IB English Language & Literature SL
The IB English A: Language and Literature SL course is a two-year program focusing on developing critical reading and thinking skills. Students are assessed on their abilities to speak and write academic responses to questions about various topics and global issues. The Language part of the classes exposes students to a range of non-literary text types, such as advertisements, multipanel comics, infographics, and more. The Literature portion of the class explores themes, characters, and how authors make deliberate choices in their works to shape meaning for readers.
Course Structure and Content
IB English Language and Literature students will study four literary texts in class at the SL level. They will also study an equal number of non-literary “bodies of work” with their teacher and class. Students at the SL level will be assessed through three major assessments: Paper 1, Paper 2, and the Individual Oral.
For Paper 1, students will choose one of two texts and write a guided textual analysis to a guiding question. Paper 2 is the same for all courses, and this task requires students to choose one of four questions and write a comparative literary essay using two works from class. The Individual Oral is a 10-minute recording followed by a 5-minute Q&A session with the teacher. The goal is to show how the content and form of a work (Literature) and a body of work (Language) support a Global Issue from the course content.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is IB English A LAL SL?
This course is an exploration of both literary and non-literary texts. At the SL level, students will study four literary works and a similar number of non-literary bodies of work. The goal is to build close reading, writing, and speaking skills to prepare students for university coursework and beyond.
What are the assessment items in the IB English A LAL SL course?
Students in this course will have three distinct assessments: Paper 1, Paper 2, and the Individual Oral. Paper 1 focuses on textual analysis, while Paper 2 is a comparative literary essay. The Individual Oral requires students to discuss a relevant Global Issue through a literary and non-literary text.
How should students prepare for IB English A SL exams?
Students must read all literary texts carefully with their teacher and uncover the key themes and authorial choices that shape meaning for readers. Students must also acquire the visual literacy skills required to unpack visual texts. Revision Village provides a myriad of activities to help students build the skills they need to succeed.
How does Revision Village support IB English A LAL SL students?
RV provides a range of features to help students achieve the results they want on exams. The Questionbank contains numerous case studies to help build Paper 1 and Paper 2 skills. Prediction and Past Papers are a great place to get solutions to exams, and the Literary Bootcamps provide a powerful resource to review commonly taught literary texts. All content comes with explanatory videos to help students master key content.