world who is doing Vietnamese A1 doing? I'm doing self-taught at the moment and my Oral is in 3 weeks. until now I still have no clue what should I do for my oral!=.=
Last reply by Kelly Do, -
- 24 replies
- 4.2k views
Okay, first of all, what works are you all doing? I'll start: Hamlet- Shakespeare The Crucible- Arthur Miller The Importance of Being Earnest- Oscar Wilde Antigone- Sophocles My teacher usually gives out a sheet of possible areas/topics to analyze for each work that we do. If it seems that other people are doing the same works then I'll type whatever I have and then we can discuss answers etc. Sound okay to you guys?
Last reply by momo521, -
- 24 replies
- 3.5k views
Whoop-de-doo I really don't remember the teacher telling us about this last week but she's convinced that she did (she seems to be the only though). Whether she did tell us, I'm going to have to do my recorded oral commentary this wednesday...not exactly something I'm looking forward to, but at least i'll be done with it *shrug* Have you guys got any tips/suggestions/advice which might help me secure some good marks? I suppose taking out a knife and threatening the teacher to keep on rewinding the tape until I get 30/30 would be slightly out of line?
-
- 24 replies
- 12.8k views
I promise, this is the last time I'll be bugging you guys about any sort of oral...my last oral, for french, is coming up soon and although I already have a topic (something on juvenile delinquency) I was wondering if you guys could suggest me a few other ideas. I onyl chose my current topic because I had to choose something - for some reason I can't seem to think of anything that would really interest me at the moment, so I'd be much obliged if you could think of something. Current/recent events would be great as well, e.g. NASA discovery, some global controversy, a united nations problem etc...yeah such events seem easy enough to remember but my brain doesn't seem to be…
Last reply by MissyMurphy, -
- 23 replies
- 3.3k views
Hello guys~! So let me get straight to the point here... In 3-4 weeks time, my class will be having an oral presentation (10mins. minimum) discussing about a novel or poem of our liking to the class about it's literary effects wand what not. So, knowing I don't have that wide range of knowledge on Lit. Effects, and having a dilemma of which poem to pick, I ask you guys this... Which of the 3 poems do you think I should present? Ode for Ted by Sylivia Plath Tulips by Sylvia Plath After Apple Picking by Robert Frost I wish to do mine on Ode for Ted, but, it seems it doesn't have that much I can look or present in it, whereas Tulips and After Apple Picking has... So, f…
Last reply by nametaken, -
Hi, anyone knows what are the criteria for the A1 orals, specifically arabic.... or is it for all languages in general ?? i want to make sure cuz our orals deadlines are approaching... thanx
Last reply by __inthemaking, -
- 23 replies
- 24.4k views
In December, all the A1 English students (standard or higher level) have to do these oral commentaries where you go into a room (where there is a teacher, of course) and pick randomly from a table an extract from some previously studied literary work. As soon as you open the envelope that contains the extract, you have twenty minutes to read, analyse, and write a plan for an oral commentary on the extract. After your planning time has finished, you have to present your oral commentary to the teacher (and it should be around 12 minutes long). So I'll be doing this next month, and I was wondering if anyone has tips or pointers for preparing for this, or things to keep in mi…
Last reply by Kikkicrazy, -
- 23 replies
- 2.9k views
I was thinking about my Wold Lit 1 topic and this is what i came up with. What do you guys think? (I know I still need to find what effect these images have on the book) 1. The repulsive imagery of the pimple from Rashomon by Ryunosuke Akutagawa and the "hanging intestines" from Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (not necessarily the hanging intestines but the whole image of Santiago Nasar being stabbed - How would I phrase that?)
Last reply by bohemian03, -
- 22 replies
- 8.8k views
I am studying Death and the maiden Streetcar named desire the crucible Can someone tell me how I ought to start preparing?
Last reply by benjaminlee92, -
- 21 replies
- 14.4k views
Is there a big difference between English A1 HL and SL in terms of IA and how high your grades are?
Last reply by Aak, -
- 21 replies
- 4.3k views
What languages does your school offer? is it possible to take a dialect as a language? is it possible to take 3 languages in IB or is 2 max? (such thing as a trilingual diploma? )
Last reply by miis0raaa, -
- 21 replies
- 7.2k views
Hey all, I was just curious to know what things are considered (mark-wise) to make up the English A1 HL score for the IB program. My teacher told me it is: IOP WL1 WL2 IOC Paper 1 Paper 2 I was curious to know, because I've not seen any mark boundaries that include the IOP. I've only seen them with INDIVIDUAL ORAL, which I would assume is the IOC. Does anyone know what happens to the IOP grade? Thanks!
Last reply by Tilia, -
- 20 replies
- 2.4k views
We have read Chronicle of a death foretold, Pedro Paramo, and Dom Casmurro. All of the topics concerning guilt and narrative techniques are taken, so i thought i would talk about comapring animals (actual animals not animal imagery) between Chronicle and Pedro. I dont have a topic question yet, but in general, i'll be comparing how animals in both seem to either embody the emotion of the people surroudnign them, how animals aid in setting the atmosphere, and how animals are used to show character roles (or character revalations). Are these too broad? Please help.
Last reply by CBL4E, -
Arabic A1 English BH 1 2
by Guest Osamawi- 20 replies
- 3.1k views
well, i am in real need of pastpaperss
Last reply by Aboud, -
- 19 replies
- 2.8k views
Or do we have to stick with what we do study in class? Edit: Given that it is an IBO approved text
Last reply by ecieee, -
- 19 replies
- 4.9k views
Mine is ' How Gregor and Mersault in the Outsider and the Metamorphosis act as a tragic hero which leads them to their own fate'
Last reply by decemberflower, -
- 18 replies
- 6.6k views
Hi all, My school will offer A1 in these languages next year. I am recruting and hiring for literature and language instructors and would like to be able to provide them with as much guidance as possible when they are putting together their syllabi, currciulum, and book lists. If anyone has a program for any of these languages/literatures that they would like to share with a new international school, please share All suggestions are welcome. I have already download all I can on this topic from the OCC. Thank you kindly in advance for your help. We are thrilled to be able to develop our IB program in this way.
Last reply by IB Andy, -
- 18 replies
- 2.2k views
My English teacher wants us to write a comparative essay by contrasting two novels we have studied this year but she hasn't told us what structure it needs to be in. Am I meant to group the paragraphs by themes/points or by the novels?
Last reply by Mattias, -
- 18 replies
- 2.1k views
My IOP is on Tuesday! I procrastinated a little too much, I'm ashamed to say, and ended up writing the whole thing Friday night, and have rehearsed it maybe 6 or 7 times? I'm confident in my material (I'm doing mine on the structure of shame in Oedipus Rex by Sophocles and Equus by Peter Shaffer), though I'm definitely going to practice more tonight and tomorrow, as much as I can! My presentation is basically entirely thematic so the only visuals I have are a movie clip at the beginning (a scene from The Birds by Hitchcock where a man has his eyes pecked out) and then just rolling pictures of various scenes from each play. I've practiced in front of my parents and my frie…
Last reply by Sandwich, -
- 18 replies
- 2.6k views
I read three books: 1) The stranger : I really hate it 2) The old man and the sea: Like it so much. 3) Hamlet: very nice book what did you read or going to read. And what your opinion about them.
Last reply by daxx, -
- 18 replies
- 7.7k views
hey there! I'm kind of confused over how to structure my essay: #1- Intro Work 1 Work 2 Concl. or #2- Intro POC (point of comparison) 1 POC 2 POC 3 i had originally structured my world lit using #2, however when my teacher read my draft she told me that i should change the structure and stick to one work to "drill deep" before moving onto the second...(by the way: my topic is how the playwrights have used symbolism to represent slavery and freedom) so my question is this, do i follow my english teachers advice? or should i take the risk and attempt to structure my essay so that it doesn't sound like a ping-pong game (constant back and forth momentum) oh and lastly, sho…
Last reply by rAiiNaa.xx, -
- 17 replies
- 4.2k views
Hello, my final world literature essay is due in 1 week, the last topic that i wrote my example on was too poorly expressed, and thus my teacher advised that i change topics. So i have therefor come to the topic of The use of empowerment and dis-empowerment and how it is observed between the character conflicts of Gerardo and Paulina Escobar from ' Death and the Maiden' in comparison to that of Nora and Torvald from 'A Dolls House' Please aid me in defining this question if need be or offer any advice that you can, i am in desperate need as i am a little worried it is not strong enough or possibly does not have enough backing behind it.
Last reply by YOLO, -
- 17 replies
- 3k views
for my recorded oral for English I'll most likely get one of Frost's poems, - just out of curiosity, out of Mending Wall and The Road not Taken which poem do you think is the deeper, more interesting one? As in, which poem do you think you'd find most to talk about?
Last reply by cixelsyD, -
- 17 replies
- 2.2k views
Write what books you were given in english a1 SL and if you liked them or not
Last reply by MAAD, -
- 16 replies
- 2.4k views
I'm handing in my choices of subjects tomorrow (I'm in the Pre-IB) and for group 6 I've chosen Spanish Ab Initio. So, to those of you who study this; What do you think about it?
Last reply by Rose, -
- 16 replies
- 2.5k views
Every year, I keep on getting the same phrase: don't take English A1 HL! It's too hard! You'll never get a 7 (or a 6 for that matter)! So my question is basically why? Is it truly that hard to get even a 6? Last year, there was only one or two 6's--no 7's. All the Arabic A1 people (since there are only two A1 and A2 languages offered in our school) keep telling me that English A2 is extremely easy, as it doesn't require as much analysis of the books and the syllabus is very flexible. But really, I don't find English that hard. It's not an easy subject, that's for sure. Really, all we do in class is answer a question he writes on the board. We're having our class presenta…
Last reply by jess1ca, -
- 16 replies
- 297.1k views
A lot of people get scared by the prospect of doing a commentary on something they have never seen before, but really, paper 1 isn't hard at all, and a 7 is relatively easy to get. What is required of you: You'll be judged on five criteria, each with five markband descriptors. The highest mark you can get is 25. The criteria and the requirements to achieve five marks in each are listed below. Criterion A : Understanding of the Text 5 : Excellent understanding of the text # perceptive understanding of the thought and feeling expressed in the text as well as some of the subtleties of the text # detailed and persuasive references to the text. Criterion B: Interpreta…
Last reply by J-bone, -
- 16 replies
- 13.5k views
Hey! So my summer break is almost over and so far I have not done much (I was part of the staff team in a summer camp and I still have an IB revision course ahead of me). Now I am scared of the next months, EE and everything :/ Anyhow, I have fortunately already written my first World Lit. Assignment before the break so that I just have to correct it now. What is subject to the word count?? In some instructions we received, it says: "Quotations from works must be included in the word count, but footnotes and bibliographies are not to be included". So do I need to count the research question and all the stuff on the title page or not? Thanks!! (Hopefully the answer is not …
Last reply by Hyperbole, -
- 15 replies
- 1.2k views
Has anyone read the shawshank redemption or the body by stephan king ? or in praise of shadows?? If so please could someone help me with a topic idea? I have none and im stressing out its due on monday!!! Would really appreciate it
Last reply by Nutella_lover, -
- 15 replies
- 21.1k views
I have my first creative assignment due and we have to write a statement of intent except my teacher didnt really explain how to write one.. I'm doing my creative assignment as a critic's review of "Like Water for Chocolate" by Laura Esquivel and was wondering if anyone can tell me what makes a really good statement of intent, what i should add in it?
Last reply by Hannah.M, -
- 15 replies
- 3.9k views
Hi guys, Do any of you know what is the quickest/ fastest method to score for English at Higher level? recently, I got back my preliminary grades and they were horrible!!!!!! I need to get at least a 6 for the year end ecaminations. Could you please give me some tips ont o how to score better for english?
Last reply by Mr. Shiver, -
- 15 replies
- 3k views
Is this title good? Does it sound right? How does the element of supernatural help represent guilt in the protagonists of Like Water for Chocolate and Therese Raquin?
Last reply by IBfreakingout!, -
- 15 replies
- 2.5k views
Are your teachers also obsessed about metaphors, similes, oxymorons, alliterations, synecdoches, metonymys...?? here you can discuss about and ask help ! Let me start with a question....what is the figurative language in "women were curing him"...i know it relates to curing...as if it were a medicine but i dont know what it is! FIRE AWAY....hehe isnt that fig language??
Last reply by rrswong, -
- 15 replies
- 10.7k views
hey, i have to do my english IB oral in just two weeks!!! and the books we have read so far are "The Great Gatsby" "Pride and Prejudice" "Chronicle of Death Foretold". We are supposed to choose one of these books and do an oral on it......we can choose the topic and then do like 15 minute oral, which shows knowledge, context, presentation, interpretation etc etc..... CAN SOMEONE PLEASE SUGGEST me any topics on one of these books (i like the Great Gatsby a lot)..........and if you have already done an oral on one of these books where you either analyzed the character, setting etc -- COULD U PLEASE POST IT UP.....it would really help me as this is my first oral!!! and i ha…
Last reply by IBStuck,