Table of Contents
📖 IBDP Language A: Language and Literature – Comprehensive Course Summary
📌 Subject Overview
IBDP Language A: Language and Literature explores both literary and non-literary texts, emphasizing how language constructs meaning and influences culture and society. The course develops analytical and communication skills through the study of literature, media, and other forms of textual communication.
🌟 Key Features
📖 Dual Focus: Combines literary analysis with media and communication studies.
🌍 Real-World Contexts: Examines how historical, political, and cultural influences shape texts.
🔍 Critical Perspectives: Encourages analysis of audience reception, text creation, and socio-political messaging.
🎯 Aims and Objectives
📝 Advanced Communication: Develop strong presentation and writing skills.
🌏 Cultural Exploration: Understand how identity, power, and culture shape language.
💡 Social Influence: Explore how language impacts perceptions and ideologies.
🔬 Analytical Skills: Enhance textual analysis across literature and media.
📖 Course Structure
Standard Level (SL)
4 literary texts + non-literary works
Covers novels, plays, poetry, media texts, and essays.
Higher Level (HL)
6 literary texts + non-literary works
More in-depth exploration of multiple genres and texts.
Both levels provide a diverse selection of texts, with HL requiring additional literary works and deeper analysis.
🔍 Areas of Exploration
📚 Readers, Writers, and Texts: Examines author intent, audience impact, and textual purpose.
🌎 Time and Space: Considers historical and cultural contexts of texts.
🔗 Intertextuality: Explores connections across different works and genres.
📝 Assessment Structure
For Both SL and HL:
Paper 1 (35%) – Textual Analysis: Analysis of unseen non-literary texts.
Paper 2 (SL 35%, HL 25%) – Comparative Essay: Comparison of studied literary texts.
Individual Oral (SL 30%, HL 20%) – 10-minute presentation on a global issue through selected texts.
HL-Exclusive Assessment:
HL Essay (20%) – A 1,200-1,500-word analytical essay on one studied text.
🔑 Key Skills Developed
📺 Media Analysis: Understanding how media constructs meaning.
🧐 Comparative Analysis: Evaluating literary and non-literary language use.
📝 Writing and Communication: Developing essays and oral interpretations.
📚 Example Texts
Literary Texts:
Things Fall Apart – Chinua Achebe (Colonialism and cultural identity)
Macbeth – William Shakespeare (Ambition and power dynamics)
Non-Literary Texts:
📰 News Articles: Analyzing bias in journalism.
🎙️ Political Speeches: Examining rhetoric and persuasion techniques.
📢 Advertisements: Understanding marketing language and media impact.
📝 Opinion Pieces: Evaluating argumentative writing and perspective.
🔄 SL vs HL Differences
📚 HL Requires Additional Texts: More extensive literary study and in-depth analysis.
📖 HL Essay: HL students write a research-based analytical essay on a chosen work.
🌍 Global Issues Explored
⚖️ Representation of Power: How power structures are reinforced or challenged in texts.
🌱 Cultural Identity: Examining how language reflects and shapes identity.
📢 Media and Propaganda: Investigating persuasive language in politics and media.
🎓 Career and Academic Relevance
Career Pathways:
📡 Journalism
🎭 Public Relations
⚖️ Law
📚 Publishing
🎓 Education
Academic Pathways:
📖 Linguistics
🌍 Cultural Studies
🎙️ Communications
📺 Media Studies
✅ Summary
IBDP Language A: Language and Literature bridges literary analysis with real-world communication, equipping students with critical thinking, analytical, and expressive skills applicable to various academic disciplines and careers.
