IB Pupil overview

English Literature

Aims of the course1. Engage with a range of texts in a variety of media and forms, from different periods, styles

and cultures.2. Develop skills in listening, speaking, reading, writing, viewing, presenting and performing3. Develop skills in interpretation, analysis and evaluation4. Develop sensitivity to the formal and aesthetic qualities of texts and an appreciation of how

they contribute to diverse responses and open up multiple meanings5. Develop an understanding of relationships between texts and a variety of perspectives,

cultural contexts, and local and global issues and an appreciation of how they contribute to diverse responses and open up multiple meanings

6. Develop an understanding of the relationships between studies in language and literature and other disciplines

7. Communicate and collaborate in a confident and creative way8. Foster a lifelong interest in and enjoyment of language and literature

Paper 1: Guided literary analysis SL/HL

Paper 2: Comparative essay SL/HL

Individual oral commentary SL/HL

Overview of the coursePaper 1: Guided literary analysis

Aim: Students write a guided analysis of one or two passages (depending on whether they are sitting Standard Level or Higher Level). A guided analysis in this context refers to an exploration of the passage supported by a guiding question which asks the students to consider a technical or formal aspect of the passage.

Assessment objectives

Know, understand and interpretStudents will need to show knowledge and understanding of literary forms and their ability to establish their own interpretation of the text or extract and to come to conclusions about it.

Analyse and evaluateStudents will explore a previously unseen literary passage and write a response to it analysing and evaluating how the writer’s choices have contributed to meaning.

Communicate Students are required to write a formal, well-organised and well-focused analysis using language appropriate to a formal essay.

How is the Guided literary analysis assessed?Exam: Paper 1: 35% externally assessed and worth 20 marksSL: An analysis of two passages, from two different literary forms. Students choose one passage and write an analysis of it. (1 hr 15 mins)HL: An analysis of two literary passages, from two different literary forms. Students write an analysis of each of the passages (2 hrs 15 mins)Links to the learner portfolio:In relation to the preparation of paper 1, the learner profile provides an opportunity for students to: Record responses to a passage or text read for the first time Formulate guiding questions for different passages, using them as a

lens through which to view those passages Assess which of the skills involved in paper 1 they feel less confident

in and use the portfolio to track their progress in the development of those skills

Keep a record of the literary forms covered in their practice of paper 1 skills, make sure that they have covered all possible literary forms that might appear in Paper 1, and assess how much of a challenge each one presents to them

Compare their successive practices of paper 1 to the first one they have done and monitor the evolution of their overall performance in the paper.

Paper 2: Comparative essay

Aim: Students write a comparative essay referring to two works studied during the course.

Assessment objectives

Know, understand and interpretStudents will need to show their knowledge and understanding of the works and interpret their implications and their similarities and differences, in connection with a given focus.

Analyse and evaluateStudents are required to write a comparative analysis and evaluation of two of the works studied in terms of the demands of a given question.

CommunicateStudents are required to write a formal essay which is well-organised, offers a balanced comparison between two works, and is clearly focused on a given question.

How is Paper 2 assessed?Exam: Paper 2: 1 hour 45 mins: 25% (externally assessed)Links to the Learner portfolio:In relation to the preparation of paper 2, the learner portfolio provides an opportunity for students to: Group the works studied according to a common theme or issue and

explore their similarities and differences Develop an awareness of the differences between literary forms, and

of the bearing these difficulties may have on how different works approach one theme or issue

Consider which combinations of works might be the most productive ones to address the variety of questions they might encounter in the actual paper

Inquire into the connections between the works studied, the areas of exploration and the central concepts of the course to gain awareness of the multiplicity of lenses that can be used when studying a work and the essay questions that these might potentially lead to

Compare their successive practices of paper 2 to the first one they have done and monitor the evolution of their overall performance in the paper.

Texts

Higher level essay

Aim: to develop students as independent, critical and creative readers, thinkers and writers by exploring a literary or language topic over an extended period of time, refining their ideas by means of a process of planning, drafting and re-drafting.

Assessment objectives

Know, understand and interpretStudents are required to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of one of the texts or works studied in relation to a line of inquiry they have selected.

Analyse and evaluateStudents are required to analyse and evaluate one of the texts or works studied in relation to a line of inquiry of their own choice.

CommunicateStudents are required to write a formal essay exploring a line of inquiry in relation to a text or work. The essay should be formal, well-structured and should evidence good citation and referencing skills.

How is the Higher level essay assessed?20% for HL only (externally assessed)

A 1,200 – 1,500 word formal essay which develops a particular line of inquiry of their own choice in connection with a literary text or work previously studied in class.Links to the Learner portfolio:In relation to the preparation of the HL essay, the learner portfolio provides an opportunity for students to: reflect on the ways in which each work they read relates to the seven

concepts of the course (Identity, culture, creativity, communication, perspective, transformation, representation)

keep an ongoing record of themes and issues they find interesting in relation to each of the works they read

explore how key passages in the works they have studied are significant in relation to those themes and issues

trace the evolution of their thinking and planning in connection with their chosen topic

record references for, and ideas and quotations from, secondary sources they might want to mention in their essay

reflect on the challenges that the HL essay poses for them as individual learners.

Individual oral

Aim: to develop an understanding of a global issue through the content and form of two of the works that you have studied.

How is the IOC assessed?IOC: 30% for SL and 20% for HL (internally assessed and externally moderated). 15 mins (10 mins: student individual oral; 5 minutes: teacher questions).Students select two works: one of them must be a text written originally in the language A studied and the other must be a work in translation (extracts must be no more than 40 lines) which are representative of a global issue. The IOC must be a well-supported argument about the ways in which the works represent and explore the global issue.

Assessment Objectives

Know, understand and interpretStudents are required to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of two of the works in their course of studies and interpret them in relation to a global issue.

Analyse and evaluateStudents are required to evaluate two of the works studied in terms of a global issue present in both of them, and analyse and evaluate how their unique perspectives are constructed by means of the authors’ choices

CommunicateStudents are required to deliver a well-organised, coherent, convincing and balanced oral which focuses on a global issue of their own choice.

Links to the Learner portfolio:In relation to the preparation of the individual oral, the learner portfolio provides an opportunity for students to: keep an ongoing record of the different global issues that could be related

to each of the works they read explore links that could be established between different texts on the basis

of common global issues they address explore how key passages in the works they have studied represent

different or similar perspectives on one global issue through both form and content

trace the evolution of their thinking and planning in connection with the global issue and how its cultural value, its definition and application to the works they read have changed through their inquiry

reflect on the challenges that the internal assessment poses for them as individual learners.

Assessment criterionPaper 1: Guided literary analysis (SL/HL)

5 marks 4 marks 3 marks 2 marks 1 mark 0 marksCriterion A: Understanding and interpretationHow well does the candidate demonstrate an understanding of the text and draw reasoned conclusions from implications in it?How well are ideas supported by references to the text?

The response demonstrates a thorough and perceptive understanding of the literal meaning of the text. There is a convincing and insightful interpretation of larger implications and subtleties of the text. References to the text are well-chosen and effectively support the candidate’s ideas.

The response demonstrates a thorough understanding of the literal meaning of the text. There is a convincing interpretation of many implications of the text. References to the text are relevant and support the candidate’s ideas.

The response demonstrates an understanding of the literal meaning of the text. There is a satisfactory interpretation of some implications of the text. References to the text are relevant and support the candidate’s ideas.

The response demonstrates some understanding of the literal meaning of the text. References to the text are appropriate.

The response demonstrates little understanding of the literal meaning of the text. References to the text are infrequent or are rarely appropriate.

The work does not reach a standard described by the descriptors on the left.

Criterion B: Analysis and evaluationTo what extent does the candidate analyse and evaluate how textual features and / or authorial choices shape meaning?

The response demonstrates an insightful and convincing analysis of textual features and / or authorial choices. There is a very good evaluation of how such features and / or choices shape meaning.

The response demonstrates an appropriate and at times insightful analysis of textual features and / or authorial choices. There is a good evaluation of how such features and / or choices shape meaning.

The response demonstrates an appropriate analysis of textual features and / or authorial choices.

The response demonstrates some appropriate analysis of textual features and / or authorial choices, but is reliant on description.

The response is descriptive and / or demonstrates little relevant analysis of textual features and / or authorial choices.

The work does not reach a standard described by the descriptors on the left.

Criterion C:Focus and organisationHow well organised and focused is the presentation of ideas?

The presentation of ideas is effectively organised and coherent. The analysis is well focused.

The presentation of ideas is well organised and mostly coherent. The analysis is adequately developed.

The presentation of ideas is adequately organised in a generally coherent manner. There is some focus in the analysis.

Some organisation is apparent in the presentation of ideas. There is little focus in the analysis.

Little organisation is apparent in the presentation of ideas. No discernible focus is apparent in the analysis.

The work does not reach a standard described by the descriptors on the left.

Criterion D: LanguageHow clear, varied and accurate is the language?How appropriate is the choice of register and style?

Language is very clear, effective, carefully chosen and precise, with a high degree of accuracy in grammar, vocabulary and sentence construction; register and style are effective and appropriate to the task.

Language is clear and carefully chosen, with a good degree of accuracy in grammar, vocabulary and sentence construction; register and style are consistently appropriate to the task.

Language is clear and carefully chosen with an adequate degree of accuracy in grammar, vocabulary and sentence construction despite some lapses; register and style are mostly appropriate to the task.

Language is sometimes clear and carefully chosen; grammar, vocabulary and sentence construction are fairly accurate, although errors and inconsistencies are apparent; the register and style are to some extent appropriate to the task.

Language is rarely clear and appropriate; there are many errors in grammar, vocabulary and sentence construction and little sense of register and style.

The work does not reach a standard described by the descriptors on the left.

Paper 2: Comparative Essay (SL / HL)9-10 marks 7-8 marks 5-6 marks 3-4 marks 1.2 marks 0 marks

Criterion A: Knowledge, understanding and interpretationHow much knowledge and understanding does the candidate demonstrate of the works? To what extent does the candidate make use of knowledge and understanding of the works to draw conclusions about their similarities and differences in relation to the question?

There is perceptive knowledge and understanding of the works and a persuasive interpretation of their implications in relation to the question answered.

The essay offers an insightful interpretation of the similarities and differences between the works used in relation to the question.

There is good knowledge and understanding of the works and a sustained interpretation of their implications in relation to the question answered.

The essay offers a convincing interpretation of the similarities and differences between the works used in relation to the question.

There is satisfactory knowledge and understanding of the works and an interpretation of their implications in relation to the question answered.

The essay offers a satisfactory interpretation of the similarities and differences between the works used in relation the question.

There is some knowledge and understanding of the works in relation to the question answered.

There is a superficial attempt to compare and contrast the works used in relation to the question.

There is little knowledge and understanding of the works in relation to the question answered.

There is little meaningful comparison and contrast of the works used in relation to the question.

The work does not reach a standard described by the descriptors on the left.

Criterion B: Analysis and evaluationTo what extent does the candidate analyse and evaluate how the choices of language, technique and style, and / or broader authorial choices, shape meaning?

The essay demonstrates a consistently insightful and convincing analysis of textual features and / or broader authorial choices. There is a very good evaluation of how such features and / or choices contribute to meaning.

There is a very good comparison and contrast of the authors’ choices in the works selected.

The essay demonstrates an appropriate and at times insightful analysis of textual features and / or broader authorial choices. There is a good evaluation of how such features and / or choices shape meaning.There is a good comparison and contrast of the author’s choices in the works selected.

The essay demonstrate a generally appropriate analysis of textual features and / or broader authorial choices.

There is an adequate comparison and contrast of the authors’ choices in the works selected.

The essay demonstrates some appropriate analysis of textual features and / or broader authorial choices, but is reliant on description.

There is a superficial comparison and contrast of the author’s choices in the works selected.

The essay is descriptive and / or demonstrates little relevant analysis of textual features and / or the broader authorial choices.

The work does not reach a standard described by the descriptors on the left.

5 marks 4 marks 3 marks 2 marks 1 mark 0 marksCriterion C:Focus and organisationHow well structured, balanced and focused is the presentation of ideas?

The essay maintains a clear and sustained focus on the task; treatment of the works is well-balanced. The development of ideas is logical and convincing; ideas are connected in a cogent manner.

The essay maintains a mostly clear and sustained focus on the task; treatment of the works is balanced. The development of ideas is logical; ideas are cohesively connected.

The essay maintains a focus on the task, despite some lapses; treatment of the works is mostly balanced. The development of ideas is mostly logical; ideas are generally connected in a cohesive manner.

The essay only sometimes focuses on the ask, and treatment of the works may be unbalanced. There are some connections between ideas, but these are not always coherent.

The essay rarely focuses on the task. There are few connections between ideas.

The work does not reach a standard described by the descriptors on the left.

Criterion D: LanguageHow clear, varied and accurate is the language? How appropriate is the choice of register and style?

Language is very clear, effective, carefully chosen and precise with a high degree of accuracy in grammar, vocabulary and sentence construction; register and style are effective and appropriate to the task.

Language is clear and carefully chosen, with a good degree of accuracy in grammar, vocabulary and sentence construction; register and style are consistently appropriate to the task.

Language is clear and carefully chosen with an adequate degree of accuracy in grammar, vocabulary and sentence construction despite some lapses; register and style are mostly appropriate to the task.

Language is sometimes clear and carefully chosen; grammar, vocabulary and sentence construction are fairly accurate, although errors and inconsistencies are apparent; the register and style are to some extent appropriate to the task.

Language is rarely clear and appropriate; there are many errors in grammar, vocabulary and sentence construction and little sense of register and style.

The work does not reach a standard described by the descriptors on the left.

Higher Level Essay5 marks 4 marks 3 marks 2 marks 1 marks 0 marks

Criterion A: Knowledge, understanding and interpretationHow much knowledge and understanding does the candidate demonstrate of the works? To what extent does the candidate make use of knowledge and understanding of the work or text to draw conclusions in relation to the chosen topic? How are ideas supported by references to the work or text in relation to the chosen topic?

There is excellent knowledge and understanding of the work or text shown through the essay and a persuasive interpretation of their implications in relation t the chosen topic.

References to the work or text are well-chosen and effectively support the candidate’s ideas in relation to the chosen topic.

There is good knowledge and understanding of the work or text shown through the essay and a sustained interpretation of its implication in relation to the topic chosen.

References to the work or text are relevant and support the candidate’s ideas in relation to the chosen topic.

There is satisfactory knowledge and understanding of the work or text shown through the essay and an interpretation of their implications in relation to the topic chosen.

References to the work or text are generally relevant and mostly support the candidate’s ideas in relation to the chosen topic.

There is some knowledge and understanding of the work or txt shown through the essay in relation to the topic chosen.

References to the work or text are a time appropriate in relation to the chosen topic.

There is little knowledge and understanding of the work or text shown through the essay in relation to the topic chosen.

References to the work or text are infrequent or are rarely appropriate in relation to the chosen topic.

The work does not reach a standard described by the descriptors on the left.

Criterion B: Analysis and evaluationTo what extent does the candidate analyse and evaluate how the choices of language, technique and style, and / or broader authorial choices, shape meaning?

The essay demonstrates a consistently insightful and convincing analysis and evaluation of textual features and the author’s broader choices in relation to the chosen topic.

The essay demonstrates an appropriate and at times insightful analysis and evaluation of textual features and the author’s broader choices in relation to the chosen topic.

The essay demonstrate a generally appropriate analysis and evaluation of textual features and the author’s broader choices in relation to the chosen topic.

The essay demonstrates some appropriate analysis of textual features and the author’s broader choices in relation to the chosen topic, but is reliant on description.

The essay is descriptive and / or demonstrates little relevant analysis of textual features and / or the author’s broader choices in relation to the chosen topic.

The work does not reach a standard described by the descriptors on the left.

Criterion C:Focus and organisationHow well organised, focused and developed is the presentation of ideas in the essay? How well are examples integrated into the essay?

The essay is effectively organised and cohesive. The line of inquiry is well-developed. Supporting examples are well integrated into the structure of the sentences and paragraphs.

The essay is well organised and mostly cohesive. The line of inquiry is adequately developed. Supporting examples are mostly well integrated into the structure of the sentences and paragraphs.

The essay is adequately organised in a generally cohesive manner. There is some development of the line of inquiry. Supporting examples are sometimes integrated into the structure of the sentences and paragraphs.

Some organisation is apparent. There is little development of a line of inquiry. Supporting examples are rarely integrated into the structure of the sentences and paragraphs.

Little organisation is present. No discernible line of inquiry is apparent in the essay. Supporting examples are not integrated into the structure of the sentences and paragraphs.

The work does not reach a standard described by the descriptors on the left.

Criterion D: LanguageHow clear, varied and accurate is the language? How appropriate is the choice of register and style?

Language is very clear, effective, carefully chosen and precise with a high degree of accuracy in grammar, vocabulary and sentence construction; register and style are effective and appropriate to the task.

Language is clear and carefully chosen, with a good degree of accuracy in grammar, vocabulary and sentence construction; register and style are consistently appropriate to the task.

Language is clear and carefully chosen with an adequate degree of accuracy in grammar, vocabulary and sentence construction despite some lapses; register and style are mostly appropriate to the task.

Language is sometimes clear and carefully chosen; grammar, vocabulary and sentence construction are fairly accurate, although errors and inconsistencies are apparent; the register and style are to some extent appropriate to the task.

Language is rarely clear and appropriate; there are many errors in grammar, vocabulary and sentence construction and little sense of register and style.

The work does not reach a standard described by the descriptors on the left.

Individual oral commentary (SL/HL)9-10 marks 7-8 marks 5-6 marks 3-4 marks 1-2 marks 0 marks

Criterion A:Knowledge, understanding and interpretationHow well does the candidate demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the extracts, and of the works/texts from which they were taken? To what extent does the candidate make use of knowledge and understanding of the extracts and the works/texts to draw conclusions in relation to the global issue? How well are ideas supported by references to the extracts, and to the works/texts?

There is excellent knowledge and understanding of the extracts and of the works / texts and a persuasive interpretation of their implications in relation to the global issue.

References to the extracts and to the works/texts are well-chosen and effectively support the candidate’s ideas.

There is good knowledge and understanding of the extracts and the works/ texts and a sustained interpretation of their implications in relation to the global issue.

References to the extracts and to the works / texts are relevant and support the candidate’s ideas.

There is a satisfactory knowledge and understanding of the extracts and the works/ texts and an interpretation of their implications in relation to the global issue.

References to the extracts and to the works / texts are generally relevant and mostly support the candidate’s ideas.

There is some knowledge and understanding of the extracts and the works / texts in relation to the global issue.

References to the extracts and ot the works / texts are at times appropriate.

There is little knowledge and understanding of the extracts and the works / texts in relation to the global issue.

References to the extracts and to the works / texts are infrequent or are rarely appropriate-

The work does not reach a standard described by the descriptors on the left.

Criterion B: Analysis and evaluationHow well does the candidate use his or her knowledge and understanding of each of the extracts and their associated works / texts to analyse and evaluate the ways in which authorial choices present the global issue?

Analysis and evaluation of the extracts and their works / texts are relevant and insightful. There is a thorough and nuanced understanding of how authorial choices are used to present the global issue.

Analysis and evaluation of the extracts and their works / texts are relevant and at times insightful.There is a good understanding of how authorial choices are used to present the global issue.

The oral is analytical in nature, and evaluation of the extracts and their works / texts is mostly relevant.Authorial choices are identified and reasonably understood in relation to the presentation of the global issue.

The oral contains some relevant analysis but it is reliant on description.Authorial choices are identified, but are vaguely treated and / or only partially understood in relation to the presentation of the global issue.

The oral is descriptive or contains no relevant analysis.Authorial choices are seldom identified and, if so, are poorly understood in relation to the presentation of a global issue.

The work does not reach a standard described by the descriptors on the left.

Criterion C: Focus and organisationHow well does the candidate deliver a structured, well-balanced and focused oral? How well does the candidate connect ideas in a cohesive manner?

The oral maintains a clear and sustained focus on the task; treatment of the extracts and works / texts is well-balanced.The development of ideas is logical and convincing; ideas are connected in a cogent manner.

The oral maintains a mostly clear and sustained focus on the task; treatment of the extracts and works / texts is balanced.The development of ideas is logical; ideas are cohesively connected in an effective manner.

The oral maintains a focus on the task, despite some lapses; treatment of the extract and works / texts is mostly balanced.

The oral only sometimes focuses on the task, and treatment of the extracts, and of the works / texts may be unbalanced.There are some connections between ideas, but these are not always coherent.

The oral rarely focused on the task. There are few connections between ideas.

The work does not reach a standard described by the descriptors on the left.

Criterion D: LanguageHow clear, accurate and effective is the language?

The language is clear, accurate and varied; occasional errors do not hinder communication. Vocabulary and syntax are varied and create effect.Elements of style (for example, register, tone and rhetorical devices) are appropriate to the task and enhance the oral.

The language is clear and accurate; occasional errors do not hinder communication.Vocabulary and syntax are appropriate and varied.Elements of style (for example, register, tone and rhetorical devices) are appropriate to the task and somewhat enhance the oral.

The language is clear; errors do not hinder communication.Vocabulary and syntax are appropriate to the task but simple and repetitive.Elements of style (for example, register, tone and rhetorical devices) are appropriate to the task and neither enhance nor detract from the oral.

The language is generally clear; errors sometimes hinder communication.Vocabulary and syntax are often imprecise with inaccuracies.Elements of style (for example, register, tone and rhetorical devices) are often inappropriate to the task and detract from the oral.

The language is rarely clear or accurate; errors often hinder communication. Vocabulary and syntax are imprecise and frequently inaccurate.Elements of style (for example, register, tone and rhetorical devices) are inappropriate to the task and detract from the oral.

The work does not reach a standard described by the descriptors below.

Command termsAnalyse Break down in order to bring out the essential elements or structure.Comment Give a judgement based on a given statement or result of a calculation.Compare Give an account of the similarities between two (or more) items or situations,

referring to both (all) of them throughout.Compare and contrast

Give an account of the differences between two (or more) items or situations, referring to both (all) of them throughout.

Discuss Offer a considered and balanced review that includes a range of arguments, factors or hypotheses. Opinions or conclusions should be presented clearly and supported by appropriate evidence.

Examine Consider an argument or concept in a way that uncovers the assumptions and interrelationships of the issues.

Explain Give a detailed account including reasons or causes.Explore Undertake a systematic process of discovery.Justify Give valid reasons or evidence to support an answer or conclusion.To what extent

Consider the merits or otherwise of an argument or concept. Opinions and conclusions should be presented clearly and supported with appropriate evidence and sound argument.

IB Language and Literature glossaryThis glossary is not exhaustive and will be added to throughout the year.

Accent describes the way in which someone pronounces a language.Ad hominem is a type of argument that attacks a person rather than their

ideas, words or actions.Alliteration is the repetition of a consonant at the beginning of two or more

words or stressed syllables.Analogy is the process of comparing two things or ideas.Anecdote Is a story or biographical incident that usually contains a small

life lesson or moral message.Anglophone world

refers to the places in the world where English is spoken.

Antagonist is the character of a dramatic story who stands in the way of the protagonists and tries to prevent them from achieving their goal.

Anti-novel is a novel that ignores all of the structural conventions of regular novels such as plot, characterisation and consistent point of view.

Apostrophe is a device that allows the poet, or the narrator of a poem, to directly address something inanimate or someone dead or absent.

Argumentation fallacies

are common but invalid syllogisms, or in other words, poor strings of logic

Aside is a dramatic device where a character turns and speaks directly to the audience, relating private thoughts that other characters on the stage cannot hear.

Assonance is the repetition of a vowel sound in the middle of two or more words.

Atmosphere describes the mood of a story, created through both the tone of the narrator and the setting of the story.

Audience is defined as the group of listeners or readers for whom a text or message is intended.

Ballad is a form of rhyming verse, usually following a pattern of abcb, that tells a narrative and can be set to music.

Bandwagon effect

is an allusion to the kind of float or wagon in a parade that carries many happy people; in its figurative sense, it describes what happens when something becomes popular quickly as people follow the exam set by others.

Bias is the skewed presentation of a story from a particular ideological position.

Bildungsroman belongs to a tradition of novel writing about young individuals coming of age who learn a lifelong lesson through a transformational experience; the German word Bildung means ‘development’ or ‘formation’, and roman means ‘novel.’

Bilingualism is the phenomenon of people using two or more languages regularly.

Blank verse describes poetry that has a consistent metre but no rhyming scheme.

Brand is a product’s identity and the feelings values customers associate with it.

Brand loyalty describes a consumer’s allegiance to a product and their habit of buying it regularly.

Broadsheet is a newspaper that is larger than a tabloid; the format is often associated with in-depth reporting and a balanced presentation of opinions.

Catharsis refers to how people can be purged of their emotions through reading or watching works of fiction

Censorship is the intentional removal of information that the censor, be it a government or media agent, deems harmful, sensitive or controversial.

Cliché is a literary device or structure that has been used so often that it has lost some of its artistic significance and fails to affect audiences.

Close reading refers to the practice of analysing and interpreting texts.Code-switching

can be done by speakers who speak two dialects of a language or two entirely different languages, switching from one to the other depending on whom they are talking to or what they wish to accomplish.

Colloquialisms are linguistic features that are associated with informal situations.

Consonance is the repetition of a consonant sound in the middle or at the end of words.

Content refers to what happens in a text, in terms of the action, events, people and places.

Context refers to the circumstances that surround the writing and the reading of a text. Trying to understand why a text was written (the purpose) and whom it was written for (the audience) are good starting points for understanding context.

Context of composition

refers to the factors that influence a writer when creating a text, such as time, place and personal experience.

Context of interpretation

refers to the factors that can influence a reader of a text, such as time, place and personal experience.

Convergence in linguistics, describes what happens when people come together and accommodate for each other through their use of language.

Crowdsourcing is the act of outsourcing research to a large audience, usually users of a website, in an effort to create content.

Cultural bias is not being objective, but judging something from another culture with reference to what is usual in your own culture.

Culture 1. describes the values, goals, convictions and attitudes that people share in a society.

2. It refers to the fine arts and a society’s appreciation of the arts.

Culture jamming

refers to the distorting of messages and advertisements produced by large corporations.

Deductive reasoning

refers to an argument that comes to a specific conclusion by drawing on general rules.

Denotation refers to what a word stands for in its most literal sense. Connotation refers to the aura of emotional meaning that we associate with a word.

Denouement is the French word for ‘unknotting’, used to describe the resolution of a story’s plot or complicated situation.

Dialect is a variety of language that is unique in pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary.

Diction is the choice of vocabulary that a writer uses in order to create a tone.

Divergence is the process of cultures splitting off from each other, developing their use of language separately, with less – or even no – contact.

Double entendre

is a stylistic device that relies on the secondary meaning of a word or phrase.

Dystopian literature is a genre of fiction that offers a picture of an imagined world in which everything is bad and in which individuals are often oppressed by a ruling government.

Emotive language

is language that both reflects the emotional tone of the writer and instigates an emotional response from the reader. It is also known as loaded language.

Enjambement in poetry is the style of continuing a sentence from one line to the next without a pause.

Epilogue is a sort of conclusion or comment at the end of a novel or play.Euphemisms are words or phrases that are substituted for more direct words

or phrases in an attempt to make things easier to accept or less embarrassing.

Existentialism is the philosophy that individuals are responsible for defining their own existence and giving their life meaning. Existential literary works often include troubled protagonists who question the meaning of life.

Exposition is the part of a story where the reader is provided with information about plot, character and setting.

Extended metaphor

is a piece of figurative speech that recurs throughout a literary text, referring to a symbolic, metaphorical relationship.

Figurative language

is language that is not intended to be taken literally but uses references to one thing to express ideas about something else.

Flashback is a technique in storytelling in which the reader is taken back to events before the main story. It includes background information that is interspersed throughout the story.

Fly-on-the-wall narration

is an extreme variant of objective narration, where the reader sees and hears of events, as a camera would record them, with nothing removed.

Focus group in marketing, is a group of people who are asked by a company

to talk about their likes and dislikes concerning a product or ad.Foil is a character whose qualities contrast with those of the main

character, in order to expose them to the reader.Foreshadowing

is a literary device in which hints are given of events to come so that the reader can predict what might happen in the story.

Frame narrator is a storyteller who is not the protagonist of a story but a peripheral character who reveals someone else’s story to us.

Free indirect speech

is a kind of limited third-person narration that allows the reader to hear a character’s thoughts.

Free verse describes poetry that has neither rhyme nor consistent metre.Gender bias is the tendency to favour one gender over the other, often

manifested through language.Genre describes a category of literature that can be defined by the

structural and stylistic conventions that are frequently found in that category.

Global village describes how members of a social group can be spread around the world, but be interconnected through various media.

Gothic fiction is a mixture of horror and romance that came out of the Romantic movement of the 18th and 19th centuries.

Half rhyme describes lines of poetry that have words that sound similar but do not entirely rhyme.

Heroic couplet is two lines of rhyming verse, usually at the end of a sonnet, which tend to be ‘closed’ and self-contained.

Hindsight wisdom

describes a style of narration in which the narrator looks back, knowing more now than at the time of events.

Historical present tense

is the use of the present tense to tell a story that happened in the past.

Idiolect is a person’s unique use of vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation. It both distinguishes an individual from a group and identifies an individual with a group.

Imagery is the use of descriptive language to evoke sensory experience.Inductive reasoning

refers to an argument that comes to a general conclusion by drawing on specific cases.

Instrumental motivation

explains how people often learn languages in order to accomplish something.

Integrative motivation

refers to learning a language in order to become an integrated member of a particular society.

Jargon is the vocabulary and manner of speech that define and reflect a particular profession that are difficult for others to understand.

Language is a system of communication that is mutually intelligible among all members of a society.

Language borrowing

describes the act of importing words into one language from another culture’s language.

Language currency

refers to the value of a language. Many people find English valuable, both financially and intellectually as it helps them find a better job or acquire more knowledge.

Language occurs when the last native speakers of a language have died

death and no new generations speak their ancestors’ language fluently.

Language planning

is a term for the efforts made to prevent language death.

Limited narration

offers the reader insight into the thoughts, actions and events of one character.

Lingua franca is a language spoken by people who do not share a native language.

Linguistic determinism

is the concept that language determines what we are able to think.

Linguistic imperialism

is the dominance of one language over others. Many people see English as a threat to other languages.

Loanwords are the words that one culture borrows and incorporates from another language.

Long tail marketing

is selling a large range of products for which there is a small demand in small quantity instead of a small range of popular products in large quantity; the total number of people with various specialised interests is greater than the number of people with popular interests.

Magic realism is a style of fiction with origins in South America. It creates a very realistic setting with a few highly unrealistic elements.

Manufactured consent

is a term coined by the political scientist and linguist Noam Chomsky. It describes the phenomenon that a small ruling elite can shape public opinion in their favour by controlling the media.

Marketing is the process of creating, developing, promoting and selling goods and services to customers, managing the customer’s interest in and need for the product.

Media literacy is the skill of analysing various texts in relation to the media in which they are all published.

Melodrama refers to works of fiction that exaggerate plot or characters and appeal to the audience’s emotions.

Metaphor is the use of language to make a comparison between two things or ideas by applying a word or phrase to something that does not literally mean that.

Metonymy describes references to things or concepts not by name but by something closely associated with them.

Metre is the rhythmic structure of a verse of poetry.Metric foot is a group of stressed and / or unstressed syllables that form the

basic unit of rhythm in a poem.Mimesis as used by ancient Greek philosophers, is copying the real

world in literature and art.Mood refers to the atmosphere that is created for an audience through

the tone of a text.Movement in a literary sense, is a collection of works which seek to

address similar concerns or express similar ideas, or which come out of a certain period in history.

Narrative voice refers to the manner in which a story is told, including point of view, diction and tense.

Negative ads are ads that carry an attack and are often used in political campaigns when opponents make attacks on each other, often using the ad hominem argument.

Objective narration

includes storytelling that is not biased towards an ideological position or character.

Omniscient narration

offers an all-knowing perspective, giving the reader access to all characters, places and events of a story.

Onomatopoeia refers to the use of words that sound like what they name or describe.

Paradox of fiction

refers to the apparent contradiction of a reader empathising with a fictional character even though they know the character is not real.

Pay-per-click is an advertising model where advertisers pay the websites that host their ads only when the ad is clicked on.

Personification is a type of metaphor where human qualities are given to an animal, object or concept.

Pidgins are improvised languages, stripped of grammar; that are invented in order for people to communicate with each other. Creoles are complete languages that have been adapted and developed from pidgins.

Premises are statements or propositions that arguments rely on to come to conclusions.

Primary sources

in the context of studying English, are stories, plays, films and so on in English, which reveal the English language being used by people but without the aim of analysing how they are using it.

Propaganda is the conscious effort to shape public opinion to conform to an ideological position.

Protagonist is the main character in a dramatic story who makes events and action move forward towards a particular goal.

Public opinion is the collection of opinions and beliefs held by the adult population of a nation.

Purpose describes the writer’s intentions in writing a text, be they to entertain, enlighten, persuade, inform, evaluate, define, instruct or explain. Writers and speakers want to instigate a response from their audience.

Register is the level of formality or informality expressed through one’s use of language.

Rhetoric is the art of effective communication, involving appeals to the audience and persuasive devices.

Rhythm in poetry is created through patterns of stressed and unstressed syllables.

Sapir-Whorf hypothesis suggests that people of different cultures think and behave differently because their language dictate how they think and behave.

Sarcasm is a form of verbal irony that includes humour and criticism.

Scansion is the process of finding patterns of unstressed and stressed syllables in lines of poetry.

Secondary sources

are texts about texts. They comment on how people use language.

Sensationalism refers to a style of writing that is exaggerated, emotive or controversial.

Setting describes the backdrop against which the action of a story takes place. It can describe both the physical and the emotional landscape of a work.

Social novel is a type of novel that stresses the importance of real social and economic circumstances on fictional characters in an attempt to persuade the reader towards an ideological position.

Soliloquy is a dramatic device in theatre where a character talks to himself or herself through a monologue addressed directly to the audience, expressing thoughts which the audience can hear and other characters cannot.

Sonnet is a fourteen-line poem in iambic pentameter, containing three quatrains and a heroic couplet.

Speech act is a broad term that refers to any situation in which spoken language is used.

Stereotyping is the act of presenting a person or group in a certain way, through simplified and biased media.

Stream of consciousness

is a style of storytelling which puts the reader in the narrator’s mind, allowing the reader access to the narrator’s thoughts as they occur, randomly, fragmented and unorganised.

Stylistic devices

are techniques that writers and speakers employ to instigate a response from their audience.

Subjective narration

includes storytelling that is biased towards an ideological position or character.

Super crunching

refers to the process of data-drive decision making.

Suspense is the feeling of tension or anxiety felt by an audience as events develop and work towards their climax in a work of fiction.

Suspension of disbelief

is a phrase coined by Samuetl Taylor Coleridge to explain how readers of fiction accept implausible stories in order to ascertain some truth about life.

Synecdoche is referring to an entire thing or concept by referring to one of its parts.

Tabloid in its literal sense refers to a newspaper that is smaller than a broadsheet; it is also used to refer to sensationalist or biased newspapers.

Text is any written work or transcribed piece of speech.Theme contains the deeper message or main idea of a text.Unreliable narrator

refers to fiction in which the reader is forced to question the storyteller’s account of events.

Verbal irony is a stylistic device in which the surface meaning and underlying meaning are not the same.

Vernacular is the opposite of lingua franca. It is language that is characteristic of a region.

Verse is a line of poetry.Virals are commercials that travel like viruses on the Internet through

social networks.

Course expectationsIn the classroom

Always be in lessons and on time. Be respectful and polite towards each other. Always try your best and put 100% effort in to what you do. Remember, we are all life long

learners, so not getting something to begin with is okay, but you will need to persevere. Be confident enough to share your ideas, thoughts and opinions. Discuss the subject

widely. Ask questions and challenge each other. You may not agree with each other (in terms of interpretations) and that is fine – just make sure you can justify your reasoning when challenging.

Outside of the classroom

You get out what you put in. You should be putting the same amount of class time into your private study.

Ensure all preparatory work for lessons is complete and on time, especially the reading. Re-read your texts over and over and as you do so create study notes and guides as you

go along. Also make sure you are learning quotations, critics and contexts for all of your texts throughout the two years.

Take on board feedback and respond. This will help you improve.

And finally,

Discuss any problems or issues with me. Never be afraid to speak with me or ask me for help. That is what I am here for.