English

See below for information on the GCSE and OIB courses:

Seconde - In the final year of study, students will study for the Language Coursework, which accounts for 40% of the final grade, and the terminal examinations in May/June. This will make up 70% of the final grade for Literature and 60% for Language.

For the Literature Examination a selection of texts are provided by the board, and teachers will select as deemed appropriate to the group.

Modern Drama Choice of examination texts

Modern Prose Choice of examination texts

Modern Poetry Anthology set by the examining body

Modern Non-Fiction Choice of examination texts

Students will study THREE of the above units, and will be required to write one essay on each of the three texts studied. The examination will last 2 hours 15 minutes. Students will be entitled to take a copy of their text into the examination, and must ensure that they remember their texts; copies may not be available should they forget them.
The Language Coursework consists of two areas of assessment:

1. SPEAKING AND LISTENING 20%

Students take part in a variety of activities (drama focused, group and individual) assessed on 3 assignments during the course of the year. Preparatory work for MUN is often most appropriate for this. Activities are based on drama, group discussion and individual contributions. The units must demonstrate the student’s ability to:

- explain, describe, narrate
- explore, analyse, imagine
- discuss, argue, persuade

2. READING AND WRITING 20%

1. personal and imaginative work 10%
2. response to a text from another culture or tradition 5%
3. work based on a play by Shakespeare (English Literature Unit 1 essay) 5%

 

The Language Examinations consist of two papers. The first paper – The Craft of the Writer – assess students’ response to an anthology of material studied during the course. Students answer one question from a choice of two on modern poetry; one question on the collection of non fiction pieces; and respond to one of two writing tasks. The second paper assesses students response to unprepared media texts. One question will be based on students reading of a media text. You will also be given two writing tasks – one to assess your ability to argue, persuade and advise; the other to assess your ability to analyse, review and comment.
Students receive their results towards the end of August.

Richard Sanderson August 2009

OIB ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

The OIB English Language and Literature course enables students to develop their interest and enjoyment in literary studies through reading widely, critically and comparatively. Students will study a selection of both modern and traditional texts, learn to identify how meanings and effects are created and conveyed, and develop an awareness of how they relate to the contexts in which they were written. The overall aim is for students to develop as independent, confident and reflective readers.

To make up the baccalaureat with the International Option in Literature and Language, study and examination of the first foreign language, known as LV1 (langue vivante 1) is replaced by the OIB course. The British version of the OIB is based on the study of literature, although students are also examined on the fluency and accuracy of their spoken and written English. The course has equivalence with A2 (or second year A Level) English Literature. Both subjects are examined by written and oral papers.

Because LV1 (first foreign language) is modified by the OIB Literature and Language structure, the student still takes a version of the baccalaureat which is largely the same as the standard L, ES or S version. He is said to be taking serie S, or serie L, etc. with the International Option. Nonetheless, the marking system gives extra weighting and therefore extra importance to this subject, and thus acknowledges both the extra degree of difficulty and the increased workload imposed by the OIB.

The examination is administered by University of Cambridge International Examinations in cooperation with the Ministere de L’education Nationale. For more information, please refer to the Examinations Handbook for the British Option at http://www.asiba.info/fr/oib-handbook.htm

Choice of works (see below for course texts)

The authors chosen will normally be British, American, Commonwealth or any others whose works were written originally in English. An effort is made to represent a variety of historical periods, with approximately half representing twentieth century writing. A work may stay on the list for up to two years.

The choices of set works fall into four categories: Drama; Poetry; Prose Fiction; Shakespeare’s works

The written examination

4 hours; all answers written in English.

Please note that set texts may NOT be taken into the examination.

Part 1: Individual Works (2 hours 40 minutes)

Two questions, 1 hour 20 minutes each; two-thirds of the total marks.

A total of 18 questions are set, 2 on each prescribed text. Candidates are required to write answers to 2 questions, which must be chosen from different sections.

Section A Drama

Section B Prose Fiction

Section C Poetry

Part 2: Critical Appreciation (1 hour 20 minutes)

One question, 1 hour 20 minutes; one-third of the total marks.

Candidates will have the opportunity to answer one question which requires a comparison between two poems or two passages of prose. The alternative question will continue to focus on a single passage. (Note that the prose extract is not necessarily from a work of fiction; it may be taken from non-fiction genres, such as travel writing, letters, diaries, essays, etc.) Suggestions are given in the question about possible areas of focus, and candidates are asked to analyse by what means the aspects or effects discussed are created or achieved.

The oral examination

30 minutes (after 35 minutes supervised preparation); in English

Part 1: Detailed commentary followed by discussion (approximately 15 minutes)

Candidates are required to give a commentary lasting 7 – 8 minutes on a passage (between 30-34 lines long) from the Shakespeare play that they have studied and to discuss it with the examiners. Passages are defined by teacher-examiners and one of these is selected for the candidate who then spends 35 minutes preparing his commentary in a supervised preparation room. A question and answer session on the whole text follows the commentary. Time is divided equally between the prepared commentary and discussion.

Part 2:  Synoptic Topic: Writers and the Victorian World (approximately 15 minutes)

The second half of the oral lasts approximately 15 minutes and takes the form of a discussion of the Synoptic Topic, introduced by the selected poem and then illustrated by reference to the two chosen texts.

Richard Sanderson January 2012

English Book List Seconde – Terminale

GCSE Literature Exam (2e) 2010 Edexcel Syllabus

Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

Arthur Conan Doyle, Hound of the Baskervilles

Harper Lee, To Kill A Mockingbird

Poetry Anthology Post 1914 (Edexcel selection)

OIB Oral (1e)

Charles Dickens, Great Expectations

Anthony Trollope, The Warden

Victorian Poems (Cambridge Selection; see above)

Shakespeare, Twelfth Night (New Cambridge Edition)

OIB Written (1e)

Tom Stoppard, Arcadia

Lloyd Jones, Mister Pip

Emily Dickinson, Selected Poems

Critical Appreciation – variety of prose and poems

OIB Oral (Te)

Thomas Hardy, The Mayor of Casterbridge

Anthony Trollope, The Warden

Victorian Poems (Cambridge Selection; see above)

Shakespeare, The Winter’s Tale (New Cambridge Edition)

OIB Written (Te)

Tom Stoppard, Arcadia

James Joyce, Dubliners

Edward Thomas, Selected Poems

Critical Appreciation – variety of prose and poems

Richard Sanderson January 2012

Homework – Information for Parents and Students

Homework is an integral part of the English curriculum for students within the Anglophone Section. We believe that it facilitates the development of good working practices which are independent of the classroom, enabling students to meet the demands of the curriculum and providing time outside of the classroom for students to reflect upon lessons and to learn from them.

Teachers will set homework on a regular basis for all groups, usually allowing students seven days to complete the work. Time spent on homework will depend upon age and ability, but as a general guide to maximum and minimum expectations:
30 minutes for Sixième
60 minutes for Cinquième,Quatrième
60 – 90 minutes for Troisième, Seconde
60-120 minutes for Première and Terminale
Teachers ask students to record tasks and deadlines in their agendas, and ensure that these deadlines are met.

Missed Deadlines

Where there is felt to be just cause students can arrange an extension to deadlines with their teacher. Valid reasons include illness, family commitments, volume of work and so on. Similarly, if a student brings a letter from parents on the day of the deadline, offering an acceptable excuse for non-completion, a new deadline can be mutually agreed by the teacher and student.

In the absence of an agreed extension students can be subject to the following sanctions:
. The piece of work will incur a penalty of two marks, which will be deducted from the final mark.
. If, despite this, work does not arrive within 7 days of the agreed deadline, a zero will be given.

A letter will be sent home to inform parents should this occur.

Students should be aware that in the case of absence it is their responsibility to ensure that they are up to date with classework and homework .

Richard Sanderson January 2012