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Aims & Objectives

The aims of the Diploma Programme History course are to promote:

1. the acquisition and understanding of historical knowledge in breadth and in depth, from different cultures
2. a developing appreciation and understanding of history as a discipline, including the nature and diversity of its sources, methods and interpretations
3. international awareness and understanding of people living in a variety of places at different times
4. a better understanding of the present through an understanding of the past
5. an ability to use and communicate historical knowledge and understanding
6. a lasting interest in history

Course Structure

The content of the IB History course at Anatolia will consist of the study of World History of the twentieth century, covering such topics as the authoritarian states and independence movements. In addition, Higher Level candidates will study the regional history of Europe in the twentieth century in rather more depth.

Skills taught and reinforced on the course will include writing clear academic essays, reading complex texts for information, developing of critical thinking and debate skills.

Course Assessment

The IB History examination at Standard Level consists of two papers:

a) a 1-hour document-based exam on Rights and Protest. The two case studies investigated are the Civil Rights Movement in the United States and Apartheid in South Africa.
b) a 1.5 hour essay-based exam on topics from 20th century world history

Higher Level candidates also have a third essay-based examination lasting 2.5 hours on European History.

In addition, all candidates must do a Historical Investigation of 2,200 words, which will be internally assessed by the teacher and moderated by the IBO.

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Nature of the Subject

Economics is a dynamic social science, forming part of group 3—individuals and societies. The study of economics is essentially about dealing with scarcity, resource allocation and the choices made by consumers, producers and governments in achieving economic well-being. As a social science, economics examines these choices through the use of models and theories that include quantitative and qualitative elements.

The IBDP Economics course emphasises microeconomic theories, which deal with economic variables affecting individuals, firms and specific markets, and macroeconomic theories, which deal with economic variables affecting countries, governments and societies. These economic theories are applied to real world issues with a focus on nine key concepts that underpin the economic course (scarcity, choice, efficiency, equity, economic well-being, sustainability, change, interdependence and intervention) and are explored in different contexts.

The economics course encourages students to develop international perspectives, fosters a concern for global challenges, and raises students’ awareness of their own responsibilities at a local, national and international level. The course also seeks to develop values and attitudes that will empower students to use their knowledge of economics to seek solutions to issues that matter to them. Economic students engage actively with the content and act independently to make their own economic choices.

The IB programme emphasises the skills of graphical, quantitative and written analysis, critical awareness and application of theories to real life examples. Students will also develop a conceptual understanding of economic choices, interactions, challenges and consequences of economic decision-making. The Economics course at both Standard and Higher Level does not require any particular background or prior learning.

Distinction between Higher and Standard Level:

All students study a common syllabus and are required to develop specific skills and techniques, attributes and knowledge. Higher level students are required to acquire a further body of knowledge in the form of HL extensions in some topics and to further develop their quantitative skills in analysing and evaluating economic relationships in order to provide informed policy advice.

Syllabus outline

The programme consists of four units, compulsory for all students. Some topics include further Higher Level material from which Standard Level students are exempt.

Unit 1: Introduction to economics

This unit introduces the fundamental concepts such as scarcity, choice, opportunity cost and the nature of the subject as a social science.

Unit 2: Microeconomics

This unit examines the interaction of demand and supply in competitive markets, the role of prices in allocating resources and resulting efficiency. Several types of elasticity are discussed. The common syllabus also includes possible forms of government intervention in markets; causes and types of market failure and possible policy responses.

This unit of the syllabus contains a considerable higher level extension which comprises of the theory of costs, revenues and profits, as well as an in-depth consideration of firm behaviour in different market structures (e.g. perfect competition, monopoly)

Unit 3: Macroeconomics

This unit aims to provide students with the opportunity for a detailed examination of the major macroeconomic issues facing countries’ economic growth, economic development, unemployment, inflation and income distribution. The economic policies that governments may use to influence macroeconomic variables are introduced and evaluated.

This unit contains a few Higher Level extension sub-topics.

Unit 4: The global economy

Unit 4 aims to develop an understanding of the benefits of trade and of possible restrictions imposed to protect domestic production. Students will learn how exchange rates are determined, why they may change and how such changes may influence macroeconomic variables. Government strategies used to achieve a balance between exports and imports are also taught.

The unit additionally provides students with the opportunity to understand the meaning of economic development, problems faced by developing countries, and to develop an awareness of possible solutions to these problems.

A number of Higher Level extension topics in this unit allow students to deepen their understanding of international and development economics issues.

Objectives

Having followed the Diploma Programme course in economics, students will be expected to:

• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of specified content.
• Apply and analyse economic concepts and theories and interpret economic data.
• Demonstrate synthetic and evaluative abilities.
• Use and apply a variety of appropriate skills and techniques. At Higher Level only, students are also expected to select and use economic data to make policy recommendations.

Teaching Approach

Delivery of the economics course aims to develop in students the skills that are necessary in order to achieve the abovementioned objectives while promoting the IB Learner attributes. Teaching aims to engage students and to promote inquiry-based learning, for example by assigning small scale research projects, class presentations, debates or collaborative assignments. The course gives students the opportunity to explore economic theories or global issues using real world examples from news articles, case studies, videos and economic data. Students will be strongly encouraged to apply critical thinking skills creatively and to express personal opinion supported by reasoned evidence.   Links to Theory of Knowledge will be attempted by exploiting opportunities to reflect on the various ways of knowing and the on the methodology used by the social sciences.

Course Assessment

Students’ progress will be continuously evaluated on the basis of class participation, diligence, performance in written or oral assignments and revision tests. The latter are usually assessed against criteria specified by the IB.

The final Diploma grade in the subject is determined by two assessment components:

1. Internal assessment: Portfolio of 3 commentaries

This component is internally assessed by the teacher and externally moderated by the IB. Students produce a portfolio of three commentaries, of 800 words each, based on different units of the syllabus, and on published extracts from the news media, using different key concepts as a lens for their analysis. Internally assessed work begins in the second half of the first year and is concluded during the third term of the final year in the programme.

For Standard level students the internally assessed component counts towards 30% of the final Diploma grade.

For Higher level students the internally assessed component counts towards 20% of the final Diploma grade.

2. External assessment: Written examinations

Standard level students are examined on two different papers (an extended response paper and a data response paper) over a total response time of three hours. Higher level students are examined on three different papers (an extended response paper, a data response paper and a policy paper) over a total response time of four hours and 45 minutes. Emphasis is placed on the ability of students to apply and evaluate economic theory to real life situations.

For Standard level students the externally assessed component counts towards 70% of the final Diploma grade.

For Higher level students the externally assessed component counts towards 80% of the final Diploma grade.

Course Description

Psychology is defined as “the scientific study of behaviour and mental processes” and was established as a science at 1879, when Wilhelm Wundt created the first formal psychology laboratory in Germany. Some examples of behaviours and mental processes include the way we develop, we remember and think about the world, we solve problems, we react, we feel, we form relationships, we suffer, and many others. Psychologists try to explain the above from a variety of different theoretical perspectives. In order to draw valid conclusions they use scientific methods to conduct empirical research; they perform experiments and other scientific procedures in order to systematically collect data, analyze them and reach conclusions about the various psychological issues. In modern psychology there is a strong emphasis in the use of research methodology.

The Core

a. The Biological level of analysis

It examines the physiological aspects of psychological phenomena. Our cognitions, emotions and behaviours are products of the anatomy and physiology of our nervous and endocrine systems. The emphasis is on the interrelation between biological and psychological factors in the formation of behaviour. For example, it includes the study of the nervous and endocrine systems, genetic explanations of behaviour, emotion etc.

b. The Cognitive level of analysis

It studies in depth various cognitive processes such as memory, language acquisition, attention, problem solving, cognitive dissonance, artificial intelligence, etc.

Cognitive psychology represents a vast array of research areas including cognitive psychology, cognitive science, cognitive neuropsychology and cognitive neuroscience. Cognitive psychologists use traditional research methods (for example, experiments and verbal protocols) but there is an increasing focus on the use of modern technology. Cognitive psychologists collaborate increasingly with neuroscientists, social psychologists and cultural psychologists in order to explore the complexity of human cognition.

c. The Sociocultural level of analysis

At the third level of analysis, the biological and cognitive systems that make up the individual are embedded in an even larger system of interrelationships with other individuals. Social psychology studies social influence, that is, how the presence and behaviour of one or a few people affect the behaviour and attitudes of another individual. It also provided a broader context for exploring topics such as aggression and helping behaviour that had largely been regarded as individual personality traits. Recently, as many societies have become more multicultural, the need to understand the effect of culture on a person’s behaviour has risen to a new prominence. Social psychologists saw the need not only to achieve an understanding of the role of culture in human behaviour, but also to devise means for alleviating problems that arise from misunderstandings when individuals from different cultures come into contact with each other.

There is a general consensus in the discipline of psychology that a synthesis of the biological, cognitive and sociocultural levels of analysis holds out the greatest promise of bringing us closer to the goal of more fully understanding the nature of the complex interacting systems that make up the human being.

The Options

There is also an in-depth study of one (for standard level) or two (for higher level) areas of the field of psychology. The options that are usually covered are:

a. Abnormal Psychology

Abnormal psychology focuses on diagnosing, explaining and treating humans suffering from psychological disorders. This option begins with a consideration of normal and abnormal behaviour. An understanding of issues related to diagnosis provides a framework for the subsequent study of disorders and therapeutic approaches.

By studying two psychological disorders, students are encouraged to develop an awareness of the range of psychological disorders. This approach embraces the etiology, symptoms and prevalence of each disorder. As a consequence of this understanding, it is possible to administer effective treatments while at the same time having an appreciation of relevant cultural and gender variations. Different therapeutic approaches to treating disorders are discussed.

b. Developmental Psychology

Developmental psychology is the study of how and why people change over time in the way they behave, think, and relate to others. Developmental psychology focuses on developmental themes such as identity, attachment and adolescence. It is important to gain an understanding of the extent to which early experience may influence later development and if there are critical periods in development. Controversies related to developmental psychology include the extent of the impact of early experiences and why some children seem to be more resilient than others after stressful experiences in childhood.

c. Health Psychology

Health psychology is concerned with how different factors, such as lifestyle and social context, may influence health and illness. The health psychology option focuses on stress, substance abuse, addiction, obesity and health promotion. Health psychologists have investigated causes of health problems in order to find ways to counter their damaging consequences and prevent their occurrence. This helps in the development of prevention and treatment strategies, for example, in terms of understanding how people value their health. It also enables health promotion campaigns to be more efficiently designed. There are differences in attitudes towards health-related behaviour among different cultures, so it is important for health psychologists to take these factors into account.

Research Methodology (Examined only for the Higher Level)

Higher level students must have an understanding of quantitative and qualitative research methodology, while standard level students only quantitative. Knowledge and understating of quantitative methods and statistics is acquired and examined internally through the completion of one experimental study. Knowledge and understanding of qualitative methods will be externally assessed in a separate exam paper, only for HL students.

Course Assessment 

There is an internal assessment component (the completion of an experiment and the writing of its report) compulsory for both the HL and SL students. Internal assessment covers 20% of the final grade for HL and 25% of the final grade for SL.

There is also an external assessment component comprising two exam papers for SL and three exam papers for HL. Paper one covers the levels of analysis, paper two the option(s), and paper three the qualitative research methodology (HL only). Paper one combines short answer and essay questions, while paper two has only essay questions.

Usefulness of the Subject

Psychology is one of the social sciences and its study at this level would be useful for anybody who is interested in studying any social science, or later working with people either in the business or the health domain. Moreover, its emphasis on research methods and statistics makes it an interesting subject for those that have an inclination in these areas.

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Course Description

Business management is a rigorous and dynamic discipline in the individuals and societies subject group. The course places emphasis on decision-making in contemporary contexts of strategic uncertainty. It examines how business decisions are influenced by internal and external factors, and how these decisions impact upon its stakeholders. The course also explores how individuals and groups interact within an organization, how they may be successfully managed and how they can ethically optimize the use of resources in a world with increasing scarcity and concern for sustainability, thereby encouraging the appreciation of ethical concerns (issues of corporate social responsibility).

Emphasis is also placed on the operational business functions of human resource management, finance and accounts, marketing and operations management. Links between the topics are central to the course, as this integration promotes a holistic overview of business management. Through the exploration of four concepts underpinning the subject (change, creativity, ethics and sustainability), the course allows students to develop their understanding of interdisciplinary concepts from a business management perspective.

The course is designed to develop students’ knowledge and understanding of business management theories, as well as their ability to apply a range of tools and techniques. Students learn to analyse business activity covering a range of organizations from all sectors, as well as the socio-cultural and economic contexts. Through the study of topics such as organizational growth and business strategy, the course aims to develop transferable skills relevant to today’s students. These include the ability to: think critically; make ethically sound and well-informed decisions; appreciate the pace, nature and significance of change; think strategically; and undertake long term planning, analysis and evaluation.

Difference between HL and SL

The HL course in business and management differs from the SL course in business and management in terms of the:

• extra depth and breadth required (extension units for HL)
• nature of the examination questions

Syllabus Outline

The following four concepts underpin the IBDP business management course: change, creativity, ethics and sustainability. These concepts are explored through real-world resources and are closely linked to subject specific concepts, tools and theories, as outlined in the five modules of the syllabus below:

Topic 1: Business organization and environment

This module is about business organizations as legal entities, organizational objectives and the different stakeholders affected by business operation. It also introduces business growth and ways to achieve this.

Topic 2: Human resource management

This module focuses on the way people influence, and are influenced by organizations in order to achieve organizational objectives. Topics covered include recruitment and appraisal methods, organization structure and communication, motivational and leadership theories and industrial relations.

Topic 3: Finance and accounts

This module explores how organizations manage their financial resources and how accounting and financial information is used to aid decision-making. Topics include investment appraisal, sources of finance, cash flow forecasts, interpretation and construction of financial accounts (profit and loss statements, balance sheets), ratio analysis.

Topic 4: Marketing

This module emphasizes the formulation of marketing strategies to achieve organizational objectives and in response to the changing environment. Topics covered include the role of marketing and market research in a national/international context, sales forecasting, the development of marketing strategies regarding the product, price, distribution and promotion.

Topic 5: Operations management

This module focuses on production and explores issues of quality improvement, crisis management, different methods of production and stock control, management information systems and the importance of research and development for businesses.

Course Objectives

Having followed the business and management course at HL or SL, students will be expected to:

1. demonstrate knowledge and understanding of business terminology, concepts, principles and theories
2. apply knowledge and skills to real-world situations and analyze business strategies and practices, selecting and interpreting data, and applying appropriate tools and techniques
3. demonstrate synthetic and evaluative skills
4. select and use business tools and material, in order to produce well-structured, written material using business terminology

Course Assessment

Externally assessed written examinations, along with internally assessed assignments, contribute to the final IB Diploma grade. The assessment components, along with the relevant weights allocated to each one, are briefly presented below:

Internal Assessment: Written assignment (weight: 30% for SL/ 20% for HL)

A 1800-word research project demonstrating the application of business and management tools, techniques and theory. Candidates are to choose a real-life situation or problem faced by a specific business organization, and approach it through a conceptual lens.

External Assessment: Written Examination (weight: 70% for SL/80% for HL)

Paper 1: Questions are based on an extended case study related to a contemporary business topic. A pre-released statement that specifies the context and background for the un-seen case study assist in the preparation of the students. Most questions are of qualitative nature.

Paper 2: Students respond to structured questions on unseen stimulus material provided. Most questions have a quantitative focus.

Paper 3 (HL only): Based on unseen stimulus material about a social enterprise. Students answer questions, including an extended essay-type question, based on the unseen stimulus material.

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Course Description

Environmental Systems and Societies is an interdisciplinary course, offered only at SL, which can be selected either as a Group 3 or as a Group 4 subject. This offers students greater flexibility in their choice of subjects to study as part of their diploma. The course satisfies the requirements for both hexagon groups 3 and 4, leaving students the opportunity to study another subject from any group of the hexagon including another subject from groups 3 or 4.

The prime intent of this course is to provide students with a coherent perspective of the interrelationships between environmental systems and societies; one that enables them to adopt an informed personal response to the wide range of pressing environmental issues that they will inevitably come to face. Through the course students should become able to evaluate the scientific, ethical and socio-political aspects of environmental issues while appreciating alternative viewpoints, including the perceptions of different cultures.

Course Content

Apart from the theory taught in class, the course includes a number of practical experimental work in the form of activities or investigations.

The chapter covered are:

• Foundations of environmental systems and societies
• Ecosystems and ecology
• Biodiversity and conservation
• Water, food production systems and society
• Soil systems and society
• Atmospheric systems and society
• Climate change and energy production
• Human systems and resource use

Also, some investigations and activities will be carried out during the two-year course. These may include in-class activities, short experiments, computer simulations, analysis and processing of data from databases, data gathering through questionnaires or surveys and fieldwork.

Assessment

Students’ progress will be continuously evaluated on the basis of class participation, diligence and performance in written assignments, quizzes and revision tests. Written work is assessed against criteria specified by the IB.

The final Diploma grade in the subject is determined by two assessment components:

Internal assessment: Individual investigation

This component is internally assessed by the subject teacher and externally moderated by the IBO. The grade awarded comprises 25% of the final IB Diploma grade. It consists of an Individual investigation.

- The individual investigation is a scientific investigation performed by the student on a topic covered by the course. It should be between 1500-2250 words and is assessed on 6 criteria: identifying the context, planning, results- analysis and conclusion, discussion and evaluation, applications, communication.  

External assessment: Written examinations

The final written examination takes place in May of the second year and comprises 75% of the final IB Diploma grade. It is externally assessed by the IBO.

It consists of 2 papers:

Paper 1: a case study

Paper 2: section A consists of short-answer questions and section B of structured essays.

Relevance

ESS being both a natural and a social science is related, more or less closely, to many topics as biology, ecology, chemistry, geography, but also economy, management and politics. This makes ESS a very relevant background subject for a variety of future field of studies at university. Awareness and ability to make informed choices on environmental issues, as well as the systems approach that is consolidated through this course are important for a number of university studies ranging from law and politics, to business, economics and natural sciences.

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Course Description

The 21st century is characterized by rapid change and increasing interconnectedness, impacting individuals and societies in unprecedented ways and creating complex global political challenges. Global politics is an exciting, dynamic subject that draws on a variety of disciplines in the social sciences and humanities, reflecting the complex nature of many contemporary political issues. The study of global politics enables students to critically engage with different and new perspectives and approaches to politics in order to comprehend the challenges of the changing world and become aware of their role in it as active global citizens.

The Diploma Programme global politics course explores fundamental political concepts such as power, equality, sustainability and peace in a range of contexts. It allows students to develop an understanding of the local, national, international and global dimensions of political activity and processes, as well as to explore political issues affecting their own lives. The course helps students to understand abstract political concepts by grounding them in real-world examples and case studies. It also invites comparison between such examples and case studies to ensure a wider and transnational perspective.

The core units of the course together make up a central unifying theme of “people, power and politics”. The emphasis on “people” reflects the fact that the course explores politics not only at a state level but also explores the function and impact of non-state actors, communities, groups and individuals. The concept of “power” is also emphasised as being particularly crucial to understanding the dynamics, tensions and outcomes of global politics. Throughout the course, issues such as conflict, migration or climate change are explored through an explicitly political lens: “politics” provide a uniquely rich context in which to explore the relationship between people and power.

Difference between HL and SL

Students of global politics at SL and HL are presented with a syllabus that has a common core. This common core consists of four compulsory units under the central unifying theme of “people, power and politics”. All SL and HL students are also required to undertake an engagement activity. In addition, HL students are also required, through a case studies approach, to explore two HL extension topics (global political challenges).

In summary:

SL and HL students study the four core units and undertake an engagement activity through a case studies approach, HL students also examine and evaluate two global political challenges, which by their nature are complex, contestable and interlinked; this provides further depth at HL.

Syllabus Outline

The programme consists of four core units, studied under the unifying theme of “people, power and politics”:

1. Power, sovereignty and international relations: the nature of power, the operation of state power in global politics, the function and impact of international organisations andnon-state actors in global politics, the nature and extent of interactions in global politics.

2. Human rights: nature and evolution of human rights, protection - monitoring – practice of human rights, debates surrounding human rights and their application.

3. Development: factors that may promote or inhibit development, pathways to development, debates surrounding development (globalisation, inequality, sustainability).

4. Peace and conflict: Contested meanings of peace, conflict and violence, causes and parties to conflict, evolution of conflict, conflict resolution.

At Higher Level, students study two of six global political challenges, researched and presented through a case-study approach:

1. Environment
2. Poverty
3. Health
4. Identity
5. Borders
6. Security

Course Objectives

Having followed the Diploma Programme course in Global Politics, students will be expected to:

• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of specified content.
• Apply and analyse key political concepts to analyse contemporary political issues in a variety of contexts.
• Demonstrate synthetic and evaluative abilities.
• Select, use and apply a variety of appropriate skills and techniques. At Higher Level only, students are also expected to present ideas orally with clarity.

Course Assessment

The final Diploma grade in the subject is determined by two assessment components:

External Assessment

Paper 1 – a stimulus-based paper on one of the four core units, for both SL and HL students.
Paper 2 – an extended response paper based on all four core units, for both SL and HL students

Internal Assessment

a) 2,000 word written report on a political issue explored through engagement and research, for
both SL and HL students
b) Two recorded video oral presentations of two case studies chosen from two different HL topics
(at HL only).

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The school offers Language B in English (at HL only), French, Spanish and German. Where the number of students enrolled exceeds 7, the school will offer a regular class. If fewer than 7 students enroll, the school may offer the subject at extra cost. In the past few years, regular classes have been formed for English B HL and French B (both HL and SL).

Course Description

LANGUAGE B HL (English, French, Spanish, German)

Language B-HL is designed to provide students with the necessary skills that enable them to communicate successfully in an environment where the language studied is spoken. In other words, it is the study of English, French or Spanish as a Foreign Language and is intended for students who have had previous learning of it, but who, nevertheless, lack the linguistic proficiency required in Language A courses, in terms of grammar, vocabulary, syntax as well as other aspects of the language.

Language B Higher level is designed to meet (at the end of the 2-year course) the criteria for CEFR level C1 in the four domains of reading, writing, listening and speaking. This means that at the end of the two years, students should be able to employ the language appropriately and effectively both in their writing and orally, using it for different tasks and situations at a level equivalent to that of the Cambridge Advanced (ESOL). The school has a significant role to play in student selection of language courses (group 1 or group 2 subjects), since the main objective is to place students in the course that is appropriate to their linguistic abilities but also sufficiently challenging.

During the two-year course, exposure to a wide variety of audio and written material provides students with the opportunity to exercise and develop the four skills mentioned above, and to learn to use the language confidently and competently in various contexts. Students should also have acquired a good understanding of the cultural background of the language they will be studying, as well as the way in which it affects their use of it.

The Language B-HL syllabus approaches the learning of language through meaning. Through the study of five themes and literary works, students build the necessary skills to reach the assessment objectives of the course through the expansion of their receptive, productive and interactive skills.

The course content of English B HL explores the practical use of the language via five themes.

• Identity
• Experiences
• Human Ingenuity
• Social Organization
• Sharing the Planet

Course Assessment

External assessment (3 hours 30 minutes) 75%

Paper 1 (1 hour 30 minutes) 25%

Productive skills—writing (30 marks)
One writing task of 450–600 words from a choice of three, each from a different theme, choosing a text type from among those listed in the examination instructions.

Paper 2 (2 hours) 50%

Receptive skills—separate sections for listening and reading (65 marks)
Listening comprehension (1 hour) (25 marks)
Reading comprehension (1 hour) (40 marks)
Comprehension exercises on three audio passages and three written texts, drawn from all five themes.

Internal Assessment 25%

This component is internally assessed by the teacher and externally moderated by the IB at the end of the course.
Individual oral assessment
A conversation with the teacher, based on an extract from one of the literary works the syllabus. (30 marks)

All final decisions on the appropriateness of the language course (Language A, Language B or Ab initio) for which students are entered are taken by coordinators in liaison with teachers, using their experience and professional judgment to guide them. The most important consideration is that the language course selected should be a challenging educational experience for the student.

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The school offers Language B SL in French, Spanish and German. Where the number of students enrolled exceeds 7, the school will offer a regular class. If fewer than 7 students enroll, the school may offer the subject at extra cost. In the past few years, regular classes have been formed for French B SL.

Course Description

LANGUAGE B SL (French, Spanish, German)

Language B Standard level is designed to meet (at the end of the 2-year course) the criteria for CEFR level B2 in the four domains of reading, writing, listening and speaking. During the two-year course, exposure to a wide variety of audio and written material provides students with the opportunity to exercise and develop the four skills mentioned above, and to learn to use the language confidently and competently in various contexts. Students should also have acquired a good understanding of the cultural background of the language they will be studying, as well as the way in which it affects their use of it.

The Language B-SL syllabus approaches the learning of language through meaning. Through the study of the core and the options, students build the necessary skills to reach the assessment objectives of the course through the expansion of their receptive, productive and interactive skills.

The core is divided into five areas and is a required area of study:

• identities 
• experiences 
• human ingenuity 
• social organization 
• sharing the planet. 

Difference between Language B at Standard Level and Higher Level:

SL and HL are differentiated by the recommended number of teaching hours, the depth of syllabus coverage, the study of literature at HL only, and the level of difficulty and demands of assessment and assessment criteria.

Course Assessment

External Assessment 75%

Three Written Exams:

Paper 1: Written productive skills (1 hours 15 minutes) 25%

One writing task of 250–400 words from a choice of three, each from a different theme, choosing a text type from among those listed in the examination instructions.

Paper 2: Receptive skills (1 hour and 45 minutes)  50%
Listening comprehension (45 minutes) (25 marks) 25% 
Reading comprehension (1 hour) (40 marks) 25% 

Comprehension exercises on three audio passages and three written texts, drawn from all five themes. 

Internal Assessment 25%

Internally assessed by the teacher and externally moderated by the IB.

Individual oral assessment A conversation with the teacher, based on a visual stimulus, followed by discussion based on an additional theme. (30 marks) 

All final decisions on the appropriateness of the language course (Language A, Language B or Ab initio) for which students are entered are taken by coordinators in liaison with teachers, using their experience and professional judgment to guide them. The most important consideration is that the language course selected should be a challenging educational experience for the student.

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The school offers the Language ab initio course in Spanish (as a regular class) and Chinese Mandarin (as an online course, offered by "Pamoja education" and formally authorised by the IBO, at extra cost). Both courses have a similar curriculum and assessment model as outlined below.

Spanish ab initio

Course Description

Language acquisition consists of two modern language courses — language ab initio and language B — designed to provide students with the necessary skills and intercultural understanding to enable them to communicate successfully in an environment where the language studied is spoken.

Offered at SL only, language ab initio is a language acquisition course designed for students with no previous experience in—or very little exposure to—the target language.

Language ab initio students develop their receptive, productive and interactive skills while learning to communicate in the target language in familiar and unfamiliar contexts.

Students develop the ability to communicate through the study of language, themes and texts. There are five prescribed themes: identities, experiences, human ingenuity, social organization and sharing the planet. While the themes are common to both language ab initio and language B, the language ab initio syllabus additionally prescribes four topics for each of the five themes, for a total of 20 topics that must be addressed over the two years of the course.

The following language acquisition aims are common to both language ab initio and language B.

Aims of the Course

• Develop international-mindedness through the study of languages, cultures, and ideas and issues of global significance.
• Enable students to communicate in the language they have studied in a range of contexts and for a variety of purposes.
• Encourage, through the study of texts and through social interaction, an awareness and appreciation of a variety of perspectives of people from diverse cultures.
• Develop students’ understanding of the relationship between the languages and cultures with which they are familiar. Foster curiosity, creativity and a lifelong enjoyment of language learning.
• Develop students’ awareness of the importance of language in relation to other areas of knowledge.
• Provide students, through language learning and the process of inquiry, with opportunities for intellectual engagement and the development of critical- and creative-thinking skills.
• Provide students with a basis for further study, work and leisure through the use of an additional language.
• Foster curiosity, creativity and a lifelong enjoyment of language learning.

Curriculum Model Overview

The curriculum is organized around five prescribed themes and 20 prescribed topics with which the students engage though written, audio, visual and audio-visual texts.

Students develop into successful, effective communicators by considering the conceptual understandings of context, audience, purpose, meaning and variation.

Communication is evidenced through receptive, productive and interactive skills.

Assessment Model

The language acquisition assessment objectives are common to both language ab initio and language B.

• Communicate clearly and effectively in a range of contexts and for a variety of purposes.
• Understand and use language appropriate to a range of interpersonal and/or intercultural contexts and audiences.
• Understand and use language to express and respond to a range of ideas with fluency and accuracy.
• Identify, organize and present ideas on a range of topics.
• Understand, analyse and reflect upon a range of written, audio, visual and audio-visual texts.

Assessment at a Glance

For the individual oral internal assessment, the stimulus at language ab initio SL is a visual image that is clearly relevant to one (or more) of the themes of the course.

Content Outline

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[In Language A: Literature] Students will focus exclusively on literary texts, adopting a variety of approaches to textual criticism. Students explore the nature of literature, the aesthetic function of literary language and textuality, and the relationship between literature and the world.

Course Description

The focus of Language A: Literature (English and Modern Greek) is the study, appreciation, critical analysis and evaluation of literature as a creative form. Over the two years of the course, students read selected literary works representing different genres (drama, poetry, novels, short stories, non-fiction and new textualities), times (from 8th Century BCE to the present) and places (the course includes texts from a variety of countries). Through the study and discussion of these works, students become acquainted with the concepts and critical approaches associated with literary analysis and their practical application, as well as the contexts within which texts are created and received. Activities such as oral presentations, different kinds of essay writing and creative assignments, both in the classroom and for homework, afford students opportunities to examine, interpret, critically evaluate and develop independent opinions about the way in which writers use language to create meaning.

Course Aims

The course is designed to introduce students to a wide range of literature from different times, places, styles and genres, and to develop an understanding of literary traditions, approaches to literary criticism and the methods that these are based upon. One of the most important aims of the course is to cultivate each student’s distinctive style of written and verbal expression, and to foster the skills needed to communicate and support their critical responses to literary works in a coherent and compelling manner. Students are encouraged to consider not only what makes each writer unique in terms of ideas and style, but to also reflect upon the connections between different literary works and the contexts within which they were fashioned, and how these contribute to the construction of a multiplicity of meanings. The course expands students’ awareness of viewpoints grounded in cultural contexts other than their own and how what they encounter in their reading relates to their understanding of the world around them.

Course Outline

The Language A: Literature syllabus is composed of thirteen literary works at Higher Level and nine at Standard Level. Study of the different works during the two-year course is undertaken through the consideration of the interaction between three areas of exploration (Readers, writers and texts; Time and space; Intertextuality) and seven key concepts (identity, culture, creativity, communication, perspective, transformation and representation). Students retain a record of their work throughout the course in the learner portfolio; a space for each student to reflect upon the literary works studied, the areas of exploration and the central concepts.

By the completion of the first year of the course, students should be able to recognize and work with concepts and terminology particular to the analysis of different kinds of literature; to close read, analyse and evaluate the ideas and features of a literary work; to formulate a well-supported personal opinion about a work; to draw connections between works; to critically consider the relationship between text and context; to structure responses to a work into coherent written or spoken form; to support points about a work with appropriate references; and to cite primary and secondary sources correctly. The first year of the course provides students with the grounding necessary for the second year, where they will be working in a more intensive, sophisticated and in depth manner, adding to and refining the skills developed in the first year.

The following information concerning the three areas of exploration and the learner portfolio is taken from the IBO’s Language A: literature guide (2019):

Readers, writers and texts

This area of exploration introduces students to the nature of literature and its study. The investigation students will undertake involves close attention to the details of texts in a variety of literary forms to learn about the choices made by authors and the ways in which meaning is created. At the same time, study will focus on the role readers themselves play in generating meaning as students move from a personal response to an understanding and interpretation that is influenced by the community of readers of which they are a part.

Guiding conceptual questions:

• Why and how do we study literature?
• How are we affected by literary texts in various ways?
• In what ways is meaning constructed, negotiated, expressed and interpreted?
• How does language use vary among literary forms?
• How does the structure or style of a literary text affect meaning?
• How do literary texts offer insights and challenges?

Time and space

This area of exploration focuses on the idea that literary texts are neither created nor received in a vacuum. It explores the variety of cultural contexts in which literary texts are written and read across time and space as well as the ways literature itself—in its content—mirrors the world at large. Students will examine how cultural conditions can shape the production of a literary text, how a literary text can reflect or refract cultural conditions, and the ways culture and identity influence reception.

Guiding conceptual questions:

• How important is cultural or historical context to the production and reception of a literary text?
• How do we approach literary texts from different times and cultures to our own?
• To what extent do literary texts offer insight into another culture?
• How does the meaning and impact of a literary text change over time?
• How do literary texts reflect, represent or form a part of cultural practices?
• How does language represent social distinctions and identities?

Intertextuality: connecting texts

This area of exploration focuses on intertextual concerns or the connections between and among diverse literary texts, traditions, creators and ideas.

Guiding conceptual questions:

• How do literary texts adhere to and deviate from conventions associated with literary forms?
• How do conventions and systems of reference evolve over time?
• In what ways can diverse literary texts share points of similarity?
• How valid is the notion of a “classic” literary text?
• How can literary texts offer multiple perspectives of a single issue, topic or theme?
• In what ways can comparison and interpretation be transformative?

The learner portfolio

The learner portfolio is a central element of the Language A: literature course and is mandatory for all students. It is an individual collection of student work compiled during the two years of the course.

The work carried out for the learner portfolio forms the basis of preparation for the assessment, although the portfolio itself will not be directly assessed or moderated by the IB. However, it is a fundamental element of the course, providing evidence of the student’s work and a reflection of his or her preparation for the assessment components….In the learner portfolio, students will be expected to reflect on their responses to the works being studied in the corresponding area of exploration. They will also be expected to establish connections between these works and previous ones they have read...

Course Assessment

Students are formally assessed by the IB through two examination papers sat at the finish of the course (externally assessed by the IBO), an individual oral presentation delivered in-school (internally assessed by the teacher and externally moderated by the IBO) and, for Higher level students only, a literary essay completed in-school (externally assessed by the IBO).